\     Gift  of:  f 
Sr.  Magdalen  f- 
"                Maria  r 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/atlascyclopediao02joyc 


CELTIC  CROSS-MOM  ASTERBOICE. 


AwEiJiCAN  Label  Co  39*  396  Boweby  N  Y. 


'Atlas  and  Cyclopedia  of  Ireland 

I  ^  ^  To 

PART  I. 

A  COMPREHENSIVE  DELINEATION  OF  THE  THIRTY-TWO  COUNTIES, 

With  a  Beautifully  Colored  Map  of  Each,  Arranged  Alphabetically,  Showing 
Over  11,000  Cities,  Towns,  Villages  and  Places  of  Public  Interest. 

By  p.  W.  JOYCE,  LL.D. 

embracing  over  two  hundred  illustrations  of  the  natural  scenery,  public  buildings,  abbeys, 
round  towers  and  other  romantic  and  historic  places,  reproduced  by  eminent 
artists  from  photographs  especially  taken  for  this  work. 


PART  11. 

THE  GENERAL  HISTORY, 

AS   told  by 

A.  M.  SULLIVAN, 

And  Condnued  by  P.  D.  NUNAN. 

y4  Complete  and  Authentic  History  of  Ireland,  from  the  Earliest  Ages.     With  Graphic  Descriptions  of  the 
Battle  of  Clontarf,  Strongbow's  Invasion,  Death  of  Roderick  O'Connor  {Last  King  of  Ireland), 
CromiuelVs  Invasion,  Siege  of  Derry  and  the  Battle  of  the  Boyne;  Siege  of  Limericli, 
Penal  Laws,  The  Volunteers,  The  United  Irishmen,  Catholic  Emancipation 
and  Repeal,  The  Young  Irelanders,  Fenian  Insurrectio7i,  Home 
Rjile  and  Land  League  Agitations,  bringing  it  dowft 
almost  to  the  United  Irish  League. 


embellished  with  portraits  of  the  leading  statesmen,  orators,  poets  and  martyrs  of  the 
emerald  isle,  taken  from  the  original  paintings  of  haverty, 

REYNOLDS,  LESAGE  and  OTHERS. 


NEW  YORK : 

MURPHY  &  McCarthy,  publishers, 

86  Walker  Street. 
1900. 


Copyrighted,  1900. 


DA 

ft.  9 


MT.  ST.  VINCENT  CENTRE  LIBRARY 

WELLESLEY  HILLS.  MASSACHUSEnS 


54G7 


INTRODUCTION. 


Me.  JohnMitchel  justly  remarks,  in  one  of  his 
historical  works,  that  the  greatest  conquest  Eng- 
land ever  made  was  to  gain  the  ear  of  the  world. 
In  the  case  of  Ireland  especially,  she  has  for  cen- 
turies possessed  not  only  its  soil,  but  the  advan- 
tage of  telling  the  story  of  its  people  from  her 
own  viewpoint,  while  preventing  them  from 
making  themselves  heard  in  their  own  behalf. 
Down  almost  to  within  the  memory  of  living 
men,  education,  even  in  its  most  rudimentary 
form,  was  a  felony  in  Ireland,  on  the  correct 
principle  that  the  most  effective  method  of  sub- 
jugating and  despoiling  a  people  is  to  keep  them 
in  enforced  ignorance. 

"In  that  black  time  of  law-wrought  crime,  of  stifling 

woe  and  thrall, 
There  stood  supreme  one  foul  device,  one  engine  worse 

than  all: 

Him  whom  they  wished  to  keep  a  slave,  they  sought  to 

make  a  brute — 
They  banned  the  light  of  heaven — they  bade  instruction's 

voice  be  mute. 

God's  second  priest — the  Teacher — sent  to  feed  men's 

minds  with  lore — 
They  marked  a  price  upon  his  head,  as  on  the  priest's 

before. 

For,  well  they  knew  that  never,  face  to  face  beneath 
the  sky. 

Could  Tyranny  and  Knowledge  meet,  but  one  of  them 
should  die. 

That  fettered  slaves  will  link  their  might  until  their 

murmurs  grow 
To  that  imperious  thunder-peal  which  despots  quail  to 

know; 

That  men  who  learn  will  learn  their  strength — the  weak- 
ness of  their  lords — 
Till  all  the  bonds  that  gird  them  round  are  snapt  like 

Samson's  cords. 
This  well  they  knew,  and  called  the  power  of  ignorance 
»  to  aid: 

So  might,  they  deemed,  an  abject  race  of  soulless  serfs 
be  made — 

When  Irish  memories,  hopes,  and  thoughts,  were  withered, 

branch  and  stem, 
A  race  of  abject,  soulless  serfs,  to  hew  and  draw  for 

them." 

In  all  countries  the  national  history  occupies 
a  primal  place  in  their  schools  and  public  institu- 


tions of  learning,  but  Ireland  is  an  exception. 
Irish  history  has  never  occupied  in  modern  times 
in  Irish  universities,  or  the  so-called  Queen's 
Colleges,  the  honorable  pcsition  which  every 
other  country  in  the  world  but  Ireland  assigns 
to  the  cultivation  of  its  peculiar  past.  In 
schools  established  under  the  English  govern- 
ment for  the  professed  benefit  of  the  people  of 
Ireland  it  has  been  systematically  ignored  and 
suppressed.  A  few  years  ago  a  member  of  the 
Queen's  University — the  latest  product  of  Eng- 
lish education  in  Ireland — had  the  temerity  to 
deliver  a  lecture  on  Irish  history  before  the 
students  of  Queen's  College,  Belfast.  Had  the 
lecturer  not  ceased  to  be  a  student  of  the  Uni- 
versity, he  would  have  been  expelled  for  his  pro- 
fanity in  introducing  the  name  of  Ireland  within 
the  walls  of  a  college  paid  for  by  the  Irish  people, 
and  dedicated  to  the  united  so-called  sanctities 
of  loyalty  and  nonsectarianism.  With  a  vigor 
more  violent  than  argumentative,  he  was  attacked 
inside  the  university,  and  out  of  it,  for  having 
dared  to  speak  of  the  country  of  Burke  and  Sher- 
idan, of  Grattan  and  O'Connell,  in  the  presence 
of  an  Irish  audience.  He  had  even  the  honor  of 
being  made  the  subject  of  a  "question,"  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  and  of  being  gravely  cen- 
sured, by  some  ostensibly  solemn  members  of 
Parliament,  as  "a  person  of  seditious  tenden- 
cies." 

When  the  present  system  of  national  schools 
was  established  in  Ireland,  it  was  with  the  pro- 
fessed purpose  of  weaning  the  youth  of  the 
country  from  Irish  ideas  and  aspirations.  All 
reference  to  Irish  history,  literature,  and  national 
thought  was  rigorously  eliminated,  while  the 
excellencies  of  the  British  constitution,  and  the 
benefits  of  British  rule  were  set  forth  in  diversi- 
fied profusion.  It  was  fondly  hoped  that  the 
seeds  of  loyalty  to  British  rule  might  thus  be 
implanted,  and  Ireland  be  converted  into  a  West 
Britain.  But  the  attempt  was  doomed  to 
ignominious  failure.  Once  place  the  weapon  of 
knowledge  in  the  hand  of  youth,  and  the  posses- 


INTRODUCTION. 


6or  when  grown  to  manhood  will  wield  it  as  he 
wills.  So  it  has  been  in  Ireland.  In  no  coun- 
try is  national  literature  more  generously  pat- 
ronized, and  liberally  diffused.  For  ages  the 
spirit  of  nationality  was  sustained  and  trans- 
mitted by  the  wandering  bards,  the  traditions  of 
the  clans  and  families,  and  the  legends  and 
associations  that  cling,  like  ivy  round  a  ruin,  to 
every  spot  of  the  storied  island. 

But  to  the  exiled  Irish,  and  their  descendants, 
even  such  channels  and  reminders  of  the  history 
of  their  fatherland  were  denied.  Compelled  to 
combat  for  an  existence  among  strangers,  under 
new  and  adverse  conditions,  they  had  little  time 
or  opportunity  to  devote  to  the  memories  or 
glories  of  the  past.  Yet  with  a  marvelous  tenac- 
ity they  carried  with  them,  retained  and  trans- 
mitted to  their  children,  the  inheritance  of  their 
ancestors,  and  to  this,  in  a  great  measure,  may 
be  attributed  the  status  and  moral  solidarity 
which  the  Irish  race  occupies  throughout  the 
world  to-day. 

For,  as  Edmund  Burke  profoundly  remarks,  a 
man  who  is  not  proud  of  his  ancestry  will  never 
leave  after  him  anything  for  which  his  posterity 
maj'  be  proud  of  him. 

It  is  none  of  our  purpose  in  these  brief  re- 
marks to  advert  to  the  reasons  why  the  Irish  and 
those  of  Irish  descent,  especially  in  America, 
should  be  skilled  in  the  history  of  their  race. 
Here,  we  are  forming  a  great  world-power,  evolu- 
tionizing  a  new  nationality,  and  to  that  national- 
ity, combined  of  the  best  elements  of  Europe, 
the  Irish  have  contributed,  perhaps,  the  most 
essential  part.  A  clamorous  minority,  indeed, 
chatter  about  Anglo-Saxonism,  at  once  a  mis- 
nomer and  absurdity- ;  but  the  cold  figures  of  the 
statistics  of  emigration  show  that  Europe,  not 
England,  is  the  mother  country  of  America,  and 
that  to  the  building  of  our  nationhood  Ire- 
land has  contributed  the  greatest  share.  These, 
and  kindred  facts,  are  systematically  ignored  by 
English  writers,  and  their  American  imitators, 
but  they  no  longer  dare  to  dispute  them.  A  new 
school  of  history  has  been  inaugurated,  founded 
on  modern  scientific  historical  research  ;  and  the 
record  of  Ireland,  as  a  civilizer,  in  the  days 
when  Europe,  after  the  break-up  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  was  a  congeries  of  bloody  factions  and 


races,  is  now  not  only  recognized  but  proclaimed 
by  all  modern  authorities. 

As  we  live  in  a  busy  age  and  country,  how- 
ever, we  must  adapt  ourselves  to  our  require- 
ments and  environment;  and  hence  the  pub- 
lishers of  the  present  work  have  placed  within 
the  reach  of  all  Irish-American  readers,  and 
sympathizers  of  oppressed  peoples,  the  most 
complete,  condensed  and  lucid  work  on  Ireland 
that  has  ever  been  published.  It  is  an  epitome 
of  Ireland,  in  all  her  phases,  a  panoramic  view 
of  the  ancestral  island,  which  can  be  appeciated 
equally  by  the  learned  or  unlearned,  and  read 
and  scanned  by  all  readers  with  pleasure  and 
instruction.  '  Ireland — geographical  and  topo- 
graphical, picturesque,  and  historic,  with  her 
ancient  ruins  looking  down  on  us  with  prehis- 
toric venerableness,  her  antiquities,  defj'ing  the 
acutest  modern  research,  her  churches,  abbeys 
and  monasteries  telling  in  their  eloquent  remains 
"the  power  and  faith  of  old,"  all  are  here  pre- 
sented in  the  most  authentic  form  and  in  the 
best  style  of  modern  art.  No  expense  has  been 
spared  in  presenting  in  the  most  engaging 
form  the  Ireland  of  the  Past  and  the  Present  to 
the  reader;  and  at  a  price  that  will  bring  it 
within  the  reach  of  all. 

It  is  needless  to  advert  to  the  beauties  of  Irish 
scenery — which  are  unsurpassed — or  the  reminis- 
cences that  meet  the  tourist  at  every  turn,  or 
the  manifold  attractions  that  Ireland  presents  to 
all  in  her  varying  phases,  changeful  as  her 
skies,  and  beauteous  as  her  fields,  and  inspiring 
as  the  story  that  surrounds  her. 

To  those  who  have  been  born  in  the  Emerald 
Isle  this  work  will  be  of  personal  interest,  con- 
taining, as  it  does,  maps  of  the  thirty-two  coun- 
ties of  Ireland;  to  those  who  have  never  visited 
its  shores,  its  scenes  of  picturesque  loveliness, 
which  excite  the  admiration  of  ever3'  traveler, 
will  be  an  incentive  to  see  them  in  reality,  when 
opportunity  allows;  while  those  to  whom  higher 
aspirations  appeal  will  turn  to  the  lessons  which 
the  pages  of  this  work  present  to  them,  and,  in 
reading  the  record  of  their  ancestors,  will  realize 
the  meaning  of  the  poet : 

"They  left  us  a  treasure  of  fit  and  wrath, 
A  spur  to  our  cold  blood  set, 
And  we'll  tread  that  path,  with  a  spirit  that  hath 
Assurance  of  victory  yet." 


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COI'YKIGHT.  1898,  BY  MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


ANTRIM. 


NAME. — The  old  form  was  Aentruibh,  or  Aent- 
rebh,  which  probably  means  either  "one  tribe" 
or  "one  habitation :"  but  this  is  not  quite  cer- 
tain.   Antrim  town  gave  name  to  the  county. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
"The  New  Bridge"  over  the  Lagan,  near  Lis- 
burn,  to  the  Giant's  Causeway,  54|  miles : 
breadth,  from  Island  Magee  to  Toome  on  the 
Banu,  30  miles:  area,  1191  square  miles:  popu- 
lation, 421,943. 

SURFACE. — An  almost  uninterrupted  succes- 
sion of  hills  and  uplands,  a  kind  of  irregular 
plateau,  long  and  narrow,  extends  along  the 
coast  from  Belfast  Lough  to  Fair  Head,  with  a 
narrow  belt  of  well  cultivated  land  between  it 
and  the  sea.  Near  Larne  the  mountains  run 
down  to  the  sea,  forming  magnificent  scenery. 
From  this  plateau  the  land  slopes  inland,  so  that 
many  of  the  main  streams  have  their  source  near 
the  sea,  and  flow  west  and  southwest  to  Lough 
Neagh  and  the  Bann. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  chief  moun- 
tain summits  are — Slemish  (1,437),  near  the  cen- 
ter point  of  the  county,  memorable  as  the  scene 
of  St.  Patrick's  early  life:  Trostan  (1,811),  Slieve- 
anee  (1,782),  Slieveanorra  (1,676),  and  Slievena- 
hanaghan  (1,325),  all  four  near  Cushendall :  a  lit- 
tle north  of  these,  and  west  of  Cushendun,  Agan- 
garrive  (1,225),  and  Crockaneel  (1,321):  Knock- 
layd  (1,695),  a  fine  detached  mountain  mass  near 
Ballycastle:  Collin  Top  (1,426),  Carncormick 
(1,431),  and  Soarns  Hill  (1,326),  west  of  Glenarm  : 
Divis  (1,561),  Black  Mountain,  (1,272),  Squires 
Hill  (1,230),  and  Cave  Hill  (1,188),  all  near  Bel- 
fast :  Carn  Hill  (1,025)  and  Toppin  (928)  near 
Carrickfergus. 

COAST-LINE.— The  coast,  nearly  the  whole 
way  round  from  Carrickfergus  to  Portrush,  is 
broken  into  a  succession  of  fine  cliffs,  pierced  by 
manj'  ravines,  through  which  mountain  streams, 
short  and  rapid,  tumble  into  the  sea.  Cliffs 
formed  of  basaltic  columns  extend  for  many 
miles  along  the  noi-th  coast,  and  attain  their 
most  striking  development  in  Fair  Head  and  the 


Giant's  Causeway.  A  most  picturesque  road 
runs  along  the  whole  coast  from  Carrickfergus  to 
Ballycastle. 

HEADLANDS.— The  chief  headlands  (going 
regularly  round  the  coast)  are — Bengore  Head 
(367),  of  which  the  Giant's  Causeway  forms  a 
part :  Kinbane  or  White  Head,  topped  by  a  cas- 
tle ruin:  Benmore  or  Fair  Head  (636),  with  its 
great  ranges  of  basaltic  columns :  Torr  Head,  a 
spur  from  Carranmore  Hill  (1,254),  1|  miles 
inland :  Garron  Point,  a  grand  cliff,  near  which 
is  the  singular  detached  tower-like  sea  rock — 
Cloghastucan :  Ballygalley  Head :  the  Gobbins, 
a  series  of  lofty  basaltic  sea  cliffs  on  the  east  side 
of  Island  Magee :  Black  Head  and  "White  Head, 
as  you  come  toward  Carrickfergus. 

ISLANDS.— Eathlin,  or  Raghery  Island,  off 
the  north  coast:  area,  5^  square  miles:  shores 
abrupt  and  steep :  highest  point  Slieveacarn 
(447),  on  the  west  end:  in  the  northeast  extrem- 
ity are  the  ruins  of  Bruce 's  Castle,  where  Robert 
Bruce  took  refuge  in  the  winter  of  1306.  The 
other  islands  are  mere  sea  rocks,  viz.,  the  little 
group  of  the  Skerries,  near  Portrush :  Maidens, 
near  Larne,  with  two  lighthouses;  and  Muck 
Island,  near  the  coast  of  Island  Magee. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.- Belfast  Lough  lies 
between  Antrim  and  Down :  Larne  Lough,  a 
shallow  inlet  5  miles  long,  confined  on  the  east 
by  the  long,  narrow  peninsula  of  Island  Magee : 
Ballygalley  Bay  :  the  sheltered  little  Bay  of  Glen- 
arm; and  near  it,  on  the  north,  Carnlough  Bay: 
Red  Bay,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Glenariff  River, 
with  its  remarkable  caves :  Murlough  Bay,  near 
Fair  Head:  Ballycastle  Bay:  White  Park  Bay, 
east  of  Bengore  Head. 

RIVERS. — The  Bann  forms  the  western  bound- 
ary from  where  it  issues  out  of  Lough  Neagh  to 
the  point  Avhere  it  enters  Londonderry,  a  distance 
of  about  27  miles  :  the  Lagan  runs  on  the  southern 
boundary  from  near  Moira  to  its  mouth — about 
22  miles.  The  Six-mile  Water,  flowing  by  Bally- 
clare  into  the  northeast  corner  of  Lough  Neagh, 
near  the  town  of  Antrim  :  the  Larne  Water,  hav- 


ANT 


RlM. 


ing  its  source  near  that  of  the  Six-mile  "Water, 
but  flowing  in  an  opposite  direction,  falls  into 
the  sea  at  Larne :  the  Main,  running  southward 
by  Cullybackj',  Galgorm,  aud  Kandalstown,  into 
the  northeast  corner  of  Lough  Neagh :  the  Glen- 
whirry  Eiver  and  the  Kells  River,  which  form 
one  stream,  flowing  west  by  Kells  into  the  Main : 
the  Braid  flows  west,  by  Broughshane  and  Bally- 
meua,  into  the  Main :  the  Glenravel  Water  and 
the  Clogh  River,  forming  one  stream,  flow  south- 
west into  the  Main,  near  Clogh  Mills :  the  Bush 
flows  north,  by  Armoy  and  Bushmills,  into  the 
sea  near  the  Giant's  Causeway :  the  Carey  and 
the  Glenshesk,  two  mountain  streams  run  into 
the  sea  at  Ballycastle:  the  Glendun,  which  falls 
into  the  sea  at  Cushendun ;  and  near  it  on  the 
south,  the  Glenaan,  running  by  Cushendall :  the 
Gleuariff,  flowing  through  a  beautiful  glen  into 
Red  Bay,  near  Cushendall :  the  Glenarm  Eiver 
flowing  by  Glenarm. 

LAKES. — A  large  portion  of  Lough  Neagh  be- 
longs to  this  county.  Lough  Beg,  an  expansion 
of  the  Bann,  a  little  below  Lough  Neagh,  about 
3  miles  long  and  |  mile  wide,  contains  several 
islands.  Lough  Guile,  a  small  lake  7  miles  east 
of  Ballj'money,  gives  name  to  the  surrounding 
parish :  Portmore  Lake,  between  the  southeast 
shore  of  Lough  Neagh  and  the  village  of  Ballin- 
derry,  circular,  aud  about  a  square  mile  in  area: 
Lough  Mourne,  3  miles  north  of  Carrickfergus. 

TOWNS.— Belfast  (208,122,  of  whom  23,917 
belong  to  Ballymacarrett,  that  part  of  Belfast 
lying  in  county  Down),  the  assize  town,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Lagan,  the  greatest  manufacturing 
and  trading  town  in  L'eland — chief  seat  of  the 
linen  trade.  Carrickfergus  (4,792),  on  the  shore 
of  Belfast  Lough,  with  its  fine  old  castle  perched 
on  a  rocky  peninsula:  halfway  between  Belfast 
and  Carrickfergus  lies  Whiteabbey  (1,452),  with 
its  flax-spinning  mills:  and  nearer  Belfast,  still 
on  the  shore,  is  Whitehouse  (975). 

Following  the  coast,  we  come  to  Larne  (4,716), 
in  a  beautiful  spot  near  the  mouth  of  Larne 
Lough,  with  the  old  castle  of  Olderfleet  opposite 
it,  on  the  Curran  peninsula:  Glenarm  (1,276) 
stands  in  a  lovely  valley,  nearly  surrounded  by 
mountains,  and  is  noted  for  its  beautiful  scenerj' : 
Ballycastle  (1,446),  in  a  fine  valley  on  the  north 
coast,  with  Knocklayd  towering  over  it :  Por- 
trush  (1,322),  on  a  sharp  projecting  point  in  the 


northwest  corner,  much  frequented  as  a  water- 
ing-place ;  3  miles  east  from  which  is  the  ancient 
castle  of  Dunluce,  perched  on  a  rock  high  over 
the  sea. 

Lisburn  (10,755 — of  whom  2,446  are  in  that 
part  of  the  town  belonging  to  county  Down), 
stands  on  the  Lagan  (flax-spinning,  weaving, 
bleaching):  Ballymena  (8,883),  on  the  river 
Braid  (manufactures,  trade  in  linen  and  yarn) : 
Legoniel  (3,497),  3  miles  northwest  from  Bel- 
fast: Ballymoney  (3,049),  within  3  miles  of  the 
Bann  (linen,  brewing,  tanning).  Antrim  (1,647), 
on  the  Six-mile  Water,  where  it  enters  Lough 
Neagh,  gives  name  to  the  county;  near  it  stands 
a  round  tower;  and  2  miles  west,  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake,  are  the  fine  ruins  of  Shane's  Castle. 
Ballyclare  (1,475),  on  the  Six-mile  Water: 
Bushmills  (1,103),  on  the  river  Bush,  near  Por- 
trush — noted  for  its  distillery. 

MINERALS.— On  the  north  coast  at  Fair  Head, 
coal  is  found ;  the  coal  mines  were  worked  there 
in  very  ancient  times,  as  is  shown  by  the  remains 
of  old  coal  pits  and  antique  mining  tools.  There 
are  salt  mines  at  Carrickfergus;  and  excellent 
iron  ore  is  raised  in  the  valley  of  the  Glenravel 
River. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  northern  part  of  Antrim,  north 
from  the  Glenravel  River,  was  the  ancient  terri- 
tory of  Dalriada,  commonly  called  Ruta,  or  the 
Route;  all  from  that  south  was  part  of  the  old 
territory  of  Dalaradia.  This  latter  part  of  An- 
trim (from  the  Glenravel  to  the  Lagan,  and 
west  to  Lough  Neagh  and  the  Bann)  was,  in 
later  ages,  called  North  or  Lower  Clannaboy  (or 
Clandeboye),  to  distinguish  it  from  South  Clan- 
naboy, in  county  Down — both  Clannaboys  being 
the  territory  of  the  O'Neills.  Clannaboy  (the 
whole,  or  the  greater  part)  was  more  anciently 
called  Trian  Congaill.  The  plain  between  the 
rivers  Bann  and  Bush  was  the  ancient  Elne  or 
Ele.  The  district  extending  from  the  barony  of 
Lower  Massareene  to  the  barony  of  Lower  Toome 
(inclusive)  was  anciently  called  Hy  Tuirtre;  and 
the  old  territory  of  Moylinny  lay  between  the 
rivers  Six-Mile  Water  and  Glenwhirry. 

The  rugged  district  from  Larne  to  Ballycastle 
— the  territory'  of  the  MacDonnells — was,  and  is 
still,  known  as  the  Glens  or  Glynns  of  Antrim ; 
so  called  from  eight  of  those  ravines  mentioned 


ANTRIM. 


The  following  are  the  GlenB:  1 — Glen- 
sbesk,  through  which  runs  the  river  Shesk 
into  Ballycastle  Bay;  2 — Glendun,  through 
which  the  Glendun  Eiver  runs,  by  Cushendun ; 
3 — Glencorp,  a  little  valley  at  the  northeast  of 
the  parish  of  Layd,  near  Glendun ;  4 — Glenaan, 


traversed  by  the  Glenaan  River;  5 — Glenbally- 
mon,  through  which  runs  the  Ballymon  River, 
joining  the  Glenaan,  near  Cushendall ;  6 — Glena- 
riff;  7 — Glencloy,  the  valley  running  from 
Carnlough  up  toward  Collin  Top ;  8 — Glenarm, 
the  valle3'  traversed  by  the  Glenarm  Eiver. 


ILLXJSTE^TIOlsrS. 


CAERICK-A-REDE.  Near  the  village  of  Bal- 
lintoy,  is  the  basaltic  crag  of  Carrick-a-Rede — 
the  Rock  in  the  Road — with  a  flying  bridge  over 
a  chasm  more  than  eighty  feet  deep,  connecting 
it  with  the  mainland.  The  island  is  two  and  a 
half  acres  in  extent,  on  which  is  a  small  cottage 
built  as  a  fishing  station.  The  bridge  consists 
of  two  ropes  or  cables  fastened  to  rings  in  the 
rock  on  either  side,  and  a  guide  rope  running 
parallel,  and  a  boarded  footpath.  Over  this 
women  and  children  pass,  carrying  great  loads, 
but  to  the  inexperienced  its  crossing  is  a  danger- 
ous feat.  The  rock  derives  its  chief  interest  from 
its  being  a  fishing  station  for  salmon,  that 
annually  coast  along  the  shore  in  search  of  rivers 
to  deposit  their  spawn.  Their  passage  is  inter- 
cepted by  the  rock,  and  the  fish  secured  in  the 
sweep  of  the  nets.  The  rock  is  much  frequented 
by  tourists,  attracted  bj'  the  novelty  of  the  feat 
of  crossing  the  bridge. 

ROUND  TOWER.— A  little  to  the  north 
of  the  town  of  Antrim  stands  one  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  the  Round  Towers  in  the 
north  of  Ireland;  it  is  ninety-five  feet  high, 
tapers  upward,  diminishing  from  fifty -two  feet  in 
circumference  at  the  base,  to  thirty-six  near  the 
top.  The  door  is  twelve  feet  from  the  ground, 
and  is  of  a  square  form.  Over  the  entrance 
there  is  a  device  in  open  stonework,  resembling 
a  Maltese  cross,  which  would  strengthen  the  idea 
of  these  towers  having  been  erected  within  the 
Christian  period.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  learned 
Dr.  Petrie  that  this  tower  was  built  by  Goban 
Saer  in  the  seventh  century,  a  celebrated  archi- 
tect of  that  age,  to  whom  also  is  ascribed  the 
erection  of  those  of  Kilmacduagh  and  Kilbannon, 
near  Tuam.    The  peculiarity  of  the  doorway  and 


open  cross  will  be  readily  understood  from  the 
accompanying  engraving. 

LORD  ANTRIM'S  PARLOR,  GIANT'S 
CAUSEWAY. — The  accompanying  picture  repre- 
sents one  of  the  apartments  of  the  Giant's  Cause- 
way, in  the  County  of  Antrim,  one  of  the  most 
monumental  wonders  of  nature.  This  natural 
cave  derives  its  name  from  the  story  or  tradi- 
tion that  one  of  the  lords  of  Antrim  once  gave  a 
feast  within  its  gloomy  and  imposing  walls. 
This  great  natural  wonder  is  of  basaltic  forma- 
tion, and  comprises  three  divisions,  the  Little 
Causeway,  the  Middle  Causeway,  and  the  Great 
Causeway.  The  perpendicular  pillars,  which  are 
so  regularly  placed  as  to  impress  the  spectator 
with  the  belief  that  they  had  been  fashioned  by 
the  hand  and  brain  of  some  Titanic  architect, 
number  nearly  forty  thousand,  are  prismatic  in 
form,  and  embrace  any  number  of  sides  from 
three  to  nine;  the  whole  area  covering  about 
three  acres,  yet  all  the  clustering  columns  ar- 
ranged and  fitted : 

"With  skill  so  like,  yet  so  surpassing  art. 
With  such  design,  so  just  in  every  part, 
That  reason  pauses,  doubtful  if  it  stand 
The  work  of  mortal,  or  immortal  hand." 

GLENARM.- — -Glenarm,  embosomed  in  a  beau- 
tiful vale  opening  to  the  sea,  presents  an 
attractive  view,  with  the  turrets  of  the  castle, 
and  the  picturesque  surroundings  like  a 
moving  tableau.  There  is  not  in  Ireland  a 
more  fascinating  and  romantic  little  town;  the 
beauty  and  variety  of  the  adjacent  scenery,  and 
the  dell-like  tranquillity  of  the  town  and  valley 
in  which  it  is  situated,  are  well  calculated  to 
attract  the  notice  of  the  visitor  and  make  an 
impression  not  soon  to  be  effaced.    The  pros- 


ANTRIM. 


pect  from  the  adjacent  basaltic  cliffs,  200 
feet  in  height,  is  extremely  interesting,  em- 
bracing the  castle  -with  its  minarets  and  gilded 
ranes  embosomed  in  the  woods  of  the  richlj-- 
planted  pai'k;  while  just  below  are  seen  the  sil- 
very waters  of  the  beautiful  bay  of  Glenarm  tran- 
quilly sleeping  between  the  lofty  precipices 
which  guard  it  upon  the  north  and  south,  and  far 
along  northward  the  varied  and  picturesque  coast 
as  far  as  the  Garron  Point  and  the  fort-crowned 
hill  of  Dumane. 

GLENARM  CASTLE.— Glenarm  Castle  has 
only  been  occupied  as  the  family  seat  of  the 
McDonnells,  earls  of  Antrim,  since  1750, 
after  the  destruction  of  their  former  summer 
abode  at  Ballymagarry.  The  gateway  to  the 
castle,  a  lofty  barbican,  is  approached  by  a 
bridge  crossing  the  river;  and  beneath  its  arch 
a  beautiful  carriage  drive  leads  round  to  the 
entrance  hall.  The  edifice  has  been  modernized 
and  rendered  one  of  the  most  elegant  and  com- 
modious mansions  iu  the  island.  The  demesne 
is  especially  worthj'  of  admiration,  occupj'ing  a 
long  and  deep  glen  or  ravine,  well  wooded  and 
watered  by  a  beautiful  stream  abounding  in  trout 
and  salmon,  inclosed  by  lofty  cliffs  on  the  north 
and  south;  a  natural  cascade  called  the  Bull's 
Eye  forming  a  pretty  feature  in  the  walk  along 
the  river,  which  is  broken  into  a  series  of  charm- 
ing waterfalls.  The  hill  of  Slieve  Mish,  where 
the  captive  boy  St.  Patrick  tended  the  swine  of 
the  chieftain  Milcho. 

DUNLUCE  CASTLE.— Among  the  remark- 
able features  of  the  north  coast  of  Antrim 
are  the  castles  which  crown  its  cliffs.  Some 
of  them  are  on  insulated  rocks,  others  upon 
the  margin  of  steep  precipices,  and  all  illustra- 
tions of  the  active  and  warlike  character  of  the 
ancient  inhabitants.  Dunluce  Castle,  in  Irish 
"the  sti'ong  fort, "  is  situated  on  an  insulated  rock 
120  feet  above  the  sea  level,  and  is  probably 
the  most  ])icturesque  ruin  in  Ireland.  Con- 
nection with  the  mainland  is  formed  by 
a  single  wall  not  more  than  eighteen  inches 
broad,  the  chasm  at  each  side  being  nearly 
eighty  feet  deep.  It  is  built  of  columnar  basalt, 
in  many  instances  so  placed  as  to  show  their 
polygonal  sections.  It  is  a  very  ancient  fortress, 
and  was  according  to  the  Four  Masters  founded 
about  the  year  of  the  world  3G68.    It  was  cap- 


tured by  the  McQuillans  from  the  English  in 
1513,  and  was  taken  by  the  McDonnells  of 
Antrim  in  the  reign  of  James  the  First.  Its 
history  is  so  strange  and  checkered  as  to  be 
akin  to  romance. 

SHANE'S  CASTLE.— This  edifice,  now  in 
ruins,  was  the  ancient  seat  of  the  O'Neills, 
the  most  powerful  of  the  Irish  septs.  It 
stands  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  demesne  ex- 
tending from  Randalstown  to  and  along  the 
shores  of  Lough  Neagh  for  a  distance  of  three 
miles.  The  river  Main  flows  through  the 
grounds  and  is  crossed  by  an  ornamental  bridge, 
connecting  them  with  the  Deer-park,  which  is  of 
considerable  extent.  The  castle  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1816,  nothing  being  saved  but  the 
family  papers.  At  present  a  portion  of  the 
stables  are  converted  into  a  residence ;  all  that  is 
left  of  the  castle  being  some  ruined  towers,  and 
the  fortified  esplanade,  upon  which  is  a  conserva- 
tory. The  castle  derives  its  name  from  Shane 
O'Neill,  John  the  Proud,  one  of  the  most  re- 
doubtable foes  the  English  power  met  in 
Ireland.  He  was  assassinated  at  a  banquet  at 
the  instance  of  the  Lord  Deputy,  who  kept  his  head 
spiked  for  months  on  the  tower  of  Dublin  Castle. 

CARRICKFERGUS.— Carrickfergus  is  said 
to  have  derived  its  name  from  Feargusa, 
or  Fergus,  who  was  lost  off  the  coast  of  the 
locality  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  Among 
the  many  historical  reminders  of  this  place 
is  the  castle,  which  is,  perhaps,  the  only  one 
of  the  very  ancient  castles  at  present  in  a 
habitable  condition.  Situated  on  an  insulated 
rock,  jutting  out  into  the  baj',  it  commands  the 
approach  to  the  opulent  city  of  Belfast,  and  as  a 
military  position  has  been  always  regarded  as  of 
much  importance.  At  a  very  early  period  it  was 
selected  as  the  site  of  a  fortress,  being  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  of  the  military  posts  in  the  time 
of  the  Dalaradians,  and  ever  since  it  has  occu- 
pied a  prominent  position  in  the  annals  of  the 
country.  The  castle  was  built  by  the  celebrated 
John  De  Courcy,  iu  1178,  who  received  a 
"grant"  from  Henry  II.  of  all  the  land  he  might 
conquer  in  Ulster.  Carrickfergus  remained  as 
the  great  stronghold  of  the  English  for  centuries. 
In  1641,  it  frequently  changed  masters,  being 
alternately  in  the  hands  of  the  Scotch,  English 
and  Irish. 


ANT 


RIM. 


POETRUSH.— Portrush  is  regarded  as  the 
port  of  Coleraine,  and  is  a  pi'etty  town  of  over  a 
thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  situated  within  the 
shelter  of  a  noble  headland  forming  a  penin- 
sula, consisting  of  a  large  and  picturesque  rock, 
■which  has  long  been  a  subject  of  great  interest  to 
geologists.  Steamers  ply  between  the  town  and 
Glasgow,  Liverpool  and  Londonderry.  The 
scenery  is  very  picturesque,  embracing  the  Sker- 
ries islands,  Dunluce  to  the  east,  and  beyond  the 
gigantic  cliffs  that  overhang  the  causeway.  Be- 
tween Dunluce  and  Portrush  are  the  famous 
"White  Rocks  and  caves,  among  them  that  known 
as  the  Priest's  Hole,  so  called  from  its  being  the 
hiding-place  of  a  priest  after  the  Rebellion,  who 
on  being  tracked  and  discovered  by  the  soldiers, 
leaped  to  death  in  the  seething  waves  below 
rather  than  surrender. 


ALBERT  MEMORIAL,  BELFAST.— Among 
the  many  splendid  architectural  structures  in 
Belfast,  few  if  any  are  more  imposing  and  grace- 
ful than  that  shown  in  the  present  engraving.  It 
consists  of  a  clock  tower  in  sculptured  stone,  and 
stands  at  the  foot  of  High  Street.  It  was  erected 
as  a  memorial  to  the  late  Prince  Albert,  Consort  of 
Queen  Victoria,  by  public  subscription,  and 
was  completed  in  1870.  It  is  of  Venetian-Gothic 
style,  and  is  147  feet  in  height.  In  a  niche  facing 
High  Street  stands  a  statue  of  the  prince.  As 
Belfast  is  the  center  of  the  loyalists  in  Ireland, 
such  a  memorial  must  be  taken  to  typify  their 
sentiments,  instead  of  those  of  the  great  mass  of 
the  Irish  people.  Belfast  is  a  thoroughly  modern 
city,  its  growth  and  prosperity  being  the  product 
of  the  present  century,  owing  to  its  favored  posi- 
tion, and  its  being  the  center  of  the  linen  trade. 


CAVAN. 


county  near  Cootehill,  and  a  little  further  on  by 
the  Bunnoe  stream  from  the  north.  The  Black- 
water  rises  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Bejibi'ack, 
and  flows  southeast  near  the  boundarj'  with 
Leitrim  till  it  enters  Garadice  Lough.  The 
Inuy,  flowing  through  Lough  Sheelin  and  Lough 
Kinale,  forms  for  some  distance  the  boundaries 
'  between  this  county  and  those  of  Meath  and 
Westmeath. 

The  Meath  Blackwater  flows  for  2  to  3  miles 
through  Cavan  from  its  source  in  Lough  Ramor. 
The  Moynalty  River,  flowing  southeast  from  its 
source  near  Bailieborough,  forms,  for  5  to  6 
miles,  the  boundary  between  Cavan  and  Meath, 
entering  Meath  2  miles  above  Moynalty. 

LAKES. — The  center  of  the  county,  especially 
that  portion  occupied  by  the  two  baronies  of 
Upper  and  Lower  Loughtee,  is  broken  up  by 
innumerable  small  lakes,  the  intervening  portions 
of  land  being  thickly  populated  and  well  culti- 
vated, and  in  many  parts — especially  along 
the  lake  shores — beautifully  wooded.  Lough 
Oughter  is  an  extraordinary  complication  of 
•water :  a  large  lake  broken  up  into  a  number  of 
small  sheets  by  promontories,  peninsulas,  and 
islands,  of  all  shapes  and  sizes — wooded,  verdant, 
and  cultivated.  It  contains  among  others  the 
islands  of  Eonish,  Trinity  (in  which  are  the 
ruins  of  Trinity  Abbey),  and  Inch :  and  on  a 
rock  in  the  midst  of  the  lake  stands  Clogh- 
Oughter  Castle  in  ruins. 

On  the  southern  boundary  is  Lough  Sheelin, 
more  than  half  of  which  belongs  to  Cavan,  a 
beautiful  lake,  nearly  5  miles  long  by  about  2 
miles  broad.  Near  this  is  the  smaller  Lough 
Kinale,  of  which  less  than  half  is  in  Cavan. 
Lough  Gowna,  which  is  very  much  broken  up — 
something  like  Lough  Oughter — lies  on  the 
southwestern  boundary,  and  belongs  in  part  to 
this  county. 

Lough  Eamor,  near  the  southeast  border,  is 
about  4  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of 
I  mile,  and  is  diversified  with  a  number  of  lovely 
little  wooded  islands. 

In  the  east,  near  Shercock,  is  the  pretty  Lough 
oillan,  and  the  two  smaller  Loughs,  Tacker  and 
Barnagrow.  Brackley  Lough,  nearly  a  square 
mile  in  extent,  lies  in  the  northwest,  near  the 
village  of  Bawnboy. 

TOWNS.— Cavan  (3,050),  the  county  town. 


lies  in  a  hollow  overtopped  by  one  of  those 
round  grassy  hills  so  common  in  this  part  of  the 
county,  with  the  beautiful  demesne  of  Farn- 
ham  in  its  neighborhood.  Cootehill  (  1,789), 
near  the  northeast  boundai'y,  is  a  neat,  well- 
built  town,  in  the  midst  of  a  beautiful  district, 
well  cultivated,  and  diversified  with  lakes  and 
woods.  Belturbet  (1,807),  on  the  Erne,  between 
Lough  Oughter  and  Lough  Erne,  is  a  prosperous 
little  town,  with  a  large  distillery ;  communica- 
tion by  barges  with  Lough  Erne,  and  through 
the  Ulster  Canal  (which  joins  the  Erne  a  little 
below  the  town)  with  Lough  Neagh. 

Bailieborough  (1,091),  in  the  east  of  the 
county,  is  a  very  neat  town,  with  an  unusual 
number  of  public  institutions.  Kingscourt  (932) 
is  at  the  extreme  eastern  corner,  beside  the  finely 
wooded  demesne  of  Cabra.  Virginia  (663)  is  a 
pretty  little  town,  beautifully  situated  on  the 
north  shore  of  Lough  Eamor;  Ballyjamesduff 
(731)  lies  6  miles  west  of  Virginia.  Arvagh 
(716)  is  prettily  situated  on  the  shore  of  the 
little  lake  Garty,  at  the  western  boundary. 
Killashandra  (709),  near  the  west  shoi-e  of  Lough 
Gowna,  is  perched  on  a  ridge  in  the  midst  of  a 
number  of  beautiful  lakes. 

MINERALS.— The  Connaught  coal  field  ex- 
tends into  Cavan,  comprising  a  small  portion  of 
the  county  in  the  northwest,  bordering  on  Lough 
Allen;  and  coal  is  found  also  near  Kingscourt 
and  near  Shercock.  The  high  land  near  Swan- 
linbar  produces  iron  ore ;  and  lead  and  copper 
ores  are  found  near  Cootehill. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— This  county  was  anciently  called  East 
Brefny  or  Brefny  O'Reilly;  for  it  was  the  patri- 
mony of  the  O'Reillys :  the  county  Leitrim  form- 
ing West  Brefny  or  Brefny  O'Rourke.  Croghan, 
near  Killashandra,  was  the  place  whei'e  the 
O'Rourke  used  to  be  inaugurated  prince  of 
Brefny. 

The  plain  lying  round  Ballymagauran,  on  the 
boundary  with  Leitrim,  was  the  ancient  Moy- 
slecht,  where  the  pagan  Ii*ish  worshiped  their 
chief  idol  Crom-Cruach.  Here,  according  to 
the  bardic  history,  the  pagan  monarch  Tiernmas 
and  three-fourths  of  the  men  of  Ireland  were 
killed  in  some  supernatural  way  while  worship- 
ing Crom-Cruach.  Many  centuries  after,  the 
idol  was  destroyed  by  St.  Patrick. 


CLARE. 


NAME. — The  county  is  uaiued  from  the  little 
town  of  Clare,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Fergus ;  and 
this  got  its  name  from  a  bridge  of  planks  by 
which  the  Fergus  was  crossed  in  old  times :  the 
Gaelic  word  clar  signifj'iug  a  board  or  plank. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— This  county  has 
water  all  round  (namelj-,  the  Atlantic,  the  Shan- 
non, and  Lough  Derg)  except  for  40  miles  of  its 
north  and  northeastern  margin,  where  it  is 
bounded  by  Galway.  Greatest  length  from  Loop 
Head  to  the  boundary  near  Lough  Atorick  on  the 
northeastern  border,  67  miles;  breadth  from 
Limerick  to  Black  Head  (nearly,  but  not  quite, 
at  right  angles  to  the  length),  42  miles,;  breadth 
from  Black  Head  to  the  shore  west  of  Bunratty 
(at  right  angles  to  the  length),  35  miles;  area, 
1,294  square  miles;  population,  141,457. 

SURFACE. — It  may  be  stated  in  a  general  way 
that  the  northern  part  and  the  eastern  margin  are 
mountainous  or  hillj' ;  and  the  middle  and  south 
form  a  broad  plain,  occasionally  broken  up  by 
low  hills,  and  in  one  place  by  a  considerable 
mountain  (Slievecallau).  The  barony  of  Burren 
in  the  north  is  an  extraordinary  region  of  lime- 
stone rock,  rising  into  hills  of  bare  gray  lime- 
stone, the  intervening  valleys  or  flats  being  also 
composed  of  limestone,  with  great  blocks  strewn 
over  the  surface,  both  hills  and  valleys  being 
relieved  here  and  there  by  lovely  grassy  patches 
of  pure  green. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  highest 
summit  of  the  Burren  district  is  Slieve  Elva 
(1,109),  a  conspicuous  flat-topped  mountain; 
Cappanawalla  1,023)  rises  direct  over  Bally  vaghan 
Bay ;  and  in  the  east  of  the  same  district  is 
Slievecarran  (1,075). 

On  the  northeast  margin  are  Turkenagh  and 
Cappaghabaun  (1,126),  which  may  be  regarded  as 
offshoots  of  the  Slieve  Aughty  range,  on  the  Gal- 
way side  of  the  boundary.  Further  south,  near 
the  east  border,  runs  the  Slieve  Bernagh  range 
to  which  belong  the  two  adjacent  hills  of  Glen- 
nagalliagh  (1,746  and  1,458),  rising  over  Lough 
Derg  near  Killaloe,  and  a  mile  further  west 
Cragnamurragh  (1,729). 


Slievecallan  (1,282),  6  miles  east  of  Miltown 
Malbay,  though  not  the  highest,  is  the  most  re- 
markable mountain  in  Clare,  rising  isolated  from 
the  plain,  and  commanding  a  view  of  the  whole 
county.  On  its  side  is  a  celebrated  cromlech, 
with  an  Ogham  inscription.  Northwest  of 
Limerick  is  a  low  range  of  heights  locally  well 
known  as  the  Cratloe  Hills. 

COAST  LINE.— From  Limerick  to  Loop 
Head — not  following  the  windings  of  the  coast — 
is  about  55  miles;  and  from  Loop  Head  to  Black 
Head  on  the  Atlantic  side,  about  50  miles.  This 
last  coast,  for  almost  its  whole  length,  is  a  suc- 
cession of  cliffs.  At  Boss,  3  miles  northeast 
from  Loop  Head,  are  two  very  wonderful  naturaV 
bridges  spanning  the  waves.  At  Kilkee  the 
coast  abounds  in  caves,  sharp-edged  cliffs,  and 
castellated  rocks,  standing  up  like  pillars  in  the 
sea,  and  quite  detached  from  the  mainland.  But 
the  Cliffs  of  Moher  are  the  crowning  glory  of 
this  coast.  They  begin  at  Hag's  Head,  and  form 
a  continuous  rocky  wall,  perpendicular  or  over- 
hanging, for  four  miles,  varying  in  height  from 
400  to  668  feet,  broken  into  the  most  fantastic 
forms  and  tunneled  into  innumerable  caves  by 
the  action  of  the  waves.  At  the  northern  ex- 
tremity there  is  a  steep  and  dangerous  pathway 
down  the  face  of  a  cliff  called  Aillenasharragh, 
by  which  the  sea  margin  may  be  reached ;  and 
when  the  tide  is  out  one  can  walk  for  a  long  dis- 
tance at  the  very  base  of  the  great  wall  of  rock. 

HEADLANDS.— Beginning  at  the  north- 
east, and  going  regularly  round  the  coast: 
Aughinish  Poiot,  on  the  north  of  the  entrance  to 
Augliinish  Bay.  Black  Head,  forming  the 
northwest  angle  of  the  county,  is  a  fine  rocky 
promontory,  rising  at  its  highest  point  to  1,041 
feet,  not  perpendicular  like  the  Cliffs  of  Moher, 
but  in  a  gradual  slope,  with  a  road  winding  all 
round  halfway  down  between  the  summit  and 
the  sea.  Doolin  Point:  Hag's  Head,  the  end  of 
a  bold  projection  which  defines  on  the  north  Lis- 
cannor  Bay :  Cream  Point  and  Spanish  Point, 
two  rough  scarped  projecting  sea  rocks  near 
Miltown  Malbay:  Lurga  Point,  opposite  Mutton 


ST.  PATRICK'S  CATHEDRAL.  BELFAST, 


ARMAGH. 


NA!ME.  — County  named  from  city.  The  name 
belongs  to  pagan  times,  and  existed  long  before 
the  time  of  St.  Patrick.  The  oldest  form  is  Ard- 
Macha,  which  means  Macha's  height :  this  Macha 
being  a  semi-mythical  heroine,  the  founder  of 
the  jialace  of  Emania,  300  years  b.c. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
north  to  south,  33  miles :  breadth  from  east  to 
west,  21  miles :  area,  512|  square  miles :  popula- 
tion, 1G3,177. 

SUEFACE. — The  northern  part — comprising 
the  two  baronies  of  Oneilland — is  flat,  with  much 
bog.  The  greater  part  of  the  rest  of  the  county 
consists  of  gentle  hills,  for  the  most  part  culti- 
vated, or  in  pasture,  with  fertile  valleys  between. 
Toward  the  southern  border  it  becomes  more 
hill^',  till  the  upland  culminates  in  Slieve 
Gullion. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— Slieve  Gullion 
(1,893),  one  of  the  finest  detached  mountains  in 
the  kingdom,  rise  abruptly  from  the  plain. 
From  its  position,  in  the  midst  of  a  level  coun- 
try, it  commands  from  its  summit  a  view  scarcely 
exceeded  by  that  from  any  other  mountain  in 
Ireland.  Near  the  top  is  a  small,  deep  lake, 
celebrated  in  fairy  legend.  On  the  very  summit 
is  a  gi'eat  earn  of  stones,  in  which  is  an  artificial 
cave  formed  of  dry  masonry.  In  this  cave, 
according  to  legend,  dwelt  an  enchantress,  the 
fairy  daughter  of  Culand,  the  mythical  smith  of 
the  Dedannans.  The  Newry  Mountains  lie  about 
2  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Newry :  highest  sum- 
mit— Camlough  Mountain  (1,385),  separated  fi'om 
Slieve  Gullion  by  a  deep  valley ;  and  Ballymac- 
dermot  Mountain  (1,019).  The  Fews  Mountains 
run  north  and  south  through  the  two  baronies 
of  Upper  and  Lower  Fews — to  which  they  have 
given  name — forming  a  long,  low  range,  now  in 
great  part  cultivated;  of  which  Deadman's  Hill 
(1,178),  Carrigatuke,  or  Armaghbrague  Mountain 
(1,200),  Darigry  (1,093),  TullyneiU  (1,014),  and 
Mullyash  (1,034) — this  last  in  Monaghan — all 
lie  near  Newtown  Hamilton,  to  the  north  and  west. 
Vicar's  Carn  (819),  lying  3  miles  west  of  Mar- 


kethill,  is  a  remarkable  hill,  having  a  carn,  with 
a  curious  cave  on  top.  Three  miles  south  of 
Newry  is  Fathom  Mountain  (820) :  at  the  ex- 
treme southeast  corner,  on  the  boundary,  and 
belonging  partly  to  Louth,  is  Anglesey  Moun- 
tain (1,349).  Eouud  Forkhill,  on  the  south 
border,  are  several  low  hills,  the  highest  of 
which  is  Slievebrack  (896),  a  mile  northwest 
from  the  village. 

RIVERS. — The  Upper  Bann  enters  Armagh 
near  Carrick  Blacker :  and  from  this  to  where  it 
enters  Lough  Neagh  (12  miles)  it  flows  through 
this  county.  The  Blackwater,  flowing  into  the 
southwest  corner  of  Lough  Neagh,  forms,  for 
nearly  the  whole  of  its  course,  the  boundary  be- 
tween Armagh  and  Tyrone.  The  Callan  River, 
flowing  by  the  city  of  Armagh,  and  the  Tall 
River,  running  by  Rich  Hill,  join  together,  and 
the  united  steam  enters  the  Blackwater  1  mile 
below  Charlemont.  The  Cusher  River,  formed 
by  the  junction,  near  Mountnorris,  of  two  small 
streams  (the  Creggan  and  the  Blackwater),  flows 
by  Tanderagee,  and  joins  the  Bann  1  mile  above 
Portadown.  The  White  River  runs  south  through 
Newtown  Hamilton,  and  takes,  as  it  goes  along, 
the  successive  names  of  Cullyhanna  River,  Creg- 
gan River,  and  (in  Louth)  the  Castletown  River, 
(from  three  villages  so  called),  joining  the  sea  at 
Dundalk.  Parallel  to  this,  and  2  or  3  miles  east 
of  it,  flows  the  Cully  Water  (formed  by  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Dorsey  and  Ummeracam),  which 
enters  Louth,  and  joins  the  Castletown  River. 
Between  this  and  Slieve  Gullion  is  the  Forkhill 
River,  which  lower  down  is  called  the  Kilcurry 
River,  and  enters  Louth  to  join  the  Cully  Water. 
The  Fane  forms  the  southwest  boundary  for 
about  3  miles.  The  Tynan  River  takes  name 
from  the  village  by  which  it  flows,  and  joins  the 
Blackwater  at  Caledon. 

LAKES. — In  the  southwest  corner,  north  and 
west  of  Crossmaglen,  is  a  group  of  small  lakes, 
chief  of  which  are — Ross  Lake,  a  mile  in  length, 
a  small  part  of  which  belongs  to  Monaghan: 
Lough  Patrick :  St.  Peter's  Lake  (half  belonging 


ARMAGH. 


to  Monaghan) ;  Kiltybane  Lake,  Lisleitrim  Lake, 
and  Cullj'hanna  Lake.  Camlough — a  long,  narrow 
sheet  of  water — lies  in  the  valley  between  Cam- 
lough Mountain  and  Slieve  Gullion.  Clay  Lake 
is  in  the  west,  near  the  village  of  Keady.  In 
the  north,  bordering  on  Lough  Neagh,  are 
Lough  Gullion,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Upper 
Bann;  and,  somewhat  more  to  the  west,  the 
three  lakes  of  Derrylileagh,  Derryadd,  and 
Annagarrilf. 

TOWNS.— The  city  of  Armagh  (10,070)  is  the 
metropolitan  see  of  all  Ireland :  the  cathedral 
was  originally  founded  by  St.  Patrick,  about  the 
year  457,  on  a  commanding  site,  given  to  him  by 
the  local  chief — Daire.  That  portion  of  Newry 
which  lies  in  this  county  has  a  population  of 
5,657  (the  whole  population  of  the  town  being 
14,808).  Lurgan  (10,135),  in  the  northeast 
corner,  is  a  neat  and  improving  town  :  Portadown 
(7,850),  on  the  Upper  Bann,  is  a  busy,  thriving 
town.  Keady  (1,598)  stands  on  the  stream  run- 
ning from  Clay  Lake  into  Callan  River.  Tan- 
deragee  (1,592)  is  on  the  Cusher  River,  with 
Tanderagee  Castle  crowning  the  hill  over  it: 
Markethill  (874)  is  a  flourishing  little  town,  near 
which  is  Gosford  Castle,  with  its  fine  demesne. 
Newtown  Hamilton  (898)  is  beautifully  situated 
in  the  midst  of  the  Pews  Mountains :  Rich  Hill 
(595),  in  a  pretty  spot  on  the  Tall  River,  5  miles 
from  Armagh.  Crossmaglen  (872)  is  in  the 
southwest  corner:  Charlemont  (247),  on  the 
Blackwater,  was  formerly  an  important  place,  as 
it  commanded  a  pass  across  the  river :  the  old 
castle  remains,  and  is  now  occupied  by  military. 
Charlemont  and  Moy,  at  the  other  side  of  the 
river,  really  form  one  town. 

MINERALS. — Limestone  is  quarried  plenti- 
fully round  the  city  of  Armagh — the  finer  part 
of  which  is  good  marble. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— This  county  formed  a  part  of  the 
ancient  kingdom  of  Oriel.  The  eastern  part  of 
the  kingdom  of  Oriel  was  called  Oirtheara  (pron. 
Or'hera,  and  meaning  "eastern  people"):  it  was 
the  territory  of  the  O'Hanlons,  and  the  name  is 
still  preserved  in  that  of  the  two  baronies  of 
Orior.  The  old  territory  of  Hy  Niallain  is  now 
represented  in  name  and  position  by  the  two 
baronies  of  Oneilland.  On  the  southern  shore 
of  Lough  Neagh,  round  the  mouth  of  the  Bann, 


was  situated  the  ancient  district  of  Hy  Breasail, 
or  Clanbrassil. 

The  palace  of  Emania — which  was  the  resi- 
dence of  the  kings  of  Ulster  from  about 
300  B.C.  to  A.D.  332^ — ^was  situated  a  mile 
and  a  half  west  of  the  present  city  of 
Armagh.  The  remains  of  this  old  royal  residence 
are  there  still,  consisting  of  a  great  circular  rath, 
or  rampart  of  earth,  with  a  deep  fosse,  inclosing 
11  acres,  within  which  are  two  smaller  forts. 
The  ruin  still  keeps  the  old  name ;  for  it  is  uni- 
versally known  as  the  "Navan  Fort."  The 
Gaelic  name  is  Eamhuin,  pronounced  Aven 
(of  which  Emania  is  a  Latinized  form) ;  and  when 
the  "n"  of  the  Gaelic  article  ("an")  is  placed 
before  this — ^as  is  done  in  many  other  names — it 
forms  'n  Eamhuin,  which  is  exactly  represented 
in  sound  by  Navan.  In  the  first  century  a.d. 
this  palace  was  the  residence  and  training  place 
of  the  militia  called  the  Red  Branch  Knights, 
under  Conor  Mac  Nessa,  the  Ulster  king ;  they 
lived  in,  and  took  their  name  from,  one  of  the 
houses,  called  Craobh-ruadh  (pronounced  Cree- 
veroe),  or  the  "Red  Branch,"  and  this  house 
left  its  name  on  the  adjacent  modern  townland 
of  Creeveroe. 

The  finest  part  of  ancient  Irish  romantic  litera- 
ture has  reference  to  these  Red  Branch  Knights 
and  their  exploits.  Their  chief  heroes  were 
Cuchullin — the  mightiest  champion  of  all — 
who  lived  at  Dundalgan  (see  Louth);  Conall 
Carnagh;  Leai-y  the  Victorious;  Fergus  Mac 
Roy ;  and  the  three  sons  of  Usna,  namely  Naisi, 
Ardan,  and  Aiule.  The  three  sons  of  Usna  hav- 
ing been  treacherously  put  to  death  by  king 
Conor  Mac  Nessa,  in  violation  of  the  solemn 
guarantee  of  Fergus  Mac  Roy,  a  large  band  of 
warriors,  with  Fergus  at  their  head,  left  Ulster 
and  entered  the  service  of  Maive,  queen  of  Con- 
naught.  Soon  after,  queen  Maive,  with  an  army 
of  Connacians,  aided  by  the  exiled  Ulstermen, 
made  a  raid  into  Ulster  and  brought  away  a 
great  spoil  of  cattle,  especially  from  the  district 
called  Quelue  (see  Louth) ;  and  thus  a  war 
was  begun  between  the  two  provinces  which 
lasted  for  seven  years.  During  this  war  the 
mighty  hero  Cuchullin  defended  Ulster  against 
the  Connacians,  and  against  his  own  exiled 
countrymen ;  and  his  exploits,  and  the  genei'al 
events  of   the  Avar,  form  the  subject   of  the 


ARMAGH. 


ancieut  Irish  epic,  the  Taiu-bo-Quelne  (see  also 
Louth). 

The  highest  point  of  the  Fews  Mountain 
(probably  Carrigatuke)was  anciently  called  Slieve 
Fuad,  and  Avas  celebrated  in  old  Irish  romance. 

On  the  Callan  River,  about  2  miles  north  of 


Armagh,  is  Bellanaboy,  or  the  Yellow  Ford; 
where,  in  1598,  a  great  battle  was  fought,  in 
which  Hugh  O'Neill,  earl  of  Tyrone,  defeated 
Sir  Henry  Bagenal;  and  Bagenal  himself  and 
1,300  of  his  men  were  slain.  This  ford  has 
however,  lost  its  old  name. 


ILLXJSTR^TIOIsr. 


THE  CATHOLIC  CATHEDRAL.— The  see 
of  Armagh  was  originally  founded  by  St. 
Patrick,  about  the  year  of  457,  and  is  the  pri- 
matial  see  of  all  Ireland.  After  the  Anglo-Nor- 
man invasion,  the  question  of  eccesiastical 
supremacy  was  bitterly  fought  between  the 
Irish  incumbents  of  St.  Patrick's  see  and  the 
Archbishops  of  Dublin,  who  upheld  the  English 
interest.  The  latter  took  the  title  of  "Primate  of 
Ireland,"  while  the  Archbishops  of  Armagh, 
fortified  themselves  by  assuming  the  title  of 
"Primate  of  all.  Ireland."  The  distinction  is 
maintained  to  the  present  day,  the  Protestant 


bishops  even  of  both  sees  claiming  the  distinc- 
tive titles.  The  ancient  Cathedral  of  Armagh 
was  appropriated  by  the  Protestants  during  the 
so-called  Reformation,  and  has  been  since  "re- 
stored" by  the  Robinsons,  Beresfords,  and  other 
Protestant  bishops  of  that  see,  though  it  was 
never  restored  to  its  Catholic  owners.  It  has 
been  surpassed,  however,  by  the  magnificent 
Catholic  Cathedral,  shown  in  the  accompanying 
engraving,  which  was  begun  by  Archbishop 
Crolly,  about  fifty  years  ago,  and  completed  by 
Archbishop  Dixon.  It  is  one  of  the  finest  of 
modern  ecclesiastical  structures. 


ST.  PATRICK'S  CATHEDRAL.  ARMAGH. 


CARLOW. 


NA!ME. — County  named  from  the  town.  The 
old  name  of  the  town  is  Cetherloch  (pronounced 
Kehei'logh),  meaning  "quadruple  lake"  (Gaelic, 
Cether,  four) ;  and  the  tradition  is  that  the  Bar- 
row anciently  formed  four  lakes  at  the  place 
where  the  town  now  stands ;  but  of  these  lakes 
there  is  now  no  trace. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
the  Pollniouuty  River  at  the  southern  end,  to 
the  northern  boundary  near  Rathvilly,  32|  miles; 
greatest  breadth  at  right  angles  to  this,  from 
Black  Bridge  on  the  Dinin  Biver  in  the  west,  to 
the  boundary  line  beside  Ballyredmond  House 
near  Clonegall  in  the  east,  20  miles;  area,  346 
square  miles;  population,  46,568. 

SURFACE. — Nearly  the  whole  of  this  county 
is  level,  forming  a  part  of  the  great  central  plain 
of  Ireland,  and  it  is  generally  fertile  and  well 
cultivated :  at  the  extreme  southeast,  and  at  the 
extreme  west,  it  is  skirted  by  mountains. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Mount 
Leinster  and  Blackstairs  Mountains,  which  form 
a  continuous  range,  run  for  nearly  their  whole 
length  (about  16  miles)  generally  on  the  border 
of  the  counties  of  Carlow  and  Wexford.  Begin- 
ning at  the  northeast,  Greenoge  (1,399)  and 
Kilbrannish  (1,335);  both  west  of  Newtown- 
barry,  lie  wholly  in  this  county.  At  the 
southern  base  of  Kilbrannish  Mountain  is  the 
Gap  or  Pass  of  Corrabut,  traversed  by  a  road 
running  east  and  west  between  this  hill  and 
Mount  Leinster.  The  boundary  runs  over  the 
summit  of  Mount  Leinster  (2,610),  a  conspicuous 
mountain,  the  culminating  point  of  the  whole 
range.  Knockroe  (1,746)  is  2  miles  further 
south.  South  of  this  is  Scullogue  Gap,  which 
separates  the  range  of  Mount  Leinster  from  that 
of  the  Blackstairs,  forming  the  only  carriage- 
road  pass  across  the  mountains.  South  of  the 
Gap,  the  summit  of  Blackstairs  Mountain  (2,409) 
lies  on  the  boundary.  That  part  of  the  county 
west  of  the  Barrow  (the  barony  of  Idrone  West) 
is  hilly,  rising  in  several  places  to  over  1,000 
feet. 

RIVERS. — On  the  western  side,  the  Barrow, 


where  it  flows  by  Carlow  town,  forms  for  5  miles 
the  boundary  between  Carlow  and  Queen's 
County;  next  flows  through  Carlow  for  11  miles; 
and  for  19  miles  more  forms  the  boundary  be- 
tween Carlow  and  Kilkenny.  On  the  eastern 
side,  the  Slaney  runs  southward  through  the 
county  for  18  miles,  and  for  3  miles  more  forms 
the  boundary  between  Carlow  and  Wexford; 
after  which  it  enters  Wexford.  The  Burren 
River  rises  on  the  northern  slope  of  Mount 
Leinster,  and  flowing  northwest,  through  the 
middle  of  the  county,  joins  the  Barrow  at  Car- 
low.  The  Derreen,  which  enters  Carlow  from 
Wicklow,  joins  the  Slaney  3  miles  below  Tul- 
low :  it  rises  in  the  southern  slope  of  Keadeen 
mountain,  east  of  Baltinglass  in  Wicklow,  and 
is  then  called  the  Douglas,  flows  southwest  for 
some  distance,  and  then  forms  for  a  mile  the 
boundary  between  Wicklow  and  Carlow,  after 
which  it  enters  Carlow :  further  on  it  forms 
again  the  boundary  between  Wicklow  and  Car- 
low  for  five  miles,  and  then  finally  enters  Carlow, 
ending  its  course  in  the  Slaney  a  little  further  on. 

The  Clody  rises  in  Mount  Leinster,  and  flow- 
ing eastward,  joins  the  Slaney  at  Newtownburry, 
running  the  whole  way  on  the  boundary  between 
Carlow  and  Wexford.  The  Mountain  River  and 
the  Corries  River  (also  called,  in  the  lower  part 
of  its  course,  the  Black  River  or  Dinin  River) 
Iboth  join  the  Barrow  at  Borris.  The  Pollmounty 
forms  the  extreme  southern  boundary,  and  is 
joined  from  the  northeast  by  the  little  river 
Drummin.  The  Lerr  rivulet,  joining  the  Barrow 
3  miles  north  of  Carlow  town,  forms  a  small  part 
of  the  northern  boundary. 

TOWNS.— Carlow  (7,185),  on  the  Barrow,  just 
where  the  Burren  River  falls  into  it,  the  assize 
town,  is  a  neat,  cheei-ful-looking  town,  of  which 
the  town  of  Graigue,  (1,287),  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river  (in  Queen's  county),  forms  a  part. 
The  remains  of  the  old  castle  are  on  a  hill  over 
the  Barrow.  In  the  town  is  the  Roman  Catholic 
cathedral,  near  which  is  "Carlow  College." 
Proceeding  down  the  Barrow,  we  come  to  Leigh- 
linbridge  (835),  8  miles  below  Carlow,  with  the 


A      Lon^  Wit^t   7'  of  Grec^LwrJi. 


COPYRIGHT,  189S,  BY  MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


DUBLIN  STREET,  CARLOW- 


COURT  HOUSE  CARLOW 


JAUNTING  CAR. 


I 


CABLOW. 


"Black  Castle" — the  ruin  of  an  Anglo-Norman 
stronghold — near  the  bridge ;  and  two  miles  be- 
low this  is  the  pretty  town  of  Bagenalstown 
(2,141),  of  which  many  of  the  working  classes 
are  employed  in  preparing  the  granite  and  "Car- 
low  flags"  (see  next  paragraph)  quarried  in  the 
vicinity.  Borris  (1,617),  on  the  Dinin,near  where 
it  joins  the  Barrow,  is  romantically  situated  in 
the  midst  of  a  rugged  district.  The  other 
towns  are  Tullow  (1,977)  on  the  Slaney,  in  the 
midst  of  a  lovely  country ;  west  of  which  a  mile 
and  a  half  is  "Castlemore  Moat,"  one  of  those 
old  forts  so  numerous  in  the  country,  a  con- 
spicuous representative  of  its  class.  Hackets- 
town  (721),  placed  on  a  hill,  is  in  the  northeast 
corner  of  the  county ;  three  miles  south  of  which 
is  the  hamlet  of  Clonmore,  or  as  it  was  anciently 
called  Clonmore-Mogue,  once  a  very  celebrated 
religious  establishment,  founded  in  the  sixth 
century  by  St.  Maidoc  or  Mogue  (who  was  not 
the  same  as  St.  Maidoc,  the  patron  of  Ferns  in 
Wexford).  Near  the  northern  boundary  of  the 
county  is  the  village  of  Kathvilly  (302),  beside 
which  is  the  large  fort  or  rath  which  gives  name 
to  the  village  and  parish. 

MINERALS.— The  eastern  half,  and  part  of 
the  west,  of  the  county  produces  fine  granite  for 
building.  The  Castlecomer  coal  field  (in  Kil- 
kenny) just  touches  Carlow  at  the  extreme  west- 
ern side,  so  as  to  include  a  small  portion  of  the 
barony  of  Idrone  West.  In  connection  with 
these  coal  fields  there  is  a  kind  of  sandstone  that 
splits  into  layers  and  large  slates,  well  known  as 
"Carlow  flags." 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Moy-Fea  was  the  old  name  of  a  plain 
lying  in  the  barony  of  Forth.  There  were  two 
districts  in  Leinster  anciently  called  Fotharta 
(pronounced  Foharta) :  one  was  called  Fotharta- 
Fea,  because  it  included  the  old  plain  of  Moy- 
Fea,  above  mentioned :  and  it  is  now  represented 
by  the  barony  of  Forth.  "Art,  the  son  of  Conn 
the  Hundred-fighter  (king  of  Ireland,  a.d. 
123)  succeeded  to  the  throne  a.d.  165,  and 
immediately  on  his  accession  he  banished 
from  Munster  his  uncle,  Ohy  Finn  Fothart,  who 
had  aided  in  the  slaying  of  Conn.  Ohy  pro- 
ceeded to  Leinster;  and  the  king  of  that  prov- 
ince bestowed  on  him  and  his  sons  certain  dis- 
tricts, the  inhabitants  of  which  were  afterward 


called  Fotharta,  from  their  ancestor  Ohy  Finn 
Fothart.  Of  these  the  two  principal  still  retain 
the  name,  viz. ,  the  baronies  of  Forth  in  Wexford 
and  Carlow. " 

Hy  Felimy  was  the  name  of  a  tribe  and  dis- 
trict in  the  present  barony  of  Rathvilly :  the  old 
name  is  still  preserved  in  that  of  the  town  of 
Tullow-O-Felimy,  now  commonly  called  Tullow. 

The  tribe  of  Hy  Drona  gave  their  name  to  a 
territory  extending  on  both  sides  of  the  Barrow 
—part  in  Kilkenny  and  part  in  Carlow :  and 
that  part  of  it  lying  in  Carlow  is  still  represented 
in  name  and  position  by  the  two  baronies  of 
Idrone. 

The  present  poor  village  of  Old  Leighlin,  west 
of  the  Barrow,  was  once  an  episcopal  see :  its 
first  bishop  was  St.  Laserian  or  Molaise  (pro- 
nounced Molash'a)  who  lived  in  the  end  of  the 
6th  and  the  beginning  of  the  7th  century,  and 
who  had  1,500  monks  under  his  rule  at  Leighlin. 
The  ruin  of  the  old  cathedral  is  still  there. 

Another  famous  center  of  religion  was  St. 
Mullius  on  the  Barrow,  in  the  extreme  west  of 
the  county,  so  called  from  St.  Moling,  who 
founded  the  church  in  the  7th  century. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  Leighlin- 
bridge,  in  the  townland  of  Ballyknockan,  is  a 
great  old  moat  or  fort  over  the  Barrow,  which  is 
the  remains  of  the  palace  of  Dinn  Eee,  the  most 
ancient  residence  of  the  kings  of  Leinster.  In 
connection  with  this  old  palace  we  have  the  fol- 
lowing piece  of  half-legendary  history.  In  the 
third  century  before  the  Christian  era,  Coffa  the 
Slender  murdered  the  king  of  Ii-eland  and  his  son, 
usurped  the  throne,  and  banished  the  young 
heir,  Lavra  the  Mariner,  grandson  of  the  king. 
Lavra  fled  first  to  Munster,  and  from  that  to 
Gaul.  He  entered  the  service  of  the  Gaulish 
king;  and  after  having  greatly  distinguished 
himself,  he  returned  to  his  native  land  with  a 
small  army  of  foreigners  to  wrest  the  throne 
from  the  usurper.  He  landed  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Slaney,  and  being  joined  by  a  number  of 
followers,  marched  to  the  palace  of  Dinn  Eee,  in 
which  Coffa  the  Slender  was  then  holding  an 
assembly  with  30  native  princes  and  a  guard  of 
700  men.  The  palace  was  surprised  by  night, 
and  all  the  inmates — king,  princes  and  guards — • 
were  burned  to  death.  Lavra  then  became  king, 
and  reigned  for  19  years. 


CAVAN. 


NAME. — The  town  of  Cavau  (which  gives 
name  to  the  county)  has  its  own  name  from  the 
remarkable  hollow  in  which  it  stands;  Gaelic, 
Cabhau  (pron.  Cavan),  a  hollow — cognate  with 
Latin  cavea,  and  English  cabin. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— From  the  main 
body  of  the  county  a  long  neck  extends  north- 
west. Taking  this  projection  into  the  measure- 
ment, the  extreme  length  from  the  northwest 
near  Lough  Macnean,  to  the  southeast  near 
Kingscourt,  is  57^  miles,  and  its  breadth  from 
the  southwest  near  Lough  Kinale,  to  the  north- 
east point  near  Cootehill,  27  miles;  area,  746 
square  miles;  population,  129,476. 

SURFACE. — All  the  northwest  projection, 
west  of  the  Woodford  Eiver  and  Ballyconnell,  is 
upland  or  mountainous — lofty,  rugged,  boggy 
and  bleak.  The  rest  of  the  county  is  a  plain  of 
undulations — a  series  of  low  round  hills,  with 
here  and  thei'e  a  few  considerable  elevations,  in 
many  places  much  interspersed  with  lakes  and 
bogs. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  chief  sum- 
mits in  the  northwest  lie  on  the  boundary.  The 
highest  is  Cuilcagh  (2,188),  with  its  northern 
Blope  in  Fermanagh,  a  fine  mountain,  rendered 
conspicuous  in  many  of  its  aspects  by  the  white 
quartz  stones  strewed  over  its  surface.  South  of 
this,  1^  miles,  is  Binbeg  (1,774).  Tiltinbane 
(1,949)  lies  on  the  boundary  with  Fermanagh,  2 
miles  northwest  of  Cuilcagh ;  near  its  base  the 
Shannon  rises.  These  three,  w-ith  several  others, 
form  a  chain,  which  bounds  on  the  northeast  the 
fine  valley  of  Glengavlin,  traversed  by  the  Owen- 
more  Kiver  and  the  Shannon.  On  the  southwest 
side  of  the  valley  are  Benbrack  (1,648),  (be- 
tween which  and  Cuilcagh  is  the  Gap  of  Bella- 
valley,  the  entrance  from  the  east  to  Glengavlin) ; 
and  Slievenakilla  (1,793),  on  the  boundary,  slop- 
ing on  the  Cavan  side  into  Glengavlin,  and  on 
the  Leitrira  side  to  Lough  Allen. 

Four  miles  southeast  of  Cavan  town  rises  the 
conspicuous  hill  of  Slieve  Glah  (1,057);  and 
Bruse  Hill  (851),  near  which  is  Bruse  Hall, 
lies  5  miles  west  of  Bellananagh. 


In  the  eastern  end  of  the  county,  3  miles  east 
of  Bailieborough,  is  Cornasaus  (1,027),  a  re- 
markable hill,  with  the  little  lakelet  Loughan- 
leagh,  on  its  eastern  slope,  celebrated  for  its 
medicinal  qualities. 

RIYERS. — Several  important  rivers  run 
through  this  county  that  belong  only  in  small 
part  to  it.  The  Shannon  rises  in  the  northwest 
extremity.  The  source  is  a  pool  called  Lugna- 
shinna,  near  the  western  base  of  Tiltinbane 
Mountain,  on  the  north  side  of  Glengavlin :  from 
this  the  river  flows  for  7  miles  till  it  touches 
Leitrim;  next  it  runs  for  a  mile  and  a  half 
on  the  boundary  between  Cavan  and  Leitrim ; 
then  it  enters  Leitrim;  and  after  another 
mile  and  a  half  falls  into  Lough  Allen.  The 
Owenmore  flows  west  through  the  valley  of 
Glengavlin,  and  joins  the  Shannon  about  2  miles 
below  Lugnashinna.  This  is,  properly  speaking, 
the  real  head  water  or  main  stream  of  the  Shan- 
non, though  it  is  not  called  by  the  name. 

The  Owenayle,  running  south  on  the  western 
boundary  line  between  Cavan  and  Leitrim,  joins 
the  Shannon  just  before  the  latter  enters  Lough 
Allen.  The  Claddagh  rises,  on  the  southeast 
slopes  of  Cuilcagh  Mountain,  and,  flowing 
through  Swanlinbar,  enters  Fermanagh  for 
Lough  Erne ;  it  is  joined  at  Swanlinbar  by  the 
Blackwater — called  in  the  early  part  of  its  course 
the  Owensallagh. 

The  Woodford  Eiver  runs  for  the  greater  part 
through  Cavan;  issuing  from  Garadice  Lough 
(in  Leitrim),  and  flowing  by  Ballyconnell,  it 
forms  for  the  rest  of  its  course — to  Upper  Lough 
Erne — the  boundary  between  Cavan  and  Fer- 
managh. The  Erne,  from  its  source  ia  Lough 
Gowna,  to  near  where  it  enters  Upper  Jjough 
Erne,  belongs  to  this  countj'. 

The  Annalee  flows  west  into  Lough  Oughter, 
passing  by  the  villages  of  Ballyhaise  and  Butlers- 
bridge  :  in  the  early  part  of  its  course  it  is  called 
the  Annagh,  flowing  from  Lough  Sillan  and 
through  Lough  Tacker,  near  Shercock.  The 
Annalee  is  joined  by  the  Dromore  River,  which 
rises  in  Dromore  Lough,  on  the  boundary  of  the 


\ 


CLAEE. 


Island :  Donegal  Point,  defining  Farrihy  Bay  on 
the  north :  Foohagh  Point,  a  little  south  of 
Kilkee.  Loop  Head,  the  extreme  end  of  the 
long  peninsula  between  the  Shannon  and  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  is  a  bare  headland  rising  200 
feet  straight  from  the  waves.  At  the  very  ex- 
tremity of  the  head  is  an  island — a  mere  pillar 
of  rock  with  perpendicular  sides  standing  out  of 
the  waves — separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
fearful  chasm,  not  more  than  20  or  30  feet  wide, 
and  200  feet  deep;  at  the  bottom  of  which  the 
sea  is  ahvaj's  raging  even  in  calm  weather.  The 
island  rises  exactly  to  the  level  of  the  mainland, 
from  which  it  seems  to  have  been  separated  by 
some  convulsion :  and  though  it  looks  perfectly 
inaccessible,  it  contains  some  remains  of  primi- 
tive buildings  of  ecclesiastical  or  sepulchral 
origin.  The  people  call  the  old  building  Dermot 
and  Grania's  Bed,  which  is  the  usual  popular 
name  for  a  cromlech.  On  the  Shannon  shore  are 
Kilcredaun  Point,  near  Carrigaholt,  and  Kil- 
kerrin  Point,  on  the  south  of  Clonderalaw  Bay. 

ISLANDS. — The  whole  group  of  islands  in 
the  estuary  of  the  Fergus  belongs  to  Clare.  The 
chief  are  Inishmore  or  Deer  Island,  close  by  the 
western  shore  :  Inishmacowney,  south  of  it ;  near 
which  is  Canon  Island,  crowned  with  the  ruins 
of  a  monastery  (for  Augustinian  canons) :  Inish- 
loe,  east  of  this:  Inishcorker  lying  just  outside 
the  village  of  Killadysert :  and  near  the  eastern 
shore,  Inishmacnaghtan. 

In  the  Shannon,  outside  Kilrush,  is  Scattery 
Island,  by  far  the  most  remarkable  island  belong- 
ing to  Clare,  once  a  celebrated  seat  of  religion 
and  learning  (founded  by  St.  Senan  in  the  fifth 
century),  and  now  containing  the  ruins  of  "seven 
churches"  and  a  round  tower,  as  memorials  of  its 
former  importance.  Hog  Island  lies  between 
Scattery  and  the  mainland. 

A  little  south  of  Kilkee  is  Bishop's  Island,  a 
mere  sea  rock,  flat  and  grassy  on  top,  with  a  per- 
pendicular wall  of  rock  all  round,  nearly  inacces- 
sible, yet  containing  the  ruins  of  a  primitive 
religious  establishment.  Mutton  Island,  or 
Inishkeeragh,  rough  and  rocky,  lies  outside  Mil- 
town  Malbay.  This  is  the  island  anciently  called 
luis-Fithi,  of  which  there  is  historical  record 
that  in  the  year  804  it  was  severed  into  three 
parts  in  one  night  by  a  great  storm.  The  por- 
tions severed  from  the  main  body  are  two  lofty 


masses  of  rock  rising  out  of  the  waves  immedi- 
ately north  of  the  island. 

St.  Thomas'  Island  lies  in  the  bend  of  the 
Shannon,  a  mile  and  a  half  above  Limerick. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— In  the  Shannon: 
the  broad  estuary  of  the  Fergus,  containing  a 
large  number  of  islands,  all  low  and  grassy, 
affords  ample  facilities  for  navigation :  the  deep 
bay  of  Clonderalaw  is  further  west :  next  is  Kil- 
rush Harbor,  and  the  landlocked  shallow  bay  of 
Poulanishery,  with  its  oyster  beds :  Carrigaholt 
Bay  lies  outside  the  village,  from  which  it  has 
its  name :  between  which  and  Loop  Head  are 
Einevella  Bay  and  Kilbaha  Bay. 

On  the  Atlantic  coast,  three  miles  from  Loop 
Head,  is  Ross  Bay,  which  is  noted  for  its  two 
natural  bi'idges,  under  which  the  sea  is  continu- 
ally dashing,  very  beautiful,  and  almost  as  regu- 
lar as  if  put  up  hy  human  hands.  Next  is  Moore 
Bay  at  Kilkee,  horseshoe  shaped,  and  sheltered 
from  the  Atlantic  swell  by  the  low  reef  called  the 
Duggerna  Rocks.  "What  is  called  Mai  Bay  is 
merely  the  sea  west  of  Miltown,  and  is  really  no 
bay  at  all :  Liscannon  Bay,  at  Lehinch,  is  defined 
on  the  north  by  the  promontory  of  Hag's  Head. 
On  the  north  is  Blackhead  or  Ballyvaghan  Bay, 
near  which  to  the  east  are  the  two  deep  bays  of 
Muckinish  and  Aughinish  (or  Corranroo).  On 
the  shoi-e  near  the  halmet  of  Burren  are  the 
famous  Burren  oyster  beds. 

RIVERS.— The  Shannon,  with  Lough  Derg, 
bounds  Clare  for  about  70  miles,  viz.,  from 
near  Scarriff  Bay  in  Lough  Derg,  the  whole  way 
to  Loop  Head,  except  for  about  6  miles  at 
Limerick  city,  where  a  small  portion  of  the 
county  Limerick  lies  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
river.  Between  Killaloe  and  Limerick  are  the 
"Falls  of  Doonass, "  where  the  river  rushes  over 
a  series  of  rocks,  forming  one  of  the  finest  rapids 
in  the  kingdom.  The  Fergus,  which,  with  its 
tributaries,  drains  a  large  area  of  the  middle  of 
the  county,  rises  in  the  barony  of  Corcomroe,  a 
few  miles  northwest  of  Corrofin,  and  flowing 
through  Inchiquin  Lough,  Lough  Atedaun,  and 
others,  it  passes  bj^  Euuis  and  Clare,  and  opens 
out  by  a  broad  estuary  into  the  Shannon.  The 
Moyree  River  coming  from  the  borders  of  Galway 
in  the  northeast,  joins  the  Fergus  after  flowing 
through  Dromore  Lake ;  the  Claureen  River  runs 
east  through  the  barony  of  islands,  and  joins  the 


CLARE. 


Fergus  just  above  Enuis.  The  Latoon  Creek, 
called  iu  the  earlier  part  of  its  course  the  Ardsollus 
River,  falls  iuto  the  Fergus  at  the  top  of  the 
estuarj'.  This  river,  in  several  parts  of  its  course, 
disappears  iu  limestoue  cauvers,  especially  near 
Tulla,  ^vhGre  it  rushes  through  the  extraordi- 
nary Caves  of  Tomeeu. 

The  River  Granej'  issues  from  Lough  Graney 
in  the  barony  of  Tulla,  and  passing  through 
Lough  O'Gradj',  falls  into  Lough  Derg  at  Scarili 
bay;  its  headwaters  are  two  streams  that  fall 
into  Lough  Graney,  viz.,  the  Bleach  River, 
which  comes  from  the  east,  rising  in  Lough 
Atorick,  on  the  boundary  between  Clare  and 
Galway,  and  the  Drumandoora  coming  from  the 
west.  Just  where  the  Graney  issues  from  Lough 
Graney  it  is  joined  bj^  the  Caher  River.  The 
Owenogarney  issues  from  Doon  Lake,  in  the 
barony  of  Lower  Tulla,  near  Broadford;  after 
passing  Six-mile  bridge  it  takes  the  name  of  the 
Bunratty  River,  and  joins  the  Shannon  at  Bun- 
ratty;  at  the  mouth,  just  where  the  last  bridge 
crosses  the  river  stands  Bunratty  Castle,  built  iu 
the  13th  century,  the  largest  and  finest  ruin  of 
its  kind  in  the  whole  county. 

The  luagh  or  CuUenagh  River  rises  about  4 
miles  southeast  of  Slievecallan ;  flowing  to  the 
northwest  it  passes  through  Drumcullaun  Lake: 
at  Enuistimou  it  falls  over  a  ledge  of  rocks,  form- 
ing a  beautiful  cascade  ;  and  3  miles  lower  enters 
Liscannor  Bay  at  Lehinch.  The  Doonbeg  or 
Cooraclare  River  falls  into  Doonbeg  Bay,  north- 
east of  Kilkee;  and  a  little  north  of  this  are  the 
Creegh  River,  and  the  Annageerah.  The  Aille 
River  flows  from  Lisdoonvarna  into  the  ocean 
near  Doolin  Point. 

LAKES. — Clare  abounds  in  small  lakes,  many 
of  them  bleak,  and  sui-rounded  by  bog  and 
heath ;  but  others  among  the  most  picturesque 
in  Ireland.  Inchiquin  Lake,  near  Corrofin,  is  a 
lovely  lake,  a  mile  in  length,  with  a  hill  (Cantlay 
or  Countlay),  celebrated  in  legend,  rising  over 
its  western  shore;  and  a  fine  castle  ruin  on  the 
north  side,  the  ancient  residence  of  the  O'Briens, 
earls  of  Laehiquin;  the  lake  gives  name  to  the 
barony  of  Lichiquin.  This  is  the  westernmost 
of  a  chain  of  small  lakes,  of  which  the  principal 
are:  Lough  Atedaun,  Lough  Cullaun,  Lough 
George,  and  Muckanagh  Lake ;  to  the  north  of 
this  last  is  Lough  Bunny;  and  to  the  south  of  it 


Dromore  Lough.  East  of  Dromore  Lough,  near 
the  village  of  Crusheen,  is  the  beautiful  Inchi- 
cronan  Lake,  with  a  fine  demesne,  and  the  ruins 
of  an  abbey  and  of  a  castle  on  its  shore. 

Another  group  lies  in  the  southeast,  between 
the  village  of  Six-mile  bridge  and  Tulla.  Be- 
ginning on  the  west,  the  chief  of  these  are  Fin 
Lough  and  Roscroe  Lough,  3  miles  east  of  New 
market-on-Fergus ;  northeast  of  these  is  Lough 
Cullaunyheeda,  nearly  round,  and  1  mile  in 
diameter;  next,  Clonlea  Lake;  and  still  further 
east  Doon  Lough. 

Lough  Graney,  in  the  east,  2|  miles  long  by  ^ 
mile  broad,  lies  in  the  midst  of  hills;  south  of 
which  is  the  smaller  Lough  O'Grady ;  and  6 
miles  northeast  of  Lough  Graney  is  Lough 
Atorick,  on  the  boundary  with  Galway. 

Lickeen  Lake,  3  miles  northeast  of  Ennistimon, 
is  1^  mile  long.  Doo  Lough,  1|  miles  long,  lies 
6  miles  southeast  of  Miltown  Malbaj'. 

TOWNS.— Ennis  (6,307),  the  assize  town, 
stands  on  the  Fergus,  nearly  in  the  center  of  the 
county.  In  the  town  are  the  ruins  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan abbey,  founded  in  the  13th  century;  and 
2  miles  to  the  north  are  the  church  ruin  and 
round  tower  of  Drumcliff,  a  far  more  ancient 
foundation.  Kilrush  (3,805)  is  at  the  head  of  a 
little  inlet  of  the  Shannon,  into  which  steamers 
ply ;  a  very  prosperous  town,  with  an  extensive 
trade.  Kilkee  (1,652),  on  the  shore  of  a  lovely 
little  inlet  of  the  Atlantic  (Moore  Bay),  is  one  of 
the  finest  watering  places  in  Ireland,  and  is  cele- 
brated for  its  splendid  clilf  scenery.  Killaloe 
(1,112),  in  the  east,  on  the  Shannon,  just  where 
it  issues  from  Lough  Derg,  14  miles  above 
Limerick,  was  in  old  times  a  great  religious  cen- 
ter, and  is  still  a  bishop's  see:  it  has  several 
interesting  church  ruins;  and  near  the  town  are 
the  remains  of  Kincora,  the  ancient  palace  of 
Brian  Boru. 

The  other  towns  on  the  margin,  going  regu- 
larly round,  are:  Scarriff  (785),  near  the  head 
of  Scarriff  Bay,  iu  Lough  Derg;  Newmarket-on- 
Fergus  (618),  2  miles  east  of  the  Fergus  estuary; 
Killadysart  (560),  on  the  Shannon,  at  the  west- 
ern corner  of  the  estuary  of  the  Fergus ;  the  fish 
ing  village  of  Carrigaholt  (360),  west  of  Kilrush, 
with  its  old  castle  ruin  on  a  rock  over  the  bay, 
is  the  capital  of  the  Loop  Head  peninsula ;  Mil- 
town  Malbay  (1,400),  in  the  west,  a  mile  and  a 


CLAKE. 


half  from  the  coast,  near  the  beautiful  horseshoe 
hay  inclosed  by  Spanish  Point  and  Caherrush 
Point,  is  much  frequented  as  a  bathing  place. 
Ennistimon  (1,331),  on  the  Inagh  or  Cullenagh 
Eiver,  2  miles  from  the  head  of  Liscanno  Bay, 
is  beautifully  situated  among  pretty  hills  and 
plantations,  and  just  beside  a  lovely  waterfall. 
On  the  north  coast  is  Ballyvagh  small  but 
prosperous  village,  locally  important  from  its 
position  on  the  shore  of  Gahvay  Bay. 

The  other  inland  towns  are :  Clare  or  Clare 
Castle  (790),  near  the  mouth  of  the  Fergus; 
a  mile  from  which,  toward  Ennis,  near  the 
shore  of  the  Fergus,  are  the  interesting  ruins 
of  Clare  Abbey,  erected  by  Donald  O'Brien, 
king  of  Munster,  at  the  close  of  the  12th  century. 
Tulla  (758),  iO  miles  east  of  Ennis,  which  gives 
name  to  the  two  baronies  of  Tulla ;  south  of  this 
is  Sixmilebridge  (446),  on  the  Owenogarney,  8 
miles  northwest  of  Limerick  city.  In  the  north- 
west are  Corrofin  (579),  on  the  Fergus,  in  a 
lovelj''  situation  between  Inchiqnin  Lake  and 
Lough  Atedaun ;  and  Lisdoonvarna,  at  the  head 
of  the  little  river  Aille,  6  miles  north  of  Ennis- 
timon, which  was  until  lately  a  mere  hamlet,  but 
is  now  a  noted  health  resort,  on  account  of  its 
sulphur  spas,  and  is  growing  fast  in  population 
and  prosperity. 

MINERALS. — Sandstone  flags,  like  the  flags 
of  Carlow,  are  produced  round  Kilrush,  Kil- 
kee,  and  Ennistimon.  Excellent  slates  are 
found  at  Broadford,  near  Killaloe;  but  the  prin- 
cipal quarries  of  Killaloe  slates  are  in  Tipperary, 
at  the  other  side  of  the  Shannon.  At  Bally- 
hickey,  east  of  Ennis,  and  atMiltown  near  Tulla, 
there  are  valuable  lead  mines,  which  produce 
also  silver  combined  with  the  lead. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Clare  anciently  belonged  to  Connaught, 
but  was  annexed  to  Munster  in  the  4th  century 
A.D.  It  formed  a  portion  of  the  ancient  kingdom 
of  Thomond.  The  old  territory  of  Corco-Baskin 
included  the  whole  of  the  southwestern  penin- 


sula, namely,  that  portion  now  occupied  by  the 
two  baronies  of  Moyarta  and  Clonderalaw.  Hy 
Caisin,  the  territory  of  the  Macnamaras,  lay  in 
the  baronies  of  Upper  Bunratty  and  Upper  Tulla. 
Hy  Fermaic  or  Kinel-Fermaic,  the  district  of  the 
O'Deas,  was  in  the  present  barony  of  Inchiquin. 
Immediately  south  of  Hy  Fermaic  was  the  old 
district  of  Hy  Cormac,  the  territory  of  the  family 
of  O'Hehir,  lying  between  the  river  Fergus  and 
Slievecallan,  and  comprising  the  whole  of  the 
barony  of  Islands,  except  the  parish  of  Clon- 
dagad,  which  belonged  to  Corco-Baskin.  The 
old  district  of  Corcomroe  occupied  all  that  terri- 
tory in  the  north  now  covered  by  the  two  baron- 
ies of  Corcomroe  and  Burren.  From  this 
territory  the  celebrated  Corcomroe  Abbey  took 
name,  the  fine  ruins  of  which  lie  4  miles  east 
from  Ballyvaghan. 

Kincora,  the  ancient  palace  of  Brian  Boru, 
king  of  Ireland  (slain  at  Clontarf,  a. d.  1014),  was 
at  Killaloe;  and  the  ruins  of  the  old  mounds  and 
fortifications  still  remain. 

The  Cratloe  Hills,  northwest  of  Limerick,  were 
anciently  called  Slieve-oy-an-ree,  the  mountain 
of  the  death  of  the  king,  from  the  following  cir- 
cumstances. Ohy  Moyvane  was  king  of  Ireland 
from  A.D.  358  to  365;  his  queen  was  Mongfinn, 
whose  brother,  Criffau,  became  king  on  the  death 
of  Ohy.  Mongfinn,  wishing  that  her  eldest  son 
Brian  should  be  king,  administered  poison  to 
the  king  her  brother  on  a  little  island  in  the 
river  Moy  in  Mayo,  and  in  order  to  hide  sus- 
picion, she  herself  drank  some  of  the  poison 
before  giving  it  to  Criffan.  Mongfinn  died  of 
the  drink,  and  Criffan,  feeling  that  he  had  been 
poisoned,  instantly  set  out  for  Munster;  but  on 
crossing  the  Cratloe  Hills  he  sank  under  the 
effect  of  the  draught  and  died :  hence  the  name. 
Mongfinn 's  wicked  act  was  vain,  hov/ever;  for 
on  Criffan 's  death,  the  great  king  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages,  son  of  Ohy  Moyvane  by 
another  wife,  Carinna,  ascended  the  throne  of 
Ireland. 


CLARE. 

ILLUSTRATION'S. 


EILLALOE. — This  ancient  and  historic  town 
is  connected  with  the  Tipperaiy  side  of  the 
Shannon  by  a  curious  old  bridge  of  nine- 
teen arches.  The  town  once  enjoyed  great 
celebrity  as  the  residence  of  the  Munster 
kings,  among  them  Brian  Boru  who  reigned 
there  both  as  king  of  Munster  and  chief  mon- 
arch of  Ireland.  A  mound  or  fort  is  all  that  now 
remains  of  the  palace  of  Kincora,  so  famed  in 
song  and  story.  Killaloe  was  formerly  an  im- 
portant military  position,  placed  as  it  is  between 
the  Arra  and  Slieve  Bernagh  Mountains  at  the 
only  fordable  part  of  the  Shannon.  Here  it  was 
that  Sarsfield  performed  his  splendid  feat  of  in- 
tercepting and  blowing  up  King  William's  artil- 
lery train  on  its  way  to  aid  in  the  siege  of 
Limerick.  It  is  a  noted  place  for  angling,  the 
broad  meres  and  rapids  of  the  Shannon  here 
affording  excellent  opportunity  for  that  sport. 

ENNISTYMON.— The  county  of  Clare  pos- 
sesses many  interesting  remains  and  a  memo- 
rable record,  though  in  latter  days,  like  many 
other,  especially   of   the  western  counties,  it 


has  fallen  off  in  commercial  importance  and 
population.  Within  its  boundaries  the  O'Briens, 
Lords  of  Thomond,  exercised  control  for  cen- 
turies, and  at  Kincora,  King  Brian  Boru,  when 
chief  monarch  of  Ireland,  dwelt.  This  terri- 
tory was  "granted"  by  King  Edward  I.,  of 
England,  to  Thomas  de  Clare,  Earl  of  Glouces- 
ter, but  the  O'Briens  maintained  their  struggle 
for  the  retention  of  their  domains  with  such 
energy  and  persistence  that  the  intruders  were 
ultimately  driven  out.  Not  until  1565,  was 
Thomond  converted  into  shire-ground ;  the  last 
Ii-ish  sept  who  possessed  control  were  the  Mc- 
Mahons — a  different  family  from  the  McMahons 
of  Monaghan.  Of  the  towns,  Ennistymon — near 
the  head  of  Liscannor  Bay — is  one  of  the  most 
noted,  though  not  the  largest,  in  Clare.  The 
name  is  derived  from  Inis-Dimain-Dimain's 
holm,  or  island— and  is  situated  in  a  setting  of 
exquisite  natural  surroundings.  The  cascades 
or  rapids  of  the  Cullenagh  River,  which  flows 
through  it,  are  attractive,  and  elicit  the  admira- 
tion of  visitors. 


CORK. 


NAME.— In  the  Gtli  century  St.  Finbar 
fouiuled  a  monastery  on  the  edge  of  a  marsh  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Lee,  round  which  a  city 
subsequently  sprang  up.  Hence  the  name  of  the 
city,  Cork,  which  is  a  shortened  from  of  the 
Gaelic  word  Corcach,  signifying  a  marsh. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Cork  is  the 
largest  county  in  Ireland.  Length,  from  Crow 
Head  at  Dursej''  Island  in  the  southwest,  to  the 
northeastern  corner  at  Kilbeheny  near  Mitchels- 
town  in  the  northeast,  98  miles  :  greatest  length, 
from  Crow  Head  to  Youghal,  102  miles;  breadth, 
from  the  boundary  at  the  Mullaghareirk  Moun- 
tains in  the  northwest,  to  Robert's  Head,  south 
of  Cork  Harbor,  54  miles;  area,  2,890  sq.  miles; 
population,  495,607. 

For  legal  purposes  the  county  is  divided  into 
East  Eidiug  and  West  Riding. 

SURFACE. — Cork  is  on  the  whole  a  moun- 
tainous county.  The  most  rugged  part  is  the 
west,  where  the  mountains  generally  run  in 
chains  east  and  west,  forming  part  of  the  great 
mountain  group  that  covers  the  western  parts  of 
Cork  and  Kerry.  In  the  middle  and  southeast 
there  are  stretches  of  champaign  land,  but  ^5vith 
mountains  and  hills  always  in  near  view. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— North  of  Bantry 
Bay  the  Caha  Mountains  lie  on  the  bound- 
ary of  Cork  and  Kerry,  the  Miskish  Moun- 
tains being  their  continuation  to  the  west,  ex- 
tending to  the  very  point  of  the  peninsula.  Of 
these  the  most  remarkable  summits  are  Hungry 
Hill  (2,251),  just  on  the  boundary  near  Bear- 
haven;  and  Sugarloaf  (1,187),  a  conical  hill,  a 
little  west  of  Glengarriff.  East  of  these  is  a 
mountain  group,  containing  within  its  circuit 
the  Pass  of  Keimaneigh  (a  splendid  gorge  lead- 
ing from  the  vallej'  of  the  Owvane  to  the  valley 
of  the  Lee)  and  the  lake  of  Gougane  Barra;  of 
this  group  the  chief  summit  is  the  fine  conical 
hill  of  Shehy  (1,797),  at  the  head  of  the  Owvane 
Valley. 

North  of  these  lies  another  east  and  west 
range,  beginning  on  the  west  with  the  Derrynas- 


aggart  Mountains  (2,133),  lying  on  the  bound- 
ary of  Cork  and  Kerry,  midway  between  Macroom 
and  Killarney ;  east  of  these,  still  keeping  the 
same  general  direction,  is  the  longer  range  of 
the  Boggeragh  Mountains,  culminating  in 
Musheramore  (2,118),  rising  over  Mill  Street; 
east  of  these  again,  and  still  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, are  the  Nagles  Mountains,  which  terminate 
near  Fermoy.  This  whole  range,  from  the  west 
end  of  the  Derrynasaggart  Mountains  to  Fermoy, 
is  more  than  40  miles  in  length.  The  Boggeragh 
Mountains  and  the  Nagles  Mountains  define  on 
the  south  the  valley  of  the  Blackwater;  which 
has  on  the  north  the  Ballyhoura  range,  extend- 
ing into  Limerick;  and  east  of  these  are  the  Kil- 
worth  Mountains,  between  Kilworth  and  Mit- 
chelstown. 

The  northwest  angle  of  the  county,  near 
Newmarket,  is  a  region  of  mountains.  In  the 
midst  is  Taur  (1,329);  while  in  the  north  the 
Mullaghareirk  Mountains  (1,341)  form  for  part 
of  their  course  the  boundary  of  Cork  and 
Limerick. 

In  the  extreme  southwest.  Mount  Gabriel 
(1,339),  over  the  village  of  Skull,  is  very  con- 
spicuous, as  rising  quite  detached  in  the  midst 
of  a  great  plain. 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  is  broken  up  the 
whole  way  round,  from  Youghal  to  Kenmare,  by 
numberless  bays  and  inlets,  and  exhibits  every 
variety  of  configuration — tall  cliffs,  broken 
rocks,  rugged  promontories,  and  sandy  beaches. 

HEADLANDS.— Knockadoon  Head  is  the 
turning  point  of  the  coast  south  of  Youghal : 
Power  Head,  and  Robert's  Head,  at  either  side 
of  Cork  Harbor :  the  Old  Head  of  Kinsale,  to  the 
west  of  Kinsale  Harbor,  is  a  long  peninsula, 
with  its  narrow  isthmus  in  one  place  pierced 
across  quite  through  by  a  sea  cave :  the  Seven 
Heads  and  Galley  Head,  east  and  west  of  Clona- 
kilty  Bay  :  Toe  Head,  west  of  Castlehaven.  Cape 
Clear  is  the  southern  point  of  Cape  Clear  Island : 
Mizen  Head  is  the  most  southerly  point  of  the 
mainland  of   Leland.     Muntervary  or  Sheep 


4 


CORK. 


Head  is  the  extreme  point  of  the  long  peninsula 
between  the  baj's  of  Bantry  and  Dunmanus: 
Dursey  Head,  the  western  end  of  Dursey  Island, 
and  near  it  is  Crow  Head  on  tlie  Mainland. 
Cod's  Head  and  Kilcatherine  Point  stand  at  both 
sides  of  Coulagh  Bay,  in  the  Kenmare  estuary. 

ISLANDS. — Beginning  at  the  west:  Dur- 
sey Island'  stands  at  the  extreme  end  of  the 
Peninsula  of  Bear,  4  miles  long,  hilly  and  full  of 
rocks.  In  Bantry  Bay  are  Bear  Island,  opposite 
Castletown  Bearhaven,  6  miles  in  length,  high 
and  rocky;  and  at  the  head  of  the  bay  near 
Bantry,  "Whiddy  Island,  which  is  low  and  fertile. 
Cape  Clear'  Island  at  the  extreme  south  (3  miles 
long;  area,  2|  square  miles),  rosky  and  with  pre- 
cipitous shores,  is  now  a  telegraph  station,  where 
the  first  news  is  heard  of  ships  homebouud  from 
America.  Sherkin  Island-,  between  Cape  Clear 
Island  and  the  mainland,  is  nearly  the  same  size 
as  Cape  Clear  Island.  Numerous  small  islands 
lie  near,  such  as  Eingarogy,  Hare  Island,  Horse 
Island,  etc.  In  Coi'k  Harbor  are  Great  Island, 
Little  Island,  and  Foaty,  all  beautifully  diversi- 
fied; Haulbowline,  a  military  depot;  and  Spike 
Island,  a  well  known  convict  station. 

BAYS  AND  HAEBORS.— Youghal  Harbor, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Blackwater,  lies  between 
Cork  and  Waterford :  next  to  which  is  Bally- 
cottin  Bay.  Cork  Harbor,  the  opening  of  the 
River  Lee,  with  a  narrow  entrance,  is  one  of  the 
finest  and  safest  harbors  in  the  empire.  Kinsale 
Harbor  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bandon  River : 
Courtmacsherrj'  Bay,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Arigi- 
deen  River :  the  sandy  Bay  of  Clonakilty  comes 
next :  Rosscarbery  Bay  lies  west  of  Galley  Head. 
Glandore  Harbor  and  Castlehaven  lie  near  each 
other,  and  are  both  noted  for  the  beauty  of  their 
coast  scenery  :  Baltimore  Bay  and  Roaring  Water 
Bay  are  both  near  Cape  Clear.  On  the  western 
side  of  the  county  are  the  two  great  inlets,  Dun- 
manus Bay  and  Bantry  Bay,  the  latter  about  30 
miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  about  4 
miles;  ofE  Bantry  Bay  are  Bearhaven,  sheltered 
by  Bear  Island ;  and  Glengarriff  Harbor,  cele- 
brated for  its  splendid  scenery.  Kenmare  Bay 
belongs  for  the  most  part  to  Kerry,  off  which, 
on  the  Cork  coast,  are  Ballydonegan  Bay, 
Coulagh  Bay,  and  Ardgroom  Harbor,  which  lies 
partly  in  Cork  and  partly  in  Kerry. 

RIVERS.— By  far  the  greatest  part  of  this 


county  is  drained  by  the  three  main  rivers,  the 
Blackwater,  the  Lee,  and  the  Bandon,  and  their 
tributaries ;  they  run  nearly  parallel,  their  gen- 
eral direction  being  east;  and  all  three  bend 
south  toward  the  mouth. 

The  Blackwater  rises  in  Kerry,  half  a  mile  from 
the  boundary  with  Cork,  on  the  side  of  Knocka- 
nefune  Hill,  4  miles  northwest  from  the  village 
of  Kingwilliamstown.  It  first  runs  east  to  the 
boundary;  then  turning  south,  it  forms  the  bound- 
ary between  Cork  and  Kerry  for  11  miles  (not 
following  the  very  small  windings) ;  then  turn- 
ing east,  it  enters  Cork,  through  which  it  flows 
from  that  turning  point  in  a  direction  generally 
east,  for  about  54  miles,  to  Kilmurry,  when  it 
forms  for  2  miles  the  boundary  between  Cork  and 
Waterford.  Entering  Waterford,  it  continues 
its  eastern  course  as  far  as  Cappoquin,  whence  it 
turns  abruptly  south,  and  for  the  last  three  miles 
of  its  course,  at  Youghal,  again  forms  the  bound- 
ary between  Cork  and  Waterford.  The  scenery 
of  the  Blackwater  is  celebrated  for  its  beauty; 
the  finest  part,  however,  belongs  to  the  county 
Waterford. 

The  chief  tributaries  of  the  Blackwater  that 
belong  to  this  county  are  :  On  the  right  or  south- 
ern bank :  the  Bride,  which  flows  east,  parallel  to 
the  main  stream,  and  entering  the  county  Water- 
ford, joins  the  Blackwater  below  Cappoquin  the 
Tourig,  which  joins  about  1  mile  above  Youghal, 
and  the  Glen  River,  which  flows  from  the  slope 
of  Mushera  Mountain,  and  joins  the  main  stream 
near  the  village  of  Banteer.  On  the  left  or 
northern  bank  :  the  Allow  and  the  Dalua  unite  at 
Kauturk,  and  2  miles  further  down  flow  into  the 
Blackwater;  the  Awbeg  (Spenser's  Mulla)  rises 
in  the  Ballyhoura  hills,  and  flows  by  Buttevant 
and  Doneraile  into  the  Blackwater  near  Castle- 
townroche ;  and  the  Funshion  and  the  Araglin, 
both  of  which  join  near  Kilworth. 

The  Lee  rises  in  the  romantic  lake  of  Gougane 
Barra,  and  flowing  eastward  for  four  miles,  it 
expands  into  the  long  winding  lake  of  Incha- 
geela  or  Lough  Allua:  it  continues  its  eastern 
course  through  a  long  and  beautiful  valley,  with 
a  continued  succession  of  demesnes  and  villas 
and  many  old  castle  ruins  on  both  sides,  till  it 
expands  into  the  broad  Lough  Mahon  below 
Cork,  when  it  turns  south  and  enters  the  sea 
between  two  bold  headlands. 


CORK. 


Tributaries  of  the  Lee  :  Ou  the  left  bank :  the 
Sulliine  and  the  Lanej',  wlaich  unite  at  Macroom, 
anil  join  the  Lee  a  little  lower  down;  the  Martin 
Eiver,  Howiug  through  Blarney,  into  wbicli  flows 
the  lilarney  Eiver,  after  which  the  united  stream 
joins  the  Shournagh,  which,  a  little  lower  down, 
falls  into  the  Lee :  the  Glashaboj-,  flowing 
through  the  pretty  glen  and  village  of  Glanmire, 
a  little  below  Cork ;  and  still  lower  down  the 
Owennacurra,  flowing  by  Middleton.  The  only 
affluent  of  any  consequence  on  the  right  bank  is 
the  Bride,  which  joins  the  Lee  7  miles  above 
Cork. 

The  Bandon  rises  on  the  side  of  Owen  Hill,  5 
miles  west  of  Dunmanwaj^  and  flowing  by  Dun- 
manwaj',  Bandon,  and  lunishannon,  enters  the 
sea  at  Kinsale.  It  receives  as  tributaries  the 
Caha  Eiver,  which  rises  in  Shehy  Mountain,  and 
joins  a  little  above  Dunmanway :  the  Blackwater, 
joining  6  or  7  miles  lower  down  :  and  the  Brinny, 
joining  near  Innishaunon;  these  three  are  all  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Bandon. 

On  the  extreme  southern  coast,  the  Arigideen 
flows  into  Courtmacsherry  Baj' ;  and  the  lien,  by 
Skibbereen  into  Baltimore  Bay. 

The  Coomhola,  the  Owvane,  and  the  Mealagh 
flow  into  Bantry  Bay  near  Bantry.  The  Owvane, 
rising  in  the  glens  of  the  two  mountains  Shehy 
and  Douce,  flows  tiirough  a  fine  valley  traversed 
by  the  road  from  Bantry  to  Macroom,  at  the  head 
of  which  is  the  Pass  of  Keimaneigh ;  and  the 
Mealagh,  entering  Bantry  Bay  at  the  historic 
shore  of  Dunnamark,  falls  over  a  ledge  of  rock 
into  the  sea,  ending  its  course  in  a  fine  cascade. 

The  four  Mile  Water  flows  into  the  head  of 
Dunmanus  Bay,  at  Carrigboy. 

LAKES. — Small  and  unimportant:  the  only 
lakes  of  any  consequence  lie  on  the  course  of 
the  Lee.  This  river  rises  in  Gougane  Barra 
Lake,  a  small  body  of  water,  completely  sur- 
rounded by  abrupt  mountains  and  precipices, 
except  on  the  east  side  where  the  Lee  issues  from 
it.  There  is  a  little  island  in  the  lake  containing 
the  ruins  of  a  primitive  religious  establishment, 
founded  in  the  6th  century  by  St.  Finbar,  who 
afterward  founded  Cork.  Four  miles  lower  down 
the  river  expands  into  the  long,  winding,  beauti- 
ful Lough  Allua,  or  Lake  of  Inchigeela.  In 
the  mountains  over  Bantry,  Glengarriff,  and 
Bear  Island,  there  are  hundreds  of  small  lakes. 


TOWNS.— Cork  (80,124),  the  chief  trading 
and  commercial  city  of  the  southern  half  of  Ire- 
land, was  originally  built  on  an  island  inclosed 
by  two  branches  of  the  Lee;  but  in  later  times 
it  has  been  extended  far  beyond  on  both  sides  of 
the  river.  The  city  has  a  most  picturesque  ap- 
pearance, as  many  of  the  streets  and  public  build- 
ings are  built  on  the  slopes  or  crown  the  summits 
of  the  little  hills  over  the  Lee.  The  environs 
are  very  beautiful,  especially  down  the  river, 
whose  steep  banks  are  studded  with  villas. 
Below  Cork  are  a  number  of  towns  and  villages, 
all  prettily  situated  on  the  mainland  and  island 
shores  of  the  harbor.  Queenstown  (9,755),  the 
chief  of  all,  a  flourishing  town,  is  built  on  the 
sloping  shore  of  Great  Island,  with  the  streets 
rising  in  tiers  from  the  water's  edge.  Proceed- 
ing down  the  river  from  Cork,  the  first  town  is 
Balliutemple  (1,166),  on  the  right  hand;  next  is 
Blackrock  (707),  with  its  castle  on  a  rock  jutting 
into  the  harbor;  on  the  left  is  Glanmire,  at  the 
opening  of  a  pretty  glen.  Passage  West  (2,440) 
lies  on  the  right  shore  of  the  narrow  channel 
between  Great  Island  and  the  mainland;  and 
Monkstown  (381),  2  miles  lower  down,  is  on  the 
same  shore. 

Ou  the  Lee,  4  miles  above  Cork,  is  Ballincollig 
(1,130),  where  there  is  a  military  depot  and  large 
powder  mills.  The  following  are  on  tributaries 
of  the  Lee  :  Macroom  (3,099),  on  the  pretty  river 
SuUane,  near  Avhere  it  runs  into  the  Lee,  with 
its  fine  old  Anglo-Norman  castle.  On  the  Martin 
Eiver,  5  miles  from  Cork,  is  the  lovely  little  vil- 
lage of  Blarney,  well-known  for  its  flourishing 
tweed  factory,  and  for  its  fine  old  castle  ruin, 
the  ancient  residence  of  the  Mac  Carthys.  Near 
where  the  Owennacurra  flows  into  Cork  Harbor 
stands  Middleton  (3,358),  midway  between  Cork 
and  Youghal.  Lower  down  is  Cloyne  (1,126),  a 
little  east  of  Cork  Hai'bor,  a  verj'  ancient  ecclesi- 
astical town,  with  an  old  cathedral  and  a  round 
tower. 

A  number  of  towns  and  villages  stand  on  the 
banks  of  the  Blackwater.  Beginning  at  the 
mouth:  Youghal  (5,396),  an  ancient  town, 
abounding  in  military  and  ecclesiastical  ruins. 
Sir  Walter  Ealeigh  lived  in  Youghal,  and  his 
house  stands  there  still.  Passing  by  Cappoquin 
and  Lismore,  both  in  Waterford,  we  come  to 
Fermoy  (6,454),  with  large  military  barracks; 


CORK. 


and  Mallow  (4,439),  in  a  beautiful  situation  in 
the  midst  of  a  most  picturesque  countiT,  "which 
is  covered  all  over  with  demesnes  and  villas. 

The  following  towns  are  on  tributaries  of  the 
Blackwater:  Kanturk  (1,859),  at  the  confluence 
of  the  two  rivers  Allow  and  Dalua,  2  miles  from 
the  Blackwater;  4  miles  higher  up  on  the  Dalua 
is  Newmarket  (885).  Millstreet  (1,476),  on  the 
little  river  Finow,  stands  at  the  head  of  a  fine 
valley,  2  miles  from  the  Blackwater.  On  the 
Awbeg  are  Buttevant  (1,409),  and  Doneraile 
(1,208),  both  beautifully  situated,  with  Spenser's 
residence,  Kilcolnian  Castle,  in  their  immediate 
neighborhood;  and  Castletownroche  (820),  near 
the  junction  of  the  Awbeg  with  the  Blackwater. 
On  the  Funshion  are  :  Mitchelstown  (2,467),  near 
the  base  of  the  Galtj'  Mountains,  with  Mitchels- 
town demesne  and  castle  beside  it,  the  finest 
modern  baronial  residence  in  Ireland ;  Glanworth 
(577),  with  abbey  and  castle  ruins;  and  Kil- 
worth  (598)  near  the  junction  with  the  Black- 
water,  with  its  beautiful  demesne,  containing  the 
ruins  of  Cloghlea.  Castle. 

The  towns  on  the  Bandon  Eiver  are  :  Kinsale 
(5,386),  at  the  mouth,  built  at  the  base  and  up 
the  side  of  the  hill  that  rises  over  the  harbor — an 
important  fishing  station;  Bandon  (3,997);  and 
Dunmanway  (2,049),  in  the  midst  of  rocky  hills. 

The  towns  on  the  coast  not  yet  enumerated 
are,  beginning  on  the  west:  Castletown  Bear- 
haven  (1,028),  opposite  Bear  Island,  the  only 
town  of  any  consequence  in  the  extreme  western 
part  of  the  county  ;  within  a  mile  of  which,  on  a 
little  creek,  are  the  ruins  of  the  O'Sullivan's 
castle  of  Dunboy;  Bantry  (2,632),  finely  situ- 
ated at  the  head  of  Bantry  Bay,  and  overtopped 
by  beautiful  hills;  Skibbereen  (3,631),  in  the 
extreme  south,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hen  Eiver; 
Rosscarberry  (693),  one  the  great  ancient  eccle- 
siastical centers;  and  Clonakilty  (3,676),  at  the 
head  of  Clonakilty  Bay. 


The  only  town  of  any  consequence  not  con- 
nected with  an  important  river  or  near  the  sea,  ia 
Charleville  (2,266),  a  good  trading  town,  on  the 
northern  boundary,  near  the  base  of  the  Balb'- 
houra  Mountains. 

MINERALS.— In  the  barony  of  Duhallow 
there  is  an  extensive  coal  field,  which  is  worked 
at  Dromagh,  3  miles  southwest  of  Kanturk. 
Copper  ore  is  found  in  various  places,  the  chief 
mines  being  those  of  Allihies  near  Castletswn 
Bearhaven,  and  the  Cappagh  mine  on  the  west 
coast  of  Roaring  Water  Bay,  near  Skibbereen. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.^— ^The  present  county  nearly  coincides 
with  the  ancient  sub-kingdom  of  Desmond,  or 
South  Munster. 

Corca-Laighdhe  (pronounced  Corkalee),  the 
old  territory  of  the  O'Driscolls,  originally  com- 
prised all  the  southwestern  district  from  Court- 
macsherry  Bay  west  to  Bantry  Bay,  but  subse- 
quently it  became  much  more  restricted. 

The  peninsula  between  Roaring  Water  Bay 
and  Dunmanus  Bay  was  the  ancient  Ivahagh,  the 
territory  of  the  O'Mahonej's. 

Off  the  point  of  Dursej'  Island  are  three  soli- 
tary sea  rocks,  now  called  in  English  the  Bull, 
the  Cow,  and  the  Calf :  they  are  celebrated  in 
legendary  history  as  the  place  where  Donn,  one 
of  the  Milesian  brothers,  perished  in  a  storm, 
with  the  crew  of  his  ship:  whence  they  were 
called  Tigh-Dhuinn  (pronounced  Tee-Yine), 
which  name  is  still  well  known  among  the  Gaelic- 
speaking  people. 

Several  of  the  old  territories  are  still  repre- 
sented in  name  and  position  by  the  present 
baronies.  Thus  the  old  district  of  Beanntraighe 
is  the  present  baronj'  of  Bantry :  Cairbre,  now 
the  baronies  of  Carbury :  Muscraighe,  the  baron- 
ies of  Muskerry  :  Duthaighe-Ealla,  the  barony  of 
Duhallow:  Feara-Muighe,  the  baronj'  of  Fermoy, 
called  in  later  ages  the  Roches'  Country. 


CORK. 

ILLXJSTRA.TIO]^S, 


CEMETEET  OF  THE  CHRISTIAN 
BROTHERS,  AND  GRAVE  OF  GERALD 
GRIFFIN.— The  cemetery  of  the  Christian 
Brothers  of  the  North  Cork  Monastery,  Fair 
Hill,  -n-ill  be  always  a  place  of  pilgrimage  to  the 
lover  of  literature  who  may  chance  to  visit  the 
vicinity.  There,  amid  a  number  of  graves  bear- 
ing on  modest  headstones  the  names  of  the 
saintly  dead,  lie  the  remains  of  Gerald  GriflSn, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  writers  and  purest  char- 
acters which  his  countrj''  possesses.  His  name 
in  religion — Brother  Joseph — is  graven  on  the 
stone  beneath  which  repose  the  ashes  of  the 
author  of  "The  Collegians. "  As  poet  and  novel- 
ist, he  will  always  hold  a  front  place  in  Irish 
literature.  Having  after  many  vicissitudes  and 
sufferings  achieved  fame  and  the  reward  it 
brings,  he  renounced  the  world,  and  became  an 
humble  teacher  as  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Brotherhood  of  Cork.  He  died  in  1840,  aged  38 
years. 

CLOYNE  ABBEY.  —  The  little  town  of 
Cloyne  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  Cork 
harbor,  about  three  miles  from  the  shore. 
The  bishopric  of  Cloyne  was  founded  by  St. 
Colman  in  the  sixth  century.  The  cathedral 
which  also  dates  from  a  very  ancient  period  is  a 
low  cruciform  structure,  but  has  been  so  fre- 
quently repaired  and  patched  that  it  is  wholly 
devoid  of  architectural  beauty.  Close  to  the 
cathedral  is  a  round  tower,  one  of  the  most  curi- 
ous and  ancient  in  Ireland.  Originally  it  was  92 
feet  in  height,  but  on  the  night  of  January  10, 
1794,  it  was  struck  by  lightning,  and  its  conical 
top  and  three  of  its  lofts  with  the  bell  was 
destroyed.  An  embattlemeut  was  subsequently 
built  around  the  summit,  making  its  present 
height  102  feet.  The  ancient  name  of  the  town 
was  Cluaine-uamhach,  meaning  "retreat  of  the 
caves,"  from  the  number  of  caves  in  the  lime- 
stone rock  in  the  vicinity. 

SHANDON  CHURCH.— The  Church  of  St. 
Anne,  Shandon,  standing  on  an  eminence  on 
the  north  side  of  Cork  City,  though  unpreten- 
tious, and  in  fact  somewhat  bizarre,  has  acquired 
a  prominence  second  to  no  church  or  cathedral 
in  Ireland.  This  it  owes  to  the  genius  of  I'ather 
Prout  (Rev.  Francis  O'Mahoney),  who  immor- 


talized it  in  his  inimitable  lyric  of  "The  Bells  of 
Shandon."  The  church  has  no  stj'le  of  archi- 
tecture, and  has  a  curiously  disproportionate 
steeple,  or  rather  tower,  which  has  caused  the 
structure  to  be  aptly  likened  to  a  pepper  caster. 
It  was  built  in  1722,  and  two  of  its  sides  are  of 
hewn  limestone,  and  the  other  two  of  red  sand- 
stone— the  one  taken  from  the  old  Franciscan 
Abbej',  and  the  other  from  the  ruins  of  Lord 
Barry's  Castle.  The  church  possesses  a  chime 
of  sweet-toned  bells,  however,  and  the  memories 
of  their  music  followed  the  genial  Father  Prout 
through  life,  and  every  Corkonian  repeats  with 
him : 

"On  this  I  ponder 
Where'er  I  wander, 
And  thus  grow  fonder, 
Sweet  Cork,  of  thee. 

"With  thy  bells  of  Shandon, 
That  sound  so  grand  on 
The  pleasant  waters 
Of  the  river  Lee." 

BLARNEY  CASTLE.— There  is,  perhaps,  no 
ruin  in  Ireland  that  has  acquired  such  world- 
wide celebrity  as  Blarney  Castle  from  the  legend 
ascribing  to  it  the  power  of  endowing  any  one 
who  kisses  a  certain  stone  of  the  structure  with 
an  irresistible  faculty  of  persuasion,  and  which 
Milikin,  Father  Prout  and  others  have  popular- 
ized. Milikin's  "Groves  of  Blarney"  was  written 
in  ridicule  of  the  high-sounding,  nonsensical 
verses  of  some  of  the  village  poets  of  his  time. 
Blarney  Castle  stands  in  the  village  of  that 
name,  and  is  about  six  miles  from  Cork.  It  was 
built  by  Cormac  MacCarthy  "The  Strong,"  a.d. 
1449,  and  was  the  stronghold  of  the  chieftains  of 
that  sept.  All  that  remains  now  is  the  donjon 
keep,  120  feet  in  height;  and  the  walls,  18  feet 
in  thickness,  add  to  its  great  strength.  The 
inner  courtyard  was  8  acres  in  extent.  The 
castle  sustained  may  sieges  and  attacks  in  the 
Anglo-Irish  wars.  The  process  of  kissing  the 
Blarney  stone  is  a  somewhat  perilous  venture,  and 
few  tourists  care  to  risk  it. 

GLENGARRIFF  CASTLE.— This  castle  de- 
rives its  chief  interest  from  its  location,  the 
famous  Glengarriff,  which  has  always  been  the 
delight  and  the  despair  of  tourists.    Its  natural 


FRANCIS  S.  MAHONY. 
(Father  Prout.) 


CORK. 


beauties  are  so  many  and  varying  that  descrip- 
tion fails  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  it.  It  must 
be  seen  to  be  appreciated.  One  English  tourist 
avers  that  all  the  concentrated  beauties  of  the 
region  of  Killarney  could  not  equal  it,  though, 
Gleugarriff — "the  Craggy  Glen" — is  but  three 
miles  long  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  breadth. 
"What,"  writes  Thackeray,  "sends  picturesque 
tourists  to  the  Rhine  and  Saxon  Switzerland? 
Within  five  miles  around  the  pretty  inn  of  Glen- 
garriff  there  is  a  country,  the  magnificence  of 
which  no  pen  can  give  an  idea.  I  would  like  to 
be  a  great  prince,  and  bring  a  train  of  painters 
over  to  make,  if  they  could,  and  according  to 
their  several  capabilities,  a  set  of  pictures  of  the 
place."  The  castle  is  at  present  the  residence  of 
the  Earls  of  Bantry. 

THE  MALL. — This  fine  thoroughfare  runs  at 
right  angles  to  the  Grand  Parade,  and  is  the 
street  where  the  chief  professional  men  and 
merchants  of  the  city  do  business.  The  city  was 
originally  built  on  an  island,  and  the  South 
Mall  at  present  occupies  the  site  of  one  of  the 
intercepting  branches  of  the  river,  which  a  cen- 
tury ago  formed  by  its  southern  side  a  tri- 
angular island,  the  other  sides  being  Charlotte 
Quay  and  Morrison  Quay.  The  city  of  Cork, 
the  southern  metropolis  of  Ireland,  and  admi- 
rably situated  for  trade  and  commerce,  contains 
not  only  many  beautiful  streets  and  buildings, 
but,  in  the  language  of  a  tourist,  presents  such 
an  attractive  prospect  as  to  equal  that  of  the  Bos- 
phorus.  It  is  also  noted  for  the  intellectual  char- 
acter of  its  people,  and  its  many  excellent  educa- 
tional and  public  institutions.  It  has  also  long 
been  the  chief  emigration  port  from  Ireland. 

PATRICK'S  BRIDGE.— Cork   is   the  third 


city  of  Ireland  in  population  and  importance, 
and  from  its  situation  might  be  one  of  the 
first  cities  of  Europe  were  Ireland's  commercial 
poasibilities  developed  under  a  native  govern- 
ment. It  is  built  on  what  was  once  marshy 
islands,  whence  its  name,  "Corcagh,"  signifying 
a  marsh,  or  land  overflowed  by  the  tide.  The  city 
is  of  great  antiquity,  and  has  been  the  scene  of 
many  stirring  events.  The  site  of  the  ancient 
city  is  an  island,  which  divides  the  river  Lee 
into  two  channels,  which  after  passing  round 
unite  below  it.  Several  bridges  connect  the 
island  with  the  mainland  on  either  side,  the 
most  modern  of  which  is  presented  in  the  present 
illustration.  St.  Finn  Bar,  who  died  at  Cloyne, 
A.D.  617,  built  a  monastery  and  cathedral  here 
and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of  the  future  city. 
He  was  the  first  bishop  of  Cork. 

FERMOY  SQUARE.— The  pretty  town  of 
Fermoy  is  situated  on  the  beautiful  Blackwater, 
about  twenty  miles  to  the  southeast  of  Cork. 
A  century  ago  it  was  a  poor  and  insignificant 
village.  John  Anderson,  having  large  barrack 
and  mail-coach  contracts  with  the  government, 
gave  an  impetus  of  prosperity  to  the  place,  and 
the  town  has  since  retained  its  success.  Its 
proximity  to  the  harbor  of  Queenstown,  and 
its  being  the  seat  of  a  military  barracks  of 
some  3,000  of  a  garrison  give  the  town  a 
considerable  trade.  A  stone  bridge  consist- 
ing of  thirteen  arches  spans  the  river  at  this 
point,  and  though  built  in  1689,  it  is  still  as 
solid  as  ever.  The  ancient  Gaelic  name,  Feara- 
muighe-Feine,  signifying  "Men  of  the  Plain," 
has  been  anglicized  to  Fermoy.  The  town  is 
clean  and  tastily  laid  out,  the  square  being  one 
of  the  most  attractive  spots  to  be  desired. 


SHANDON  CHURCH,  CORK. 


DONEGAL. 


NAME. — The  town  of  Donegal  \vas  so  called 
from  au  old  dun  or  fortress,  which  got  the  iiame 
of  Dim-uau-Gall,  the  fortress  of  the  Galls  or 
foreigners — these  foreigners  being  Danes,  who 
settled  there  at  an  early  period.  County  named 
from  the  town. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
Inishowen  Head  to  Malinmore  Head,.  84  miles ; 
breadth  from  Bloody  Foreland  to  the  boundary, 
a  little  south  of  Castelfinn,  41  miles;  ai"ea,  1,870| 
square  miles;  population,  206,035. 

SURFACE. — Donegal  is  a  region  of  moun- 
tains and  long  valleys,  and  there  is  a  large  extent 
of  bog  and  waste.  The  only  moderately  level 
land  lies  in  the  east  half  of  the  barony  of  Eaphoe, 
and  in  the  south  half  of  the  barony  of  Tirhugh. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— In  the  north- 
west of  the  count.v  the  two  ranges  of  the  Derry- 
veagh  Mountains  and  the  Glendowan  Mountains 
run  parallel,  from  northeast  to  southwest,  inclos- 
ing the  splendid  vallej'  of  Glen  Beagh.  The 
highest  summit  is  Dooish  (2,147),  in  the  middle 
of  the  Derryveagh  range,  over  Lough  Beagh. 
To  the  west  again  of  the  Derryveagh  range  is  a 
third  irregular  range,  running  in  the  same  direc- 
tion; containing  Errigal  (2, 46(5),  the  highest 
mountain  in  Donegal,  rising  over  DunlewyLake; 
and  northeast  of  this,  Mukish  (2,107),  a  great 
flat-topped  mountain. 

Southeast  of  Gweebarra  Bay,  and  northeast  of 
Glenties,  is  a  fine  mountain  group,  of  which 
Aghla  (1,9G1)  forms  the  center. 

The  barony  of  Banagh  is  traversed  from  end  to 
end  by  a  range  which  may  be  said  to  cover  the 
whole  peninsula.  In  the  east  end  is  the  short 
independent  range  of  Croaghgorm  or  Bluestack 
(2,219);  and  in  the  west  are  Slieve  League 
(1,972)  rising  sheer  from  the  sea  on  the  south 
coast,  and  Slieveatooey  (1,515)  over  the  sea  in 
like  manner  on  the  north  coast.  This  range 
continues  to  the  northeast  through  the  barony  of 
liaphoe  toward  Letterkenny,  and  contains 
Gaugin  (1,805),  Boultypatrick  (1,415),  and  Cark 
(1,205). 

The  peninsula  of  Inishowen  is  in  great  part 


mountainous,  the  culminating  summit  being 
Slieve  Snaght  (2,019)  in  the  center.  In  the 
peninsula  of  Fanad,  west  of  Lough  Swilly,  is  the 
small  but  remarkable  range  of  Knockalla  (1,203) ; 
and  Lough  Salt  Mountain  (1,54G)  rises  conspicu- 
ously, west  of  the  head  of  Mulroy  Lough. 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  is  broken  the  whole 
way  round,  presenting  a  grand  succession  of 
bays,  promontories,  cliffs,  and  islands. 

HEADLANDS. — Beginning  at  the  northeast : 
Inishowen  Head,  the  northeast  extremity  of 
Inishowen,  and  Malin  Head,  its  northwest 
extremity;  Dunaff  Head  and  Fanad  Head,  at 
both  sides  of  the  mouth  of  Lough  Swilly ;  Horn 
Head,  a  lofty  rock  rising  precipitously  over  the 
sea  at  the  west  side  of  Sheep  Haven ;  Bloody 
Foreland;  Dawros  Head,  which  is  the  end  of  the 
peninsula  of  Dawros,  between  the  hays  of  GweS- 
barra  and  Loughros  More;  Malinmore  Head,  the 
most  westerly  point  of  Donegal.  Carrigan  Head, 
Muckros  Head,  St.  John's  Point,  and  Doorin 
Point  all  pro.iect  south  into  Donegal  Bay. 
Immediately  west  of  Carrigan  Head,  Slieve 
League  rises  1,972  feet  steep  from  the  sea;  and 
the  coast  from  Carrigan  Head  round  by  Glen- 
columkille  to  Loughros  Bay  exhibits  the  grand- 
est combinations  of  cliff  scenery  in  Ireland. 

ISLANDS. — Tory  Island  lies  8  miles  from 
the  mainland;  it  is  about  2^  miles  long,  and 
stands  out  of  the  sea  so  as  to  appear  like  a  great 
collection  of  towers  and  pinnacles ;  it  contains 
the  ruins  of  an  ancient  ecclesiastical  establish- 
ment (including  a  round  tower)  founded  in  the 
7th  century  by  St.  Columba.  Aran  Island  con- 
tains nearly  7  square  miles,  and  rises  750  feet 
over  the  sea.  North  and  south  of  Aran  are 
numerous  small  islands,  the  chief  of  which  are 
luishsirrer,  Gola,  Owej',  Cruit,  Rutland,  Inish- 
free,  and  Roaninish.  The  island  of  Inch  in 
Lough  Swilly  contains  nearly  5  square  miles,  and 
has  a  summit  (Inch  Top)  732  feet  high.  The 
little  island  of  Rathlin  O'Byrne  is  near  Malin- 
more Head.  Between  Ballyness  Bay  and  Tory 
are  the  three  small  islands,  Inishbofin,  Inish- 
dooey,  and  luishbeg.    Northeast  of  Malin  Head 


I 


DONEGAL. 


is  the  small  rocky  island  of  Inishtrahull,  the 
most  northerly  land  belonging  to  Ireland. 

BAYS  AND  HAKBOES.— The  two  deep  bays, 
Lough  Foyle  and  Lough  Swilly,  nearly  in- 
sulate the  barony  of  Inishowen;  Trawbreaga 
Bay  pierces  far  into  Inishowen,  south  of  Malin 
Head ;  Mulroy  Bay  is  separated  from  Lough 
Swilly  by  the  peninsula  of  Fauad ;  Sheep  Haven 
is  separated  from  Mulroy  Bay  by  the  peninsula 
of  Rosguill.  Ballyness  Bay  is  the  usual  embarking 
place  for  Tory  Island.  South  of  Bloody  Fore- 
land are  the  bays  of  Gweedore  and  Inishfree; 
and  south  of  Aran  Island  are  those  of  Trawenagh 
and  Gweebarra.  Separated  from  Gweebarra  Bay 
by  the  peninsula  of  Dawros,  are  the  two  bays  of 
Loughrosmore  and  Loughrosbeg.  Glen  Bay, 
overtopped  by  lofty  precipices,  opens  out  from 
the  solitary  Glencolumkille ;  and  at  the  other 
side  of  Malinmore  Head  is  Malin  Bay,  Fintragh 
Bay,  Mac  Swyne's  Bay,  and  Inver  Bay,  which 
are  bi'anches  of  Donegal  Bay. 

RIVERS. — The  Foyle  separates  Donegal 
from  Londonderry.  The  Foyle  is  formed  by  two 
main  streams,  the  Finn  and  the  Mourne,  which 
join  at  Lifford.  The  Finn,  rising  in  Lough 
Finn,  and  flowing  east,  belongs  wholly  to  Done- 
gal. The  Deele  joins  the  Foj'le  a  mile  north  of 
Lifford. 

The  Eask  flows  from  Lough  Eask  by  Donegal 
town  into  Donegal  Bay ;  and  of  the  several  small 
feeders  that  run  into  Lough  Eask,  one,  the 
Lowerymore,  is  remarkable  as  traversing  the 
magnificent  Gap  of  Barnesmore.  Beside  the 
Eask,  Donegal  Bay  receives  from  the  north  the 
Eany  Water  at  Inver  Bay,  the  Bunlackey  near 
Dunkineely,  and  the  Glen  River  into  Teelin  Bay. 

In  the  west  of  the  county,  the  Owenea  and  the 
Owentocker  flow  into  Loughrosmore  Bay  at 
Ardara;  the  Gweebarra  into  Gweebarra  Bay,  and 
the  Gweedore  into  Gweedore  Bay.  Through 
Glenbeagh  a  stream  flows  northeast,  which  takes 
successivelj'  the  names  Owenbeagh,  Owenarrow, 
and  Lackagh,  falling  at  last  into  Sheep  Haven. 
The  river  Swilly,  flows  east  by  Letterkenney  into 
the  head  of  Lough  Swilly  ;  and  into  the  same  bay 
flows  the  Leannan. 

Into  Donegal  Bay,  in  the  extreme  south,  flow 
the  Erne,  having  a  fine  fall  at  Ballyshaunon  ;  and 
the  Bradoge  at  Bundoran.  The  little  river 
Termon  enters  the  north  end  of  Lough  Erne. 


LAKES. — Donegal  is  noted  for  its  fine  moun- 
tain lakes  with  splendid  scenery.  Lough  Erne 
lies  on  the  south  boundary.  Eight  miles  east 
of  Donegal  town,  and  4  miles  north  of  Pet- 
tigo,  is  Lough  Derg,  over  3  square  miles  in 
extent,  and  containing  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory, 
which  has  been  for  many  ages  a  celebrated  place 
of  pilgrimage.  Lough  Eask  lies  3  miles  north- 
east of  Donegal.  In  the  north,  Lough  Beagh, 
one  of  the  finest  mountain  lakes  in  Ireland,  occu- 
pies the  bottom  of  Glen  Beagh  ;  and  lower  down, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  valley,  near  the  head  of  Sheep 
Haven,  is  Glenlough.  Dunlewy  Lake  and  Lough. 
Nacung  lie  at  the  very  base  of  Eri'igal  Mountain; 
and  under  the  opposite  base  is  Lough  Altan. 
East  from  Gweebarra  Bay  in  the  beautiful  Lough 
Finn  at  the  base  of  Aghla;  and  near  it  are  the 
small  Lough  Muck  and  Lough  Barra. 

TOWNS. — ^Beginning  in  the  southwest  and 
going  round  the  margin  :  Ballyshannon  (2,840) 
stands  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Erne,  near 
where  it  forms  a  fine  cascade  over  a  ledge 
of  rocks,  the  old  cataract  of  Assaroe :  there  is  a 
salmon  fishery ;  and  the  town  is  celebrated  in 
legend  and  romance.  Four  miles  southwest  of 
Ballyshannon,  on  the  shore  of  Donegal  Bay,  is 
Bundoran  (703),  a  favorite  watering  place. 
Donegal  (1,416)  is  in  a  beautiful  situation  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Eask,  at  the  head  of  an  inlet 
from  Donegal  Bay,  surrounded  by  hills;  just 
beside  it  stands  the  fine  old  ruins  of  Donegal 
Castle,  and  also  the  ruins  of  a  monastery.  West- 
ward from  this  is  Killybegs  (764),  on  the  north 
shore  of  Donegal  Bay — ^the  capital  of  the  penin- 
sula— where  a  good  deal  of  fishing  is  carried  on. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  peninsula  is  Ardara 
(552) ;  six  miles  northeast  of  this  is  Glenties 
(487).  Passing  Dunglow  (468)  we  come  to  Duu- 
fanaghy  (598),  near  Horn  Head,  the  chief  town 
of  all  this  remote  district.  Eathmelton  (1,406) 
stands  just  where  the  river  Leannan  falls  into 
Lough  Swilly.  Letterkenny  (2,188)  is  on  the 
river  Swilly,  near  its  mouth;  and  on  the  east 
shore  of  Lough  Swilly  is  Buncrana  (764),  a 
watering  place.  Moville  (1,129)  stands  on  the 
east  shore  of  Inishowen ;  and  in  the  interior  is 
Carndonagh  (726),  the  capital  of  the  peninsula. 
Lifford  511,  the  assize  town,  on  the  Foyle,  may 
be  regarded  as  a  part  of  Strabane,  on  the  Derry 
side  of  the  River;  and  the  circuit  ends  at  the 


DON  I' 


KGAL. 


pretty  village  of  Pettigo  (468),  near  Lough 
Erne. 

The  towns  iu  the  interior  are  Kaphoe  (986), 
■west  of  LilTord,  au  ancient  episcopal  see;  and 
Ballybofey  (1,009)  and  Strauorlar  (420),  near  each 
other  on  the  river  Finn. 

MINERALS. — Very  tine  white  marble  is  found 
at  Dunlewy,  at  the  base  of  Errigal  Mountain. 
Near  Eaphoe  there  is  a  formation  of  steatite,  a 
soft  kind  of  stone,  easily  carved  and  very  durable. 

ANCIENT    DIVISIONS    AND  DESIGNA- 


TIONS.— Donegal  was  the  ancient  Tirconnell, 
inhabited  by  the  Kinel  Connell,  who  were  de- 
scended from  Conall,  son  of  the  great  king  Niall 
of  the  Nine  Hostages  (a.d.  378-405),  and  who 
possessed  nearly  the  whole  of  Donegal :  their 
inauguration  place  was  the  Rock  of  Doon,  near 
Kilmacrenan. 

Four  miles  northwest  of  Derrj',  on  a  hill,  is 
Greenan-Ely,  the  ruins  of  Aileach,  the  ancient 
palace  of  the  O'Neills,  the  kings  of  Ulster,  who 
were  also  for  many  ages  the  kings  of  Ireland. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


DONEGAL  CASTLE.— The  town  of  Donegal 
is  beautifully  situated  on  a  bay  of  the  same 
name,  and  does  a  thriving  trade.  To  the 
tourist,  the  gi-eat  object  of  attraction  is  its  splen- 
did old  castle,  the  ancient  seat  of  the  O'Donnells, 
loi'ds  of  Tirconnell.  The  ruin,  compared  with 
others  in  the  island,  is  in  a  tolerably  good  state 
of  preservation,  and  from  what  remains  it  must 
have  been  a  noble  mansion,  and  worthy  of  the 
rank  of  these  once  powerful  chieftains.  Two 
magnificent  sculptured  chimneypieces,  in  the 
style  of  James  I.,  still  remain  in  a  very  perfect 
state.  The  grand  hall  on  the  ground  floor,  is 
arched,  from  which  several  smaller  apartments 
open;  and  upstairs  the  grand  banqueting  hall 
was  lit  by  several  Gothic  windows,  which  look 
out  upon  the  bay;  and  at  one  end  are  the  re- 
mains of  a  great  bay  window  the  entire  height 
of  the  chamber,  which  bespeaks  its  ancient  mag- 
nificence. This  ruin  derives  a  melancholy  inter- 
est from  the  affecting  history  of  the  life  and 
adventures  of  Red  Hugh,  the  last  of  the  powerful 
line  of  the  princes  of  Tirconnell  and  lords  of 
Donegal. 

DEERYBEG  CHAI  EL,  GWEEDORE.— The 
structure  herewith  shown  cannot  be  said  to 
have  any  special  claim  on  the  tourist's  attention 
as  an  ecclesiastical  edifice.  It  is  neither  im- 
posing nor  ijretentious,  but  like  pastor  and 
people  is  "racy  of  the  soil,"  and  typical  of 
Irish  faith,  and  unflinching  devotion  to  father- 
land. Its  pastor,  whose  portrait  is  presented  in 
the  foreground,  came  into  prominence  during 
the  Land  League  agitation,  for  his  attitude  and 
labors  in  behalf  of  his  people,  especially  during 


the  famine  of  1879  and  1880,  in  that  locality. 
The  parish  is  situated  in  a  bleak  corner  of  the 
northwest  Donegal  coast,  and  is  somewhat 
barren,  and  under  the  old  rack-renting  system 
suffered  severely.  During  the  famine  and  agita- 
tion mentioned,  Father  McFadden,  by  his  ap- 
peals for  charity,  saved  many  of  his  people  from 
death  by  starvation,  and  kept  them  in  line  in 
support  of  the  national  cause.  Police  Inspector 
Martin,  who  attempted  to  arrest  him  during  holy 
mass,  with  the  malicious  design  of  outraging  the 
religious  feelings  of  the  congregation,  was  killed 
by  the  infuriated  people.  Father  McFadden  was 
arrested,  but  could  not  be  held  amenable  for  the 
result,  though  he  suffered  much  persecution  at 
the  hands  of  his  enemies. 

MOVILLE.— This  delightful  spot  is  one  of 
the  most  attractive  places  in  Ireland.  There 
the  pleasure  steamers  ply  constantly  in  summer, 
discharging  their  hosts  of  citizens  seeking 
the  invigorating  air  of  sea  and  mountain. 
The  town  is  handsome  and  well  laid  out,  and 
is  much  visited  as  a  watering  place,  and  by 
persons  attracted  by  the  wild  and  interesting 
scenery  of  the  locality.  The  Squire's  Carn  is 
not  quite  three  miles  to  the  west,  from  which  a 
noble  view  may  be  obtained;  and  a  still  better 
from  the  mountain  of  Craignamaddey,  equidis- 
tant to  the  north,  which  not  only  embraces  a 
beautiful  panorami(3  view  of  the  lough  and  of 
the  Derry  Mountains,  but  a  lengthened  prospect 
of  the  causewaj^  cliffs.  Every  spot  in  the  vicin- 
ity has  some  tradition,  and  every  mile  a  legend. 
The  territory  was  originally  the  stronghold  of 
the  Kinel  Owen,  and  later  of  the  O'Dohertys. 


DONEGAL. 


BUNDOEAN. — A  few  miles  distant  from  the 
town  of  Ballyshannon  is  the  pretty  village 
of  Bundoran,  near  the  mouth  of  the  harbor. 
It  is,  says  Mr.  S.  C.  Hall,  much  fi-equented 
by  sea-bathers,  and  is  exceedingly  healthy; 
the  wide  ocean  immediately  facing  it,  and  a 
line  of  mountains  inclosing  it  from  harsh  winds. 
It  is  the  most  attractive  summer  resort  in  the 
whole  northwest  of  Ireland.  The  scenery  of 
the  locality  is  peculiar,  the  action  of  the  sea 
having  wrought  the  seacoast,  as  in  other  portions 
of  the  northern  tempest-beaten  coast,  into  strange 
forms.  One  of  these,  called  the  Fairy  Bridge,  is 
composed  of  an  arch  24  feet  in  span,  "with 
a  pei'fectly  formed  and  detached  causeway  12 
feet  in  breadth."  All  around  the  Donegal 
coast  the  clilfs  and  headlands  are  magnifi- 
cently striking,  where  here  and  there  as  in  the 
case  of  Bundoran,  a  quiet,  pretty  village  is 
nestled  on  some  sheltered  bay  or  river. 


BALLYSHANNON.  — This  pretty  town  is 
situated  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Donegal 
Bay.  It  presents  an  attractive  appearance 
from  the  steep  hill  on  which  it  is  built, 
and  its  two  parts  on  both  sides  of  the  Erne  are 
connected  by  a  splendid  bridge  of  16  arches. 
The  name  in  Celtic,  Bel-atha-Seanaigh,  signifies 
"the  Mouth  of  Shanagh's  Ford."  There  is  a 
fine  waterfall  nearly  20  feet  high  and  150  yards 
wide  extending  the  entire  breadth  of  the  river 
a  few  hundred  j-ards  below  the  bridge.  There 
is  what  is  known  as  the  famous  "Salmon  Leap." 
The  basin  into  which  the  torrent  falls  is  literally 
alive  with  these  fish,  and  curious  as  it  may  seem 
the  salmon  are  able  to  spring  up  the  falls,  and 
make  their  way  up  the  river  to  the  placid  lake. 
The  town  possesses  the  remains  of  an  ancient 
castle,  which  was  the  scene  of  a  defeat  of  the 
English  forces  under  Sir  Conyers  Clifford,  in 
1597. 


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DOWN. 


NAME. — Downpatrick  took  its  name  from  the 
great  dun  or  fort  near  the  cathedral,  which  was 
called  Duu-Keltair,  the  fort  of  the  hero,  Keltar. 
The  name  of  Patrick  was  added  to  commemorate 
the  saint's  connection  with  the  place. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
Cranfield  Point  at  the  mouth  of  Carlingford 
Lough  to  the  shore  near  Donaghadee,  49  miles ; 
breadth,  from  Lisburn  to  the  shore  near  Ard- 
glass,  25  miles;  area,  957  square  miles;  popula- 
tion, 272,107. 

SUBFACE.— The  chief  physical  feature  of 
Down  is  the  grand  range  of  the  Mourne  Moun- 
tains ;  near  the  center  is  the  much  smaller  range 
of  Slieve  Croob ;  all  the  rest  of  the  county  is  an 
endless  succession  of  cultivated  hills,  valleys,  and 
small  plains. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Mourne 
Mountains  extend  for  about  15  miles  in  length 
from  Carlingford  Lough  to  Newcastle;  they  form 
one  of  the  finest  ranges  in  Ireland,  and  as  they 
rise  direct  from  the  sea  they  are  seen  in  their  full 
height. 

The  chief  summits  are  the  following:  Slieve 
Donard  (2,796),  at  the  northeast  extremity,  the 
highest  mountain  in  Ulster,  whose  summit  is 
only  2  miles  from  the  seashore  at  Newcastle. 
Slieve  Commedagh  (2,512)  lies  1  mile  north- 
west of  Slieve  Donard :  Slieve  Bearnagh  (2,394) 
and  Slieve  Meel  (2,237),  are  about  2  miles  west 
of  Slieve  Commedagh.  Chimney  Bock  (2,152) 
rises  straight  over  the  sea,  1|  miles  southwest  of 
Slieve  Donard :  Slieve  Bingian  (2,449)  stands  3 
miles  southwest  from  Slieve  Donard.  Toward 
the  southwestern  extremity.  Eagle  Mountain 
(2,084)  and  Shanlieve  (2,055)  lie  close  together: 
and  towering  over  Bosstrevor,  at  the  southwest 
extremity  of  the  range,  is  Slieve  Martin 
(1,595). 

The  Slieve  Ci'oob  range,  7  miles  long,  lies  to 
the  north  of,  and  runs  nearly  parallel  with,  the 
Mourne  Mountains.  Chief  summits,  Slieve 
Croob  (1,755),  on  the  side  of  which  is  the  source 
of  the  Lagan:  Cratlieve  (1,416)  and  Slieveuabo- 


\ey  (1,069)  lie  further  west:  and  at  the  southwest 
end  is  Deehommed  (1,050). 

COAST  LINE.— Except  by  the  deep  inlet  of 
Strangford  Lough,  the  coast  is  not  much  broken. 
For  the  greater  part  it  is  rocky,  scarped,  and 
dangerous,  having  few  prominent  headlands,  and 
few  bays  or  harbors  of  shelter. 

HEADLANDS.— Grey  Point,  at  the  south  of 
the  entrance  to  Belfast  Lough :  Ballyferis  Point, 
south  of  Donaghadee :  Ballyquintin  Point,  the 
extreme  south  point  of  the  Ards  peninsula,  and 
Killard  Point,  at  both  sides  of  the  entrance  of 
Strangford  Lough:  St.  John's  Point,  a  bold, 
rocky  promontory  marking  the  east  of  Dundrum 
Bay  :  Eiugsallin  Point,  in  Dundrum  Baj' :  Cranfield 
Point,  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  county. 

ISLANDS. — ^There  is  quite  a  little  archipelago 
of  islets  in  Strangford  Lough,  the  chief  of  which 
are:  Mahee  Island,  the  ancient  Nendrum,  on 
which  Bishop  Mahee,  a  contemporary  of  St. 
Patrick,  established  a  monastery  and  school,  and 
which  still  retains  some  ruins  of  the  old  build- 
ings, including  the  remains  of  a  round  tower : 
Beagh  Island,  north  of  Mahee :  Castle  Island, 
south  of  it ;  and  Chapel  Island,  near  Grey  Abbey, 
at  the  other  side  of  the  Lough.  The  little  group 
of  the  Copelaud  Islands  lies  outside  Donaghadee, 
of  which  two  are  inhabited,  and  one  contains  a 
lighthouse :  Gun  Island  is  a  little  to  the  north  of 
Ardglass :  Green  Island  lies  at  the  entrance  of 
Carlingford  Lough. 

BAYS  AND  HABBORS.— Belfast  Lough 
separates  Down  from  Antrim.  The  two  little 
bays  of  Bangor  and  Ballyholme  lie  near  each 
other  on  the  north  coast :  Donaghadee  harbor  is 
partly  artificial,  but  is  not  much  used :  Cloghy 
Bay  and  Millin  Bay  lie  on  the  ocean  side  of 
Island  Magee.  Strangford  Lough  or  Lough 
Cone  is  shallow  and  incumbered  with  sandbanks: 
Ardglass  Harbor  and  Killough  Bay  are  two  im- 
portant harbors  of  refuge.  Dundrum  Bay  is 
open  and  exposed,  but  it  has  an  inner  sheltered 
bay  running  up  to  Dundrum.  Carlingford  Lough 
separates  Down  from  Louth. 


DOWN. 


RIVERS. — Except  the  Baim  and  the  Latiau, 
which  draiu  the  west  of  the  couut.v,  all  the  rivers 
of  Down  are  small.  The  Baun,  rising  in  the 
Mourne  Mountains,  tlows  through  Down  till  it 
enters  the  county  Armagh,  2  miles  below  Gilford. 
The  Lagan  rises  in  Slieve  Croob,  runs  through 
Down  to  near  Moira,  and  forms  the  boundary 
between  Down  and  Antrim  for  the  rest  of  its 
course.  The  Ravernet,  a  considerable  affluent 
from  the  south  coast,  joins  the  Lagan  a  mile 
above  Lisburn.  The  Blackwater  runs  into  the 
west  side  of  Strangford  Lough  at  Ardmillan.  The 
Ballynahinch  River,  flowing  east  through  Balb'- 
uahiuch,  and  the  Carson's  Dam  River,  Howing 
south  through  Crossgar,.  join  at  Kilmore,  and  the 
united  stream  is  called  the  Annacloy  River,  and 
lower  down  the  Quoile  River,  falling  into  the 
southwest  angle  of  Strangford  Lough,  near 
Downpatrick.  The  Ballybannon  River  flows  from 
Slieve  Croob  into  Dundrum  Bay  at  Murlough 
House,  near  Dundrum;  theBurren  River  and  the 
Shimna  River  run  into  Dundrum  Bay  at  New- 
castle. In  the  south  of  the  county,  theAnnalong 
River  flowing  into  the  sea  at  Annalong,  the  Kil- 
keel  River  at  Kilkeel,  the  White  "Water  falling 
into  Carlingford  Lough  near  Greencastle,  and  the 
Kilbroney  River  at  Rosstrevor,  all  flow  down  the 
slopes  of  the  Mourne  Mountains.  The  Newry 
River  or  Glenree  River,  rising  near  Ruthfriland, 
and  passing  by  Newry,  flows  into  Strangford 
Lough  at  "Warren  Point :  from  Newry  down  to  its 
mouth  it  is  called  the  Narrow  "Water. 

LAKES. — Down  touches  Lough  Neagh  by  a 
long  neck  west  of  Moira.  All  the  other  lakes  of 
the  county  are  small  and  unimportant.  The  little 
Loughbrickland  Lake,  in  the  west,  gives  name  to 
the  town  of  Loughbrickland.  Halfway  between 
Ballynahinch  and  Dromore  is  Lough  Aghery,  and 
near  it  on  the  northeast  is  Lough  Erne :  nearer 
to  Saintfield  are  Long  Lough  and  Creevy  Lough. 
Louiih  Money  and  Loughinisland  Lake  lie  near 
Downpatrick.  Beside  Castlewellan  is  Castle- 
wellan  Lake,  and  .3  miles  southwest  from  the  vil- 
lage is  Lough  Island  Reavy. 

TOWNS.— Newry  (14,808,  of  which  5,657  are 
in  that  part  of  the  town  belonging  to  Armagh),  a 
town  of  considej'able  trade  and  manufacture. 
Proceeding  round  the  coast  from  Newry :  "Warren 
Point  (1,887)  stands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Narrow 
"Water:  and  3  miles  east  of  this  is  Rosstrevor 


(70()),  one  of  the  most  beautiful  spots  in  Ireland. 
Kilkeel  (1,452)  is  near  the  extreme  south  end  of 
the  county:  Newcastle  (840),  at  the  base  of  Slieve 
Donard,  is  much  frequented  as  a  watering  i)lace; 
and  a  little  further  north,  on  the  inner  Dundrum 
Bay,  is  the  village  of  Dundrum,  with  the  fine  old 
ruin  of  John  De  Courcey's  castle  near  it.  Kil- 
lough  (748)  and  Ardglass  (091)  stand  near  each 
other,  the  latter  having  a  fine  old  castle  ruin. 

Entering  Strangford  Lough,  we  pass  in  the 
strait,  first  on  the  left  hand,  the  pretty  village  of 
Strangford  (434),  and  a  little  further  in,  at  the 
opposite  side,  the  prosperous  town  of  Portaferry 
(1,047).  On  the  western  shore  of  the  Lough  is 
Killyleagh  (1,835),  and  the  well-to-do  town  of 
Comber  (2,105)  at  the  head  of  a  little  creek:  and 
at  the  head  of  the  lough,  half  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  is  Newtownards  (8,676),  a  business-like 
and  prosperous  town  (muslin  weaving).  Return- 
ing southward  along  the  eastern  shore  of  the 
lough,  we  pass  first  Grey  Abbey  (679),  with  its 
fine  abbey  ruins;  and  3  miles  further  south,  Kir- 
cubbin  (609). 

Near  Grey  Abbey,  on  the  ocean  side  of  Island 
Magee,  is  Balb'walter  (595).  Donaghadee 
(1,861),  on  the  northeast  corner,  is  the  packet 
station,  and  the  nearest  port  to  Scotland ;  5  miles 
west  of  this  is  Bangor  (3,006),  which  was  in 
former  days  one  of  the  most  celebrated  religious 
establishments  in  Ireland.  Lastly,  on  the  shore 
of  Belfast  Lough,  is  the  important  little  town  of 
Holywood  (3,293). 

The  following  are  inland:  Downpatrick 
(3,419),  the  assize  town,  the  burial  place  of  St. 
Patrick.  Banbridge  (5,609),  on  the  Upper  Bann, 
a  good  business  town  (linen  weaving) ;  and  4 
miles  lower  down  on  the  same  river,  Gilford 
(1,324),  with  flax  and  linen  industries  like  Ban- 
bridge.  On  the  Lagan  are  Dromore  (2,491),  and 
lower  down  Moira  (461).  Rathfriland  (1,572) 
lies  to  the  northeast  of  Newry :  Ballynahinch 
(1,470)  is  in  the  center  of  the  county:  and  3 
miles  northeast  of  it  is  the  neat  town  of  Saintfield 
(769).  Hillsborough  (797)  is  4  miles  south  of 
Lisburn :  and  Castlewellan  (892)  lies  4  miles 
west  of  Dundrum.  That  part  of  Belfast  named 
Ballymacarret  belongs  to  Down,  and  contains  a 
population  of  23,917:  and  a  portion  of  Lisburn, 
containing  a  population  of  2,446,  also  belongs  to 
this  county. 


DOWN. 


ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— This  county  formed  a  part  of  the  an- 
cient territory  of  Dalaradia.  Upper  or  South 
Claunaboy  occupied  the  district  now  included  in 
the  two  baronies  of  Upper  and  Lower  Castlereagh. 


The  old  name  of  the  Mourne  Mountains  was 
Beanna-Boirche  (pron.  Banna-Borka).  The 
Dane's  Cast  in  the  west,  a  little  to  the  south  of 
Gilford,  is  a  part  of  the  ancient  rampart  dividing 
the  two  kingdoms  of  Oriel  and  Ulidia. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


DOWNPATEICK  CATHEDRAL.— This  cathe- 
dral is  built  on  the  site  of  a  cathedral,  one  of  the 
most  ancient  edifices  in  Ireland,  which  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  Danes,  and  in  which,  it  is  said, 
the  remains  of  St.  Patrick,  St.  Bridget  and  St. 
Columbkill  were  buried.  It  was  erected  by  Ma- 
lachy  O'Morgair,  Bishop  of  Down,  in  1140,  and 
was  burned  during  the  war  of  Edward  Bruce, 
was  restored  in  1412,  again  burned  by  Lord 
Deputy  De  Grey  in  1538.  In  1790  the  present 
structure  was  erected  on  its  ruins.  A  handsome 
east  window  divided  by  mullions  into  twelve 
compartments,  in  the  choir,  appears  to  be  the 
only  window  remaining  of  the  splendid  edifice 
erected  in  1412,  and  destroyed  by  De  Grey.  The 
present  structure  comprises  a  nave,  choir  and 
aisles,  with  a  lofty  square  tower  at  the  left  end, 
embattled  and  pinnacled,  giving  the  cathedral, 
which  stands  on  a  hill,  a  massive  and  imposing 
appearance.  The  interior  is  richly  ornamented. 
From  1538  to  1790  the  church  at  Lisburn  served 
as  a  cathedral. 

GREY  ABBEY.— This  once  famed  edifice,  the 
ruins  of  which  now  alone  remain,  was  built  in 
the  year  1193  by  Africa,  wife  of  the  Norman 
Knight,  John  De  Courcy,  and  daughter  of  God- 
fred,  king  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  for  a  community  of 
Cistercian  monks.  The  extent  and  character  of 
the  remains  give  evidence  of  its  former  splendor, 
the  stately  windows  of  Gothic  structure  show- 
ing a  beauty  of  design  and  richness  of  art,  though 


now  overgrown  with  ivy,  and  crumbling  in  de- 
cay. The  cells,  dormitories  and  other  buildings 
for  the  uses  of  the  former  inmates  are  wholly  in 
ruins,  only  enough  remaining  to  trace  the  com- 
pass of  ground  occupied  by  the  entire  structure. 
The  vicinity  of  the  ruins  is  highly  picturesque, 
and  is  much  frequented  by  visitors.  The  Abbey 
was  destroyed  during  the  great  rebellion  of  1641, 
and  was  partly  restored  by  the  first  Lord  Mont- 
gomery in  1685,  into  whose  hands  it  had  fallen. 

THE  QUAY,  BANGOR.— Bangor,  said  to  be 
derived  from  Bane-Choraidh,  the  White  Choir, 
was  famous  as  a  seat  of  learning,  and  a  "city  of 
the  saints"  in  olden  times.  St.  Comhgall 
founded  an  abbej'  there  in  552,  the  fragments  of 
which  still  exist,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
great  school  to  which  students  from  all  parts  of 
Europe  resorted,  and  whose  fame  became  world 
wide.  Its  seminary,  directed  by  St.  Carthagus, 
is  declared  to  be  the  germ  from  which  Oxford 
arose.  King  Alfred  having  obtained  his  professors 
from  Bangor  when  he  founded  or  restored  that 
university.  In  818,  the  ruthless  Northmen  de- 
scended on  the  establishment  and  slew  more  than 
900  of  the  3,000  monks  that  resided  there. 
Bangor  was  within  the  dominion  of  the  O'Neills, 
and  the  remains  of  a  castle,  still  in  good  con- 
dition, stands  on  the  Quay.  Bangor  is  to-day  a 
favorite  watering  place,  and  contains  in  summer 
a  large  villa  population  from  the  neighboring 
city  of  Belfast. 


\ 


COUNTY  OF 

DUBLIN 


DUBLIN. 


NAME. — The  city,  which  gave  name  to  the 
county,  got  its  own  name  from  the  river.  The 
Liffey,  near  where  the  old  city  stood,  formed  a 
pool  which  was  called  Dubh-linn,  meaning  "black 
pool"  (dubh,  black;  linn,  a  pool);  and  the  name 
is  applicable  to  the  river  at  this  day.  The  more 
ancient  name  was  Ath-cliath  (pronounced  Ah- 
clee),  the  ford  of  hurdles,  from  the  old  hurdle 
bridge  by  which  the  Liffey  was  origiuall.y  crossed 
(ath,  a  ford;  cliath,  a  hurdle). 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
the  summit  of  Kippure  Mountain,  south  of  Dub- 
lin city,  to  the  river  Delvin,  near  Balbriggan,  32 
miles;  breadth,  from  Howth  Head  to  Clonee, 
near  Lucan,  16|  miles ;  area,  354|  square  miles. 
Population,  418,910. 

SUEFACE.— On  the  south  this  county  is 
skirted  by  mountains ;  the  rest  of  the  couutj'  is 
level,  or  interspersed  with  low  elevations,  all  in 
grass  or  in  cultivation. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— Kippure  (2,473)' 
stands  12  miles  nearlj^  due  south  of  the  city,  and 
belongs  partly  to  Wicklow,  the  boundary  line 
passing  over  its  summit.  Two  miles  northwest 
from  this  is  Seefingan  (2,364),  also  on  the 
boundary.  These  two  mountains  tower  over  the 
head  of  Glennasmole,  on  the  west  side  of  which, 
4  miles  further  north,  is  Knockannavea  (1,289), 
and  2  miles  west  of  this  are  Saggart  Hill  (1,308) 
and  Knockandinny  (1,025),  over  the  village  of 
Saggart.  Six  or  seven  miles  south  of  Dublin  are 
a  number  of  hills,  forming  a  beautiful  screen, 
visible  from  almost  every  part  of  the  city,  the 
chief  of  which  are  Killakee  Mountain  (1,761), 
Glendoo  Mountain  (1,929),  and  Prince  William's 
Seat  (1,825),  all  three  on  the  boundar.y  line  with 
"Wicklow;  Tibradden  (1,540)  and  Kilmashogue 
Mountain  (1,339)  project  forward  toward  Dub- 
lin. The  Two  Rock  Mountain  (1,699)  and  the 
Three  Eock  Mountain  (1,479)  slope  down  to- 
ward the  cast  directly  to  Kingstown.  The  beau- 
tiful hills  of  Dalkey  and  Killiney  (474)  rising 
directly  over  the  sea,  form  the  terminating  spur 
of  the  range. 

From  the  summits  of  all  these  hills  there  is  a 


magnificent  view  of  the  great  plain  of  Dublin, 
Avitli  the  Mourne  Mountains  in  the  distance  to  the 
north.  They  are  pierced  by  several  ravines,  of 
which  the  most  striking  are  the  Slade  of  Saggart, 
through  which  is  carried  the  road  from  Dublin 
to  Blessiugtou ;  the  Gap  of  Balliuuscorney,  lead- 
ing west  from  Glenasmole;  Glendoo  or  Glen- 
cullen,  between  Tibradden  Mountain  and  Glendoo 
Mountain;  and  the  Scalp,  an  extraordinary  gorge 
cut  right  through  the  hill  on  the  road  from  Dub- 
lin to  Enniskei'ry. 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  is  considerably 
broken  by  inlets.  The  greater  part  is  sandy,  but 
there  are  in  several  places  low  cliffs  of  limestone; 
and  at  Howth  and  Dalke.y  the  shore  is  precip- 
itous. In  some  i^arts  the  strand  is  very  beauti- 
ful, for  instance  at  Balbriggan;  and  the  "Velvet 
Strand"  between  Malahide  and  Howth  is  one  of 
the  finest  strands  in  Ireland. 

HEADLANDS.— The  two  rocky  peninsulas  of 
Eush  and  Portraiue  lie  at  the  opposite  sides  of 
the  inlet  of  Turvey.  The  promontory  of  Howth 
rises  to  the  height  of  560  feet,  and  presents  a  suc- 
cession of  splendid  sea  cliffs  nearly  the  Avhole 
way  round;  and  at  Dalkey  and  Killiney  is 
another  series  of  fine  cliffs  terminating  in  Sor- 
rento Point,  opposite  Dalkey  Island.  Howth, 
Dalkey  and  Killiney  are  noted  for  their  fine  views 
both  seaward  and  landward. 

ISLANDS. — The  Skerries  group,  off  the  town 
of  Skerries,  consists  of  St.  Patrick's  Island,  on 
which  is  a  very  ancient  church  dedicated  to  St. 
Patrick;  Shenick's  Island;  and  Colt's  Island. 
About  4  miles  from  the  coast  at  Skerries  is  the 
Eockabill  rock,  on  which  is  a  lighthouse.  Lam- 
bay  Island,  2|  miles  from  Eush,  is  418  feet  high, 
and  presents  rocky  cliffs  to  the  sea  nearly  the 
whole  way  round;  it  contains  596  acres,  much  of 
which  is  pasture  land.  The  rocky,  picturesque 
little  island  of  Ireland's  Eye  lies  a  mile  off 
Howth,  and  contains  the  ruins  of  the  church  of 
the  Three  Sons  of  Nessan,  belonging  to  the 
seventh  century.  The  little  island  of  Dalkey 
contains  a  Martello  tower,  and  also  a  very  ancient 
church  ruin. 


DUBLIN. 


BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— Beginning  on  the 
north,  the  little  harbor  of  Loughshinny  lies  a 
mile  north  of  Rush.  Iiuniediately  south  of  Rush, 
straight  opposite  Lambay  Island,  is  Rogerstown 
or  Turvey  Bay  ;  next  is  Malahide  Bay,  and  just 
north  of  Howth,  Baldoyle  Bay,  all  three  well 
sheltered,  but  so  shallow  and  sandy  as  to  be  of 
little  u.se.  HoAvth  Harbor  is  artificial,  and  was 
erected  at  great  expense ;  but  it  is  now  little  used 
except  as  a  rendezvous  for  fishing  vessels.  Dub- 
lin Bay,  celebrated  for  its  fine  scenery,  is  in- 
closed on  the  north  by  the  Hill  of  Howth,  and  on 
the  south  by  Dalkej'  Hill,  6  miles  asunder;  it  is 
6  miles  deep,  and  its  shores  are  thickly  studded 
with  beautiful  towns  and  villas.  There  is  an 
artificial  inner  harbor  formed  by  two  walls,  the 
South  "Wall  and  the  Bull  "NYall,  which  keep  out 
the  heavy  swell,  and  prevent  the  accumulation  of 
sand.  At  Kingstown  there  is  a  very  fine  arti- 
ficial harbor.  Near  this  is  the  little  harbor  of 
Bullock.  Killiuey  Bay  has  a  fine  curved  sandy 
beach  which  extends  south  to  Bray. 

RIVERS. — The  Liffey  enters  this  county  at 
Leixlip;  and  from  this  to  its  mouth  at  Ringsend 
is  about  12  miles.  The  Dodder  rises  on  the 
slopes  of  Kippure,  and  for  the  first  part  of  its 
course  flows  through  Glenuasmole,  a  very  fine 
valley  G  miles  long,  celebrated  in  ancient  legend, 
and  now  well  cultivated  and  inhabited :  after  a 
most  picturesque  course  the  Dodder  joins  the 
Liffej'  at  Ringsend.  The  Tolka,  which  rises  in 
Meath,  passing  by  Glasnevin,  flows  into  Dublin 
Ba3',  near  Clontarf.  The  Broad  Meadow  Water 
and  the  "Ward  River,  both  of  which  rise  in 
Meath,  flow  into  Malahide  Bay.  The  pretty 
little  river  Delvin  forms  for  nearly  its  whole 
course  the  northern  boundary,  separating  Dublin 
from  Meath.  On  the  south  the  Bray  River 
separates  the  counties  of  Dublin  and  "Wicklow. 

TOWNS. — Dublin,  the  capital  of  Ireland,  is 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Liffey.  What  is 
called  the  "City"  has  a  population  of  249,602; 
but  Dublin  has  far  outgrown  the  limits  of  the 
"City"  and  if  Rathmines,  Rathgar,  and  the  Pem- 
broke Township  be  included,  as  they  ought  to  be, 
the  population  is  about  300,000.  Kingstown 
18,586),  on  the  south  side  of  Dublin  Bay,  a 
flourishing  town,  formerly  called  Dunleary,  is  the 
mail  packet  station  between  Dublin  and  England, 
and  the  chief  station  for  the  steamers  plying  to 


Holyhead  and  Liverpool.  Near  Kingstown,  on 
the  Dublin  side,  is  Blackrock  (8,902),  and  on  ttie 
other  side  is  Dalkey  (3,234),  both  ver3'  beauti- 
fully situated.  Adjoining  Dalkey  is  Killiney,  in 
a  still  more  lovely  situation  on  the  slope  of  Kill- 
iney Hill. 

North  of  Dublin  along  the  coast  are  the  follow- 
ing: Clontarf  (4,210),  the  scene  of  the  battle  in 
which  the  Danes  were  defeated  by  Brian  Boru  in 
1014 :  Howth  (909),  on  the  north  side  of  Howth 
Hill,  with  its  fine  abbey  ruins;  near  which  is 
Baldoyle  (577),  on  the  shore  of  Baldoyle  Bay: 
Malahide  (670),  whose  castle,  a  verj'  fine  and 
most  interesting  baronial  residence,  is  still  in- 
habited by  its  lords.  A  little  inland  is  Swords 
(1,088),  once  an  important  ecclesiastical  center, 
and  still  retaining  the  ruins  of  a  church,  a  round 
tower,  and  the  remains  of  the  archiepiscopal 
palace.  The  long  straggling  street  of  Rush 
(1,071)  comes  next;  and  3  miles  inland  is  Lusk 
(357),  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  church  ruins 
and  round  tower.  Skerries  (2,227),  an  important 
fishing  station,  stands  in  a  beautiful  situation, 
its  main  sti'eet  running  parallel  to  the  shore:  and 
lastly,  Balbriggan  (2,443),  celebrated  for  its 
hosiery. 

On  the  Lilfe3%  above  Dublin,  is  Chapelizod 
(1,583),  most  picturesquely  situated;  and  higher 
upLucan  (691),  which  was  formerly  the  residence 
of  the  Sarsfield  family,  and  gave  the  title  of  earl 
to  the  celebrated  Patrick  Sarsfield,  the  defender 
of  Limerick.  Immediately  west  of  Dublin,  and 
near  the  Liffey,  is  Kilmainham  (5,391);  and  4 
miles  west  of  this  is  the  village  of  Clondalkin 
(379),  which  is  remarkable  only  for  its  perfect 
round  tower.  Near  Dublin,  in  the  south,  is  the 
little  town  of  Terenure  (1,143),  which  is  fast 
becoming  incorporated  with  Dublin;  and  a  mile 
further  on  is  the  faded  village  of  Rathfarnham 
(746).  Duudrum  (492),  3  miles  south  of  the 
city,  is  now  growing  to  be  a  favorite  suburban 
residence.  That  portion  of  Bray  lying  in  the 
county  Dublin  has  a  population  of  2,148. 

MINERALS.— At  Bally corus,  3  miles  from 
Bray,  there  is  a  lead  mine,  which  yields  also 
silver. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.—The  old  district  of  Cualann  belonged 
chiefly  to  Wicklow,  but  it  extended  north  to 
within  a  short  distance  of  Dublin.    The  level  dis- 


t 


DUBLIN. 


trict  lying  between  Dublin  and  Howth  was  an- 
ciently called  Moy-Ealta-Edar,  or  the  plain  of 
the  bird  flocks  of  Edar  (from  Edar  or  Howth). 
That  part  of  the  county  lyinir  north  of  Howth 
was  called  Fingall,  i.e.,  the  fine  or  tribe  of  the 
Galls  or  Danes;  and  to  this  day  it  retains  the 


name,  and  the  people  are  called  Fingallians. 
The  Hill  of  Howth  was  the  ancient  Ben- Edar, 
i.e.,  the  Ben  or  peak  of  Edar,  a  legendary  hero. 
Criffau,  king  of  Ireland  in  the  first  century,  had 
his  residence  on  Howth,  and  his  palace,  Dun- 
Criffau,  stood  near  where  the  lighthouse  now  is. 


BANK  OF  IRELAND.— This  magnificent 
.edifice,  on  the  north  side  of  College  Green,  was 
formerly  the  Irish  House  of  Parliament,  and  is 
reminiscent  of  some  of  the  noblest  associations  in 
Irish  historj'.  Within  its  walls  were  heard  some 
of  the  loftiest  bursts  of  eloquence  that  adora  the 
legislative  annals  of  any  country.  There  Grat- 
tan,  Curran,  Flood,  Plunket  and  other  oratorical 
giants  struggled  in  intellectual  combat,  and 
there  were  witnessed  some  of  the  most  inspiring 
acts  of  patriotism,  and  unhappily,  too,  some  of 
the  basest  acts  of  treachery  that  ever  befell  a 
people  struggling  for  freedom.  The  building  is 
of  rare  artistic  and  classic  beauty,  being  unsur- 
passed in  elegance,  grace  and  symmetry  by  any 
edifice  in  Europe.  Strange  to  say,  the  name  of 
the  genius  who  designed  this  marvelous  speci- 
men of  architecture  is  unknown.  It  is  built  of 
Portland  stone,  "and  derives  all  its  beauty  from 
a  single  impulse  of  fine  art,  and  is  one  of  the  few 
instances  of  form  only,  expressing  true  sym- 
metry." The  grand  Ionic  portico  in  front  is  147 
feet  in  extent. 

O'CONNELL  MONUMENT.— This  magnifi- 
cent monument  to  the  Irish  Liberator  stands  near 
the  northern  end  of  O'Connell  Street  (formerly 
Sackville  Street),  the  chief  thoroughfare  of  Ire- 
land's capital.  It  was  raised  by  national  sub- 
scription, and  cost  £12,000.  It  was  designed  by 
the  distinguished  Irish  sculptor,  Henry  Foley, 
who  did  not  live  to  seehia  great  work  completed, 
though  the  model  was  practically  finished  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  in 
August,  1861.  The  figui-e  of  the  great  tribune  is 
13  feet  high,  and  the  sculptor  had  completed  the 
head  shortly  before  his  death.  Around  the 
drum  on  which  the  statue  stands  are  four  winged 
victories,  while  50  figures,  14  of  statuesque  pro- 
portions, the  principal  being  Erin  trampling  on 


broken  fetters  and  pointing  with  uplifted  liand 
to  the  statue  above,  are  grouped  immediately 
above.  There  are  also  4  shields  representing  the 
4  provinces  of  Ireland. 

MORTUARY  CHAPEL  AND  O'CONNELL 'S 
TOWER,  GLASNEYIN,  —  Glasnevin  is  the 
Campo  Santo  of  Ireland,  where  repose  the  re- 
mains of  most  of  the  orators,  statesmen  and 
patriots  who  have  won  the  affections  of  the  Irish 
people  during  this  century.  The  cemeterj', 
which  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  Europe, 
was  established  through  the  instrumentality  of 
O'Connell,  as  a  burial  place  for  Catholics,  and 
has  been  enlarged  until  it  contains  59  acres. 
O'Connell 's  i-emains  were  removed  to  the  crypt 
where  they  now  repose  in  1869.  The  crypt  is 
tastefully  decorated  and  colored,  and  is  an  object 
of  great  interest.  On  the  walls  are  O'Connell 's 
dying  words:  "My  heart  to  Rome,  my  body  to 
Ireland,  my  soul  to  Heaven."  The  commemora- 
tive round  tower,  fit  monument  for  the  great 
patriot,  has  an  elevation  of  150  feet.  The  mor- 
tuary chapel  erected  close  to  the  tower  is  of 
Dalkey  granite,  and  carved  in  Romanesque  in 
the  style  of  Irish  architecture. 

GRATTAN'S  STATUE,  COLLEGE  GREEN. 
— In  the  storied  plaza  of  College  Green,  Dublin, 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  features  is  the  noble 
statue  of  Henry  Grattan,  by  Foley,  erected  by 
the  citj"-  corporation  in  1876.  The  great  orator 
and  patriot  is  represented  as  he  appeared  when 
moving  the  Declaration  of  Irish  Rights,  which  he 
supported  in  one  of  his  most  celebrated  orations. 
The  statue  is  appropriately  set  on  the  old  parade 
ground  of  the  volunteers,  and  facing  the  statues 
of  Goldsmith  and  Burke,  the  three  greatest  mas- 
ters within  their  respective  spheres  of  the  Eng- 
lish language — Grattan  for  concentration.  Gold- 
smith for  grace,  and  Burke  for  magnificence. 


I 


DUBLIN. 


To  the  left  is  the  old  Irish  Parliament  House,  j 
the  scene  of  so  many  of  Grattan's  triumphs.  The  | 
spot  -where  the  statue  stands  was  chosen  as  a  site  , 
for  the  Prince  Albert  Memorial,  but  through  the  I 
efforts  of  the  late  A.  M.  Sullivan,  author  of  the  | 
"Story  of  Ireland,"  it  was  reserved  for  Grat- 
tan's statue,  while  the  other  was  changed  to  the 
lawn  of  the  Eoyal  Dublin  Society. 

THE  ROTUNDA.— The  Rotunda,  one  of  the 
most  noted  structures  in  Dublin,  used  chiefly 
for  meetings,  balls  and  exhibitions,  stands  at  the 
corner  of  Rutland  Sciuare,  at  the  end  of  Upper 
O'Connell  Street,  and  contains  a  splendid  series 
of  rooms,  admirably  adapted  for  the  purposes 
intended.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned  a 
ballroom,  86  feet;  and  card  room,  6G  feet;  tea 
room,  54  feet;  hall,  40  feet;  grand  supper  room, 
8()  feet;  minor  supper  room,  54  feet;  waiting 
room,  SG  feet ;  4  dressing  rooms,  each  20  feet ;  a 
servants'  hall  40  feet;  vestibule,  20  feet;  all  of 
proportionate  breadth,  beside  many  other  ap- 
partments  and  offices.  Manj'  memorable  meet- 
ings have  been  held  within  the  precincts  of  the 
Rotunda,  among  them  the  conference  that  sat 
from  November  18  to  21,  1873,  when  the 
Home  Rule  League  which  afterward  developed 
into  the  Land  League  and  National  League  was 
formed. 

MALAHIDE  CASTLE.— This  castle  is  one  of 
the  oldest  and  best  preserved  of  any  of  the  early 
Anglo-Norman  castles  in  Ireland.  Malahide  was 
granted  to  Richard  Talbot  by  Henry  II.,  and 
it  has  been  in  the  possession  of  this  family  until 
the  present  day,  save  during  a  short  period, 
when  it  was  occupied  by  one  Myles  Corbet,  a 
regicide,  who  was  forced  to  abandon  it,  after 
the  Restoration  of  Charles  II.  The  castle  has 
been  re-edified  on  many  occasions,  but  always  in 
keeping  with  its  ancient  character,  and  making 
it  to  the  present  day  representative  of  the  olden 
time.  It  is  an  extensive  square  structure, 
flanked  by  circular  towers,  and  stands  on  an 
eminence  to  the  left  of  the  little  village.  The 


interior  possesses  many  features  of  interest, 
among  them  a  splendid  hall,  said  to  be  the  pur- 
est specimen  of  Norman  architecture  in  the  coun- 
try. A  collection  of  rare  paintings  and  portraits 
by  the  old  Dutch  and  Italian  masters  adorn  the 
venerable  mansion. 

YICE-REGAL  LODGE,  PHCENIX  PARK.— 
This  large  but  rather  plain  and  unpretentious 
edifice  is  the  summer  residence  of  the  Lord- 
Lieutenant  of  Ireland.  It  was  purchased  from 
the  Earl  of  Leitrim  in  1784,  and  stands  near  the 
l)rincipal  road  through  the  park.  The  park  con- 
tains 1,752  acres,  l(jU  of  which  form  the  demesne 
of  the  Vice-Regal  Lodge.  The  drive  from  the 
Dublin  Gate  to  Castlenock  Gate  is  considerably 
more  than  2  miles.  It  is  a  magnificent  and  de- 
lightful recreation  ground,  and  admirably  well 
kept,  and  is  considered  by  many  to  be  unequaled 
in  beauty  by  any  iuclosure  or  pleasure  ground 
in  the  British  Islands.  Near  to  the  Vice  Regal 
Lodge  is  the  residence  of  the  Chief  Secretary  for 
Ireland,  also  surrounded  by  a  demesne;  while 
throughout  the  park  are  also  residences  and 
buildings  for  the  use  of  the  Rangers,  the  Royal 
Hibernian  Military  School,  the  headquarters  of 
the  Royal  Irish  Constabulary,  and  other  public 
buildings  for  the  use  of  the  government  officials. 

ST.  STEPHEN'S  GREEN.— This  inclosure, 
the  largest  city  square  in  Europe,  occupying  a 
square,  mile,  was  transformed  into  a  park  a  few 
years  ago,  through  the  munificence  of  Lord 
Ardilaun.  It  was  formerly  the  Tyburn  of  Dub- 
lin, and  many  malefactors  were  executed  there. 
The  building  of  the  Catholic  University,  the 
Royal  College  of  Surgeons,  the  College  of  Science, 
and  the  Wesleyan  College  form  portions  of  the 
lines  of  fine  houses  on  each  side  of  the  green. 
Merrion  Square,  where  stands  the  house  in 
which  O'Connell  resided  for  many  years,  during 
the  zenith  of  his  power,  Leinster  Square,  Fitz- 
William  and  Mountjoy  Squares,  surrounded  by 
the  residences  of  the  aristocracy,  are  also  embel- 
lishments of  which  any  city  might  be  proud. 


O'CONNELL  STATUE  DUBUN. 


CHAPEL  AND  O'CONNELL  TOWER,  GLASNEVIN,  DUBLIN. 


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FERMANAGH. 


NAME. — The  county  took  its  name  from  the 
tribe  called  Fir-Monach,  or  the  men  of  Monach, 
and  these  were  named  from  their  ancestor  Mon- 
ach, fifth  in  descent  from  Cahirmore,  king  of 
Ireland  from  a.d.  120  to  123.  Monach  settled 
on  the  shore  of  Lough  Erne  about  the  end  of  the 
3d  century,  and  his  posterity  ultimately  spread 
themselves  over  the  whole  county. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length 
from  the  boundarj-,  near  Eosslea,  in  the  south- 
east, to  the  northwest  point  3|  miles  west  of  Bel- 
leek,  45  miles ;  average  breadth  about  21  miles ; 
area,  714  square  miles;  population,  84,879. 

SURFACE. — Fermanagh  may  be  described  as 
a  trough,  in  the  bottom  of  which  lies  the  great 
chain  of  lakes  formed  by  the  two  Loughs  Erne. 
A  belt  one  or  two  miles  wide  along  the  lakes  at 
both  sides  is  level ;  but  beyond  this,  on  either 
side,  northeast  and  southwest,  the  country  is 
nearly  all  mountainous  or  hilly,  the  two  ranges 
of  upland  forming  the  sides  of  the  trough. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  two  high- 
est summits  stand  on  the  middle  of  the  southwest 
boundary,  and  belong  partly  to  Cavan,  namely 
Cuilcagh  (2,188)  and  Tiltinbane  (1,949),  which 
have  been  noticed  in  Cavan.  North  and  north- 
west from  these  the  chief  summits  are  Belmore 
Mountain  (1,312),  6  miles  west  of  Enni.skillen, 
well  known  for  its  splendid  cliffs  and  its  ancient 
sepulchral  monuments:  near  this  to  the  west  is 
Ora  More  (854).  Two  miles  southwest  from 
Derrj'gonnelly  is  Knockmore  Cliff  (919),  a  con- 
spicuous and  precipitous  rock  noted  for  its  caves, 
containing  ancient  inscriptions;  and  near  this  on 
the  west  is  Trustia  (989).  Northwest  of  Derry- 
gonnelly  is  the  conspicuous  hill  of  Shean  North 
(1,135),  rising  in  broken  acclivities  directly  over 
Lough  Erne ;  and  near  this  again  to  the  west, 
Drumbad  (1,009).  In  the  barony  of  Knock- 
ninny,  in  the  south  of  the  county,  is  Slieve 
Eushen  (1,269),  near  the  boundary  of  Cavan; 
and  the  verdant  Knockninny  (628),  remarkable 
for  its  beauty,  and  for  the  fine  view  from  its 
summit. 

The  chief  summits  at  the  other  side  of  the 


lakes,  beginning  at  the  southeast  are :  Slieve 
Beagh,  on  the  point  of  junction  of  the  three 
counties,  Fermanagh,  Tyrone,  and  Monaghan, 
celebrated  in  legendary  history  :  it  includes  sev- 
eral summits,  one  of  which,  Dooharn  (1,255),  is 
wholly  in  Fermanagh.  Carnmore  (1,034)  lies 
east  of  Lisnaskea;  Brocker  (1,046)  is  on  the 
boundary  with  Tyrone,  north  of  Tempo ;  and  still 
nearer  to  Tempo,  at  its  southwest  side,  is  Topped 
(909).  Tappaghan  (1,112),  in  the  north,  near 
the  village  of  Lack,  belongs  more  to  Tyrone  than 
to  Fermanagh. 

EIVEES. — The  great  drainage  artery  of  the 
county  is  the  river  Erne,  which  belongs  for  the 
greater  part  of  its  course  to  Fermanagh.  In  its 
passage  by  Belleek,  after  issuing  from  Lower 
Lough  Erne,  it  falls  over  a  ledge  of  rocks,  form- 
ing a  very  fine  cascade.  Into  the  Erne  or  into 
its  expansions,  flow  a  number  of  rivers  down  the 
sides  of  the  trough  from  the  northeast  and  south- 
west. In  the  south  the  Woodford  River,  coming 
from  Cavan,  forms  part  of  the  boundary  between 
Fermanagh  and  Cavan,  and  flows  into  the  head 
of  Upper  Lough  Erne.  Northwest  of  this  the 
Clodagh  or  Swanlinbar  Eiver  belonging  partly 
to  Cavan,  flows  into  Upper  Lough  Erne.  The 
Arney  rises  in  Leitrim,  but  that  part  of  its  course 
from  Lough  Macnean  to  the  river  Erne  lies  in 
Fermanagh.  The  Sillees  drains  several  small 
lakes,  and  flowing  southeast  by  Derrygonnelly, 
joins  the  Erne  a  mile  above  Enniskillen.  The 
Eoogagh,  a  small,  rapid  river,  flows  west  into 
Lough  Melvin  at  the  village  of  Garrison. 

On  the  northeast  side  of  the  county  the  Cole- 
brooke  Eiver  (called  in  its  upper  course  the  Many 
Burns)  flows  by  Maguire's  Bridge  into  Upper 
Lough  Erne;  and  the  Tempo  Eiver  runs  by 
Tempo  and  joins  the  Colebrooke  a  mile  below 
Maguire's  Bridge.  The  Bellanamallard  Eiver 
flows  by  Bellanamallard  into  Lower  Lough  Erne. 
Further  to  the  northwest  the  Kesh  Eiver  (called 
in  the  early  part  of  its  course  the  Glen  Derragh) 
flows  by  Ederney  and  Kesh,  and  near  it  on  the 
west  the  Bannagh,  both  running  into  Lower 
Lough  Erne.    The   Termon  Eiver,  flowing  by 


FERMANAGH. 


Pettigo  iuto  the  same  lake,  forms  part  of  the 
bouudary  between  Fermauagli  and  Donegal. 

LAKES. — Upper  and  Lower  Lough  Erne  be- 
long almost  exclusively  to  Fermanagh  and  stretch 
through  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  county, 
dividing  it  into  two  almost  equal  longitudinal 
sections.  The  two  lakes  are  connected  by  the 
river  Erne,  and  from  the  point  where  the  river 
issues  from  the  Upper  Lake  to  its  junction  with 
the  Lower  Lake,  the  distance  is  10  miles  follow- 
ing the  windings,  or  8  miles  direct. 

The  Upper  Lake  is  very  complicated,  and 
greatly  broken  up  hy  islands  and  peninsulas, 
like  Lough  Oughter  in  Cavan;  it  is  10  miles 
long,  with  an  average  width  of  about  2  miles; 
greatest  width  at  the  northwest  end,  3|  miles. 
The  Lower  Lake,  measuring  along  its  curved 
southwest  shore,  is  18|  miles  long,  or  measuring 
direct  from  near  Euuiskillen  to  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Termon,  near  Boa  Island,  IG  miles;  great- 
est width,  5|  miles. 

These  lakes,  though  possessing  no  grand  moun- 
tain features,  can  vie  with  most  other  Irish  or 
British  lakes  in  the  quiet  and  gentle  beauty  of 
their  scenerj-. 

On  the  southwest  border  is  Lower  Lough  Mac- 
nean  or  Lough  Nilly,  belonging  to  Fermanagh, 
except  a  very  small  portion  which  runs  into 
Cavan.  Near  it  is  the  larger  sheet  of  Upper 
Lough  Macnean,  4|  miles  long,  about  half  of 
which  is  in  this  countj'.  At  the  extreme  west 
end  is  Lough  Melvin,  a  small  part  of  which  be- 
longs to  Fermanagh.  In  Drumgay  Lake,  2  miles 
north  of  Euuiskillen,  are  some  remarkable 
"crannoges, "  or  ancient  artificial  island  habita- 
tions. Numerous  small  lakes  lie  scattered 
through  other  parts  of  the  county,  especially 
round  Upper  Lough  Erne. 

ISLANDS. — The  islands  in  the  two  lakes  Erne 
are  very  numerous :  in  popular  estimate  there 
are  365,  but  this  is  an  exaggeration.  In  the 
Upper  Lake  the  chief  islands  are  Trannish,  Inish- 
corkish  and  Naan,  all  about  the  middle,  and 
Bolleisle,  at  the  north  extremity.  In  the  Lower 
Lake,  Boa  Island,  at  the  northwest  end,  is  4| 
miles  long.  Near  it  to  the  southeast  are  Lusty- 
more,  Lustybeg,  Cruninisb,  and  Hare  Island. 
Near  the  eastern  shore  are  Crevinishaughy  and 
Inishmakill,  and  close  by  the  southwest  shore  is 
Inishmacsaint,  containing    an   ancient  church 


ruin,  and  giving  name  to  the  adjacent  parish. 
The  most  celebrated  of  all  is  Devenish,  2  miles 
below  Enniskillen,  where  a  monastery  was  founded 
in  the  Gth  century  by  St.  Molaise  (pron.  Mo- 
lash'a),  which  for  ages  continued  to  be  one  of 
Ireland's  chief  seats  of  religion  and  literature. 
The  island  still  contains  a  most  interesting  series 
of  church  ruins,  and  a  perfect  round  tower,  one 
of  the  finest  in  Ireland. 

TOWNS.— Enniskillen  (5,712),  the  assize  town, 
is  built  on  an  island  formed  by  two  branches 
of  the  river  Erne,  with  suburbs  on  the  main- 
land at  both  sides,  situated  in  the  midst  of  a 
beautiful  and  well-cultivated  country.  Begin- 
ning at  the  southeast  extremity  of  the  county, 
and  proceeding  with  the  left  hand  to  Lough  Erne, 
we  come  first  to  Newtown  Butler  (421),  on  the 
summit  of  a  hill,  northeast  of  which,  in  the  ex- 
treme east  of  the  county,  is  the  village  of  Eosslea 
(328).  Lisnaskea  (793),  near  Upper  Lough  Erne, 
was  anciently  the  inauguration  place  of  the 
Maguires,  chiefs  of  Fermanagh :  and  near  it,  in 
the  north,  is  Maguire's  Bridge  (513),  on  the 
Colebrooke  River.  The  village  of  Tempo  (417), 
is  on  the  Tempo  River.  Irvinestown  or  Low- 
therstown  (795),  stands  near  the  border  of 
Tyrone.  Kesh  (268)  and  Ederny  (317)  are  on 
the  Kesh  River.  In  the  southwestern  half  of  the 
county  are  Derrygonnelly  (277),  2  miles  from 
the  shore  of  Lower  Lough  Erne ;  and  in  the  ex- 
treme northwest  end,  on  the  river  Erne,  beside  a 
beautiful  cascade,  is  Belleek  (280),  a  small  vil- 
lage, now  coming  into  prominence  on  account  of 
its  mauufactui-e  of  the  well-known  "Belleek 
Pottery." 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Fermanagh  belonged  in  former  daj-s 
to  the  Maguires,  so  that  it  was  for  many  ages  com- 
monly known  as  "Maguire's  Country." 

Enniskillen  was  anciently  called  Inis-Cethlenn, 
the  island  of  Kethlenda,  wife  of  "Balor  of  the 
mighty  blows,"  a  mythical  hero,  chief  of  the 
ancient  sea  robbers  called  "Fomorians. "  (See 
Sligo.) 

Belleisle,  in  Upper  Lough  Erne,  formerly  be- 
longed to  the  family  of  Mac  Manus,  and  from 
them  it  received  its  old  name,  Ballymacmanus  or 
Senat  Macmanus.  It  is  memorable  as  having 
been  the  residence  of  the  great  Irish  scholar, 
Cahal  Maguire,   dean    of   Cloger  in   the  15th 


FEKMANAGH. 


century,  who  compiled  the  "Annals  of  Ulster," 
a  most  valuable  historical  work  which  still  re- 
mains to  us. 

The  district  lying  between  Lough  Melvin  and 


Lough  Erne  was  the  ancient  Tooraw ;  and  the 
baronies  of  Clankelly  and  Clanawley  retain  the 
names  of  old  tribes  and  of  the  districts  they 
inhabited. 


TULLY  CASTLE.— This  ancient  edifice  is 
situated  on  the  southern  shore  of  Lough  Erne, 
in  the  midst  of  beautiful  surroundings.  It 
stands  on  a  promontory  that  juts  into  the  lake, 
and  dates  from  the  Elizabethan  period.  It  was 
the  fortified  mansion  of  a  Scotch  family  named 
Hume,  and  is  of  the  usual  class  erected  by  the 
first  Scotch  settlers,  who  disinherited  the  native 
owners  of  the  soil — a  keep  or  castle  turreted  at 
the  angles,  and  surrounded  by  an  outer  wall. 
Originally,  it  was  50  feet  long,  and  21  feet 
broad,  the  wall  being  100  feet  square,  14  feet 
high,  with  four  flankers  for  defense.  In  1641  it 
was  captured  and  wrecked  by  Rory,  brother  of 
Lord  Maguire,  and  60  of  its  inmates  killed.  It 
was  never  afterward  rebuilt.  The  ruins  of 
another  castle — Monea — of  the  same  period  are 
a  few  miles  to  the  southeast. 

DEVENISH  ISLAND.— This  island,  a  gem  in 
the  bosom  of  Lough  Erne,  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  spots  in  Ireland  to  the  tourist  and 
antiquary.  It  contains  several  ancient  remains, 
among  them  the  monastic  house  of  St.  Molaisse, 
who  died  in  563,  and  a  round  tower,  both  here- 
with shown.  The  establishment  was  several 
times  plundered  by  the  Danes,  but  was  rebuilt 
about  1130.  It  was  a  small,  quadrangular  struc- 
ture, and  in  latter  times  was  converted  into  a 
church.    Up  to  the  beginning  of  this  century  it 


stood  in  its  original  form,  but  little  now  remains 
of  this  relic  of  thirteen  centuries  ago.  The 
round  tower  is  considered  one  of  the  most 
perfect  in  Ireland,  and  is  in  an  excellent  state 
of  preservation.  "With  the  cone,  it  is  74  feet 
high,  and  is  48  feet  in  circumference.  The  sculp- 
tures on  it  are  curious  and  ai'tistically  exe- 
cuted. The  various  ruins  in  the  vicinity  tend  to 
give  the  spot  a  color  of  venerableness  and 
sanctity. 

HIGH  STREET,  ENNISKILLEN.— Enniskil- 
len,  the  county  town  of  Fermanagh,  is  situated 
on  an  island  of  62  acres  in  the  river  connect- 
ing the  upper  and  lower  Loughs  Erne.  It 
consists  principally  of  one  long  street,  with  a  tall 
church  spire  as  the  chief  figure.  The  town  is 
noted  for  the  part  taken  by  its  inhabitants  in  the 
Revolution  of  1688-90.  Originally  it  was  the 
stronghold  of  the  Maguires,  who  retained  posses- 
sion of  it  down  to  1612,  when  James  I.  "granted" 
it  to  one  Cole,  whose  descendants  possess  the 
major  portion  of  it  still.  The  town  is  connected 
with  the  mainland  by  bridges,  and  is  attractive 
and  striking  in  its  appearance  and  surroundings. 
It  has  always  been  regarded  as  an  important 
military  position,  commanding  the  route  from 
Ulster  to  Connaught.  The  British  military  bar- 
racks at  present  occupy  the  site  of  one  of  the 
ancient  castles  of  its  former  possessors. 


TULLY  CASTLE.  LOUGH  liRNE. 


DEVENISH  ISLAND,  LOUGH  ERNE. 


GALWAY. 


NAME. — The  river  flowing  by  the  city  of  Gal- 
way  (now  the  Corrib  Eiver)  was  anciently  called 
Gailleamh  (pron.  Galliv) ;  this  gave  name  to  the 
city,  and  the  city  to  the  county.  Gailleamh 
probably  means  "rocky  river,"  from  gall,  a  rock. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length, 
from  the  bend  of  the  Shannon  near  Eyrecourt  in 
the  east,  to  Aughrus  Point  in  the  west,  94  miles; 
greatest  breadth  from  the  boundary  south  of 
Gort,  to  the  boundary  near  Ballymoe  in  the 
north,  53  miles;  area  2,452  square  miles. 
Population  242,005. 

SURFACE. —That  part  west  of  Lough  Corrib, 
about  one-third  of  the  whole  county,  is  nearly 
all  mountains,  lakes,  and  moorland.  The 
southern  border,  including  a  good  part  of  the 
baronies  of  Loughrea  and  Leitrim,  is  also  moun- 
tainous; and  west  of  this,  in  the  baronies  of 
Kiltartan  and  Dunkellin,  there  is  much  rugged 
rocky  surface,  a  continuation  to  the  north  of  the 
Burren  Hills  in  Clare.  All  the  east  of  the  county, 
namelj',  the  whole  of  that  part  east  of  Lough 
Corrib,  is  level,  occasionally  interrupted  with  loV 
hill-ridges ;  containing  a  deal  of  beautiful  fertile 
laud,  and  also  much  dreary  bog  and  morass. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Twelve 
Pins  in  the  barony  of  Ballyuahinch  form  the 
finest  mountain  range  in  Galway,  and  one  of  the 
finest  in  Ireland,  a  succession  of  conical  peaks 
overtopping  numerous  splendid  valleys  and  lovely 
lakes.  The  highest  summits  are  Benbaun 
(2,395),  and  Bencorr  (2,336).  East  of  the 
Twelve  Pius  is  the  Joyces'  Country,  a  region  of 
bare  limestone  mountains  and  deep  ravines.  The 
Partry  Mountains  run  for  some  distance  on  the 
boundary  between  Galway  and  Mayo,  east  of 
Killary  Harbor:  of  which  Maumtrasna  (2,207) 
and  Devil's  Mother  (2,131) — this  latter  towering 
over  the  bead  of  Killary  Harbor — belong  to  both 
counties.  In  the  south  the  Slieve  Aughty  range 
stretches  in  a  curve  from  northwest  to  southeast, 
for  about  13  miles;  chief  summits,  Cashlaun- 
drumlahan  (1,207)  and  Scalp  (1,074). 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  from  Killary  Har- 


bor, all  the  way  round  to  Cashla  Baj',  is  an  in- 
terminable complication  of  bays,  inlets,  creeks, 
islands,  peninsulas,  and  headlands;  from  Cashla 
Bay  to  Galway  is  a  stretch  of  shore  almost 
straight  and  unbroken ;  east  of  this,  several 
small  inlets  indent  the  land  from  the  head  of  Gal- 
way Bay.  But  though  the  Galway  coast  has  a 
great  deal  of  rock  margin,  it  presents  very  little 
lofty  or  bold  cliff  scenery. 

HEADLANDS. — Beginning  at  the  northwest : 
Rinvyle  Point  stands  on  the  north  of  the  entrance 
of  Bally nakill  Harbor;  next  is  Aughrus  Point, 
the  most  western  point  of  all  the  mainland  of 
Galway ;  south  of  this  is  Slyne  Head,  from  which 
the  coast  turns  eastward.  Mace  Head  is  at  the 
south  of  the  entrance  of  Bertraghboy  Bay ;  next 
is  Golam  ^"^ad,  formed  by  a  little  island. 

ISLANDS. — The  coast  of  the  barony  of  Bally- 
nahinch  is  skirted  with  innumerable  islands  and 
sea  rocks.  On  the  south  are  the  Aran  Islands, 
sheltering  Galway  Bay  on  the  west,  consisting  of 
three  chief  islands,  Inishmore  on  the  west,  Inish- 
maan  in  the  middle,  and  Inisheer  on  the  east ;  and 
the  little  group  of  the  Brannock  Islands,  at  the 
western  extremity  of  Inishmore. 

North  of  Inishmore  is  Gorumna,  which  is  4| 
miles  long;  near  which  on  the  west  is  Letter- 
mullau,  and  on  the  north  Lettermore,  3|  miles 
long.  West  of  this  is  the  little  St.  Macdara's 
Island,  held  in  great  veneration  in  honor  of  the 
old  patron  St.  Macdara,  and  containing  the  ruins 
of  his  primitive  church :  near  it  is  Croaghnakeela. 
Omey  Island  lies  at  the  south  side  of  Aughrus 
Point ;  and  immediately  west  of  the  Point  is  the 
far  more  interesting  High  Island,  or  Ardoilen, 
which  contains  the  ruins  of  a  primitive  monastery 
founded  by  St.  Fechiu  in  the  7th  century. 
At  the  head  of  Galway  Bay  is  Tawin  Island. 

The  island  in  Lough  Corrib  belonging  to  Gal- 
way are :  Inchagoill,  which  contains  the  head- 
stone of  Lugnat,  St.  Patrick's  nephew,  the  oldest 
inscribed  Christian  monument  in  Ireland  Inish- 
macatreer :  Ardillaun ;  and  near  the  end  of  the 
long  western  arm  of  the  lake,  Castlekirk,  a  mere 


GALWAY. 


rock,  almost  covered  with  the  ruins  of  a  castle, 
namely  Castlekirk,  or  the  Hen's  Castle. 

Iniscaltra  or  Holy  Island,  in  Lough  Derg,  be- 
longs to  this  county.  St.  Camin  founded  a  mon- 
astery on  it  in  the  7th  century,  which  became 
one  of  Ireland's  great  ecclesiastical  centers;  and 
the  island  has  now  a  most  interesting  group  of 
ruins,  namely,  a  round  tower,  several  churches, 
some  as  old  as  the  time  of  St.  Camin,  and  one 
that  w-as  erected,  or  re-edified,  by  the  great  king 
Brian  Boru. 

BAYS  AND  HAEBORS.— Galway  Bay  lies 
between  Galway  and  Clare,  off  which  to  the  east 
are  Oranmore  Bay  and  Aughiuish  Bay.  West  of 
Galway  Bay,  opposite  Aran,  are  Cashla  Bay, 
Greatman's  Bay,  and  Kilkieran  Bay.  Next  in 
the  west  is  the  beautiful  bay  of  Bertraghboy,  6 
miles  deep.  Ballyconneely  Ba3-  lies  south  of  the 
peninsula  of  Slyne  Head ;  and  north  of  it,  Man- 
nin  Bay.  Near  this  is  Ardbear  Bay,  at  the  head 
of  which  is  Clifden ;  Balb'nakill  Harbor  lies  south 
of  Rinvyle  Point.  The  long  winding  inlet  of  Kil- 
lary  Harbor  (which  separates  Galway  from 
Mayo),  and  the  smaller  Salrock  Harbor  near  it, 
are  both  celebrated  for  their  splendid  mountain  i 
scenery. 

RIVERS.— The  Shannon,  with  Lough  Corrib, 
bounds  this  county  on  the  east  and  southeast  for 
about  40  miles.  The  Suck  (for  which  see.  Ros- 
common) joins  the  Shannon  near  Shannon  bridge. 
The  Bunowen,  called  in  the  higher  part  of  its 
course  the  Clonbrock  River,  flows  southeast  by 
Ahascragh  into  the  Suck,  near  Ballinasloe; 
bigher  up,  the  Suck  is  joined  by  the  Shiven 
River. 

The  Corrib  River,  flowing  by  Galway  town,' 
pours  the  superfluous  waters  of  Lough  Corrib 
and  Lough  Mask  into  Galway  Bay,  running  a 
short  course  of  5  miles  from  Lough  Corrib  to  the 
sea.  On  the  east  side,  the  Clare,  or  Claregalway 
River,  a  considerable  stream  coming  southward 
from  Ma3'o,  the  Cregg  River,  and  the  Black 
River  (between  Galway  and  Mayo)  flow  into 
Lough  Corrib;  and  into  the  same  lake  on  the 
west  side  run  the  Owenriff  and  the  Bealana- 
brack,  both  noted  for  beautiful  scenery. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  county  the  Dawrod 
River  runs  into  Ballinakill  Harbor,  and  the 
Owenglin  by  Clifden  into  Ardbear  Bay. 

LAKES. — The  great  lake  feature  of  Galway  is 


Lough  Corrib,  the  largest  lake  in  Ireland  except 
Lough  Neagh,  and  far  finer  than  Lough  Neagh 
in  the  scenery  of  its  shores.  Lough  Mask  and 
Lough  Derg  both  lie  on,  and  form  part  of,  the 
boundary. 

That  part  of  the  county  west  of  Lough  Corrib 
is  studded  with  innumerable  lakes.  Lough 
Inagh,  Derryclare  Lake,  Lough  Garroman,  Bal- 
lynahinch  Lake,  and  Kylemore  Lake,  all  lie  at 
the  base  of  the  Twelve  Pins,  and  are  all  cele- 
brated for  their  beautiful  scenery.  Lough  Shin- 
dilla.  Lough  Ardderry,  Lough  Anillaun,  and 
Lough  Bofin,  are  on  the  road  from  Galway  to 
Clifden.  In  the  south  of  the  county.  Lough 
Cooter  lies  near  Gort,  and  Loughrea  beside  the 
town  of  Loughrea. 

TOWNS.— Galway  (15,471),  the  assize  town, 
on  the  river  Corrib.  Two  miles  above  Galway, 
on  an  expansion  of  the  Corrib,  is  Menlough 
(427) ;  and  south  of  Galway,  at  the  head  of  Kin- 
varra  Bay,  is  Kinvarra  (498).  On  the  eastern 
border  are  Portumna  (1,252),  on  Lough  Derg, 
with  castle  and  abbey  ruins;  Eyrecourt  (668); 
and  Ballinasloe  (4,772,  of  whom  947  are  in  Ros- 
common), on  the  Suck,  noted  for  its  great  horse, 
sheep,  and  cattle  fairs.  Inland  in  this  eastern 
part  of  the  county  are  the  following:  Gort 
(1,719),  in  the  southwest  corner;  northeast  of 
this  is  Loughrea  (3,159),  a  prosperous  town  in 
the  midst  of  a  fertile  disti'ict ;  further  north,  on 
the  road  from  Dublin  to  Galway,  is  the  ancient 
town  of  Athenry  (1,030),  with  its  fine  castle  and 
abbey  ruins;  still  more  ancient  is  Tuam  (3,567), 
toward  the  northern  border,  now  a  well-to-do, 
prosperous  town,  which  dates  its  origin  from  a 
monastery  founded  there  in  the  6th  century  by 
St.  Jarlath.  North  of  Tuam  is  Dunmore  (608); 
and  to  the  west,  near  the  boundary  of  Mayo,  is 
Headford  (779). 

In  the  western  division  of  the  county,  the  only 
towns  of  consequence  are  Oughterard  (834),  in  a 
lovely  situation  on  the  Owenriff;  and  Clifden 
(1,287),  the  capital  of  all  this  western  district, 
-quite  a  modern  town,  built  at  the  head  of  Ard- 
bear Bay. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— There  were  several  districts  in  Con- 
naught  called  Coumacne,  one  of  which,  Con- 
macne-mara,  is  now  called  Connemara.  All  that 
part  of  Galway  west  of  Lough  Corrib  and  Lough- 


GAL  WAY. 


Mask  was  anciently  called  lar  Counaught,  or 
West  Counaught;  but  the  name  is  now  usually 
applied  to  the  barouy  of  Moj'cullen.  The  old 
territory  of  Hy  Many,  the  country  of  the 
O 'Kelly  s,  extended  from  the  Shannon  to  Gal  way 
Bay :  the  eastern  part  of  it,  now  occupied  by  the 
barony  of  Longford,  was  the  O'Madden's  coun- 
try, called  Sil  Anmcada;  and  the  southwestern 


part,  now  occupied  by  the  baronies  of  Kiltartan 
and  Dunkellin,  was  called  Aidne  or  Hy  Fiachrach 
Aidne.  A  part  of  the  baronj-  of  Ross  lying  be- 
tween Killary  Harbor  and  the  western  arm  of 
Lough  Corrib,  is  called  the  Joyces'  country:  the 
Joyces,  a  family  of  Welsh  extraction,  settled 
there  in  the  thirteenth  century ;  and  to  this  day 
the  inhabitants  are  almost  all  Joyces. 


ILLTJSTRA.TIOIsrS. 


LYNCH'S  CASTLE.— The  city  of  Galway  at 
one  time  carried  on  a  large  commerce  with 
Spain,  an  intercourse  that  has  shown  its  effects 
to  the  pi'esent  in  the  appearance  and  character  of 
the  people,  and  the  buildings  and  streets  of  the 
town.  Among  the  buildings  the  only  perfectly 
preserved  example  of  Spanish  architecture  is 
Lynch 's  Castle,  a  large,  stately  edifice,  at  the 
corner  of  Shop  and  Abbeygate  Streets.  Its 
decorations,  ornamental  mouldings  and  pictur- 
esque cornices  denote  its  Spanish  character, 
which  less  than  a  century  ago  was  noticeable  in 
most  of  the  chief  buildings  of  the  city.  The 
Lynchs  were  one  of  the  thirteen  so-called  Tribes 
of  Galway,  all  of  whom  were  of  Anglo-Norman 
descent ;  their  prominence  may  be  measured  by 
the  fact  that  during  a  period  of  169  years,  84 
members  of  the  family  were  mayors  of  the  city. 
Lynch's  Castle  here  depicted  was  the  home  of 
the  family  for  several  generations.  The  tragic 
story  of  James  Lynch,  Warden  of  Galway,  who 
hanged  his  son  for  murder,  1493,  is  famous  in 
history  and  romance. 

WEST  BRIDGE  AND  FATHER  DALY'S 
CHAPEL. — Of  the  three  bridges  connecting  the 
old  and  the  new  portions  of  the  city  of  Galway, 
on  each  side  of  the  river  that  drains  Lough 
Corrib,  that  known  as  the  West  Bridge  is  the 
most  striking,  and  is  among  the  finest  bridge 
Bti-uctures  in  Ireland.  It  is  of  modern  construc- 
tion, and  occupies  the  site  of  another  built  in 
1442,  by  Edmond  Lynch,  at  his  own  expense. 
Overlooking  this  bridge  is  the  handsome  edifice 
called  Father  Daly's  chapel,  which  is  an  object 
of  interest  from  the  priest  whose  name  it  bears. 
Father  Peter  Daly  devoted  his  talent  and  ener- 
gies to  advance  the  material  as  well  as  the  spirit- 


ual interests  of  the  people  of  Galway,  notably  in 
1850,  on  the  occasion  of  the  government  inquiry 
to  ascertain  the  best  harbor  in  Ireland  for  a 
trans-Atlantic  packet  station. 

FISH  MARKET.— A  singular  community 
called  the  Claddagh,  numbering  about  5,000 
souls,  forms  a  suburb  of  the  city  of  Galway. 
They  are  all  fishermen,  possess  their  peculiar 
customs,  intermarry  only  with  each  other,  and 
have  always  kept  aloof  from  the  surrounding  in- 
habitants whom  they  regard  as  "transplanters." 
They  have  a  primitive  code  of  laws  by  which 
they  are  governed,  and  never  appeal  to  any  out- 
side courts  of  justice.  They  annually  elect  a 
"king"  or  head  man  on  St.  John's  eve,  and  he 
exercises  almost  absolute  power  in  some  respects. 
The  Claddaghites  are  peaceable,  industrious  and 
sober,  and  notably  hospitable  to  strangers. 
Though  differing  from  the  other  inhabitants  of 
Galway,  in  dress,  habits,  customs,  and  their 
Irish  dialect,  there  is  no  marked  difference  in 
their  personal  appearance.  The  accompanying 
picture  shows  a  group  of  these  women  in  the 
Galway  fishmarket,  the  trade  of  which  the  Clad- 
dagh people  monopolize. 

EYRE  SQUARE. — The  accompanying  picture 
represents  a  portion  of  Eyre  Square,  a  principal 
part  of  the  city  of  Galway,  and  which  contains 
many  of  the  chief  buildings,  residences,  hotels, 
railway  station,  and  statues  of  eminent  citizens. 
Galway  Bay  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  finest 
in  Ireland,  and  being  500  miles  nearer  to 
America  than  Liverpool,  would,  were  it  not 
for  British  commercial  selfishness,  be  a  flourish- 
ing center  of  trade  and  commerce.  From  the 
earliest  times,  the  town  was  a  famous  trading 
port  with  Spain,  and  its  merchants  were  cele- 


GALWAY. 


brated  for  their  commercial  enterprise  and 
wealth.  The  older  parts  of  the  city  retain  to  the 
present  day  melancholy  vestiges  of  its  departed 
prosperitj'  and  greatness.  These,  says  a  modern 
writer,  exhibit  generally  tokens  of  the  commercial 
habits  of  the  people  rather  than  of  their  military 
character.  The  people  of  Gal  way,  however,  ex- 
perienced their  full  share  of  the  wars  and  mis- 
fortunes of  the  invader,  and  always  maintained 
their  high  character  for  courage  and  patriot- 
ism. 

CLIFDEN  CASCADE.— Clif den,  in  Conne- 
mara,  is  a  modern  town,  there  being  only  one 
house  on  its  site  as  late  as  1815.  It  is  situated 
in  the  midst  of  some  of  the  wildest  and  most  im- 
posing scenery  in  Ireland,  and  excites  the  ad- 
miration of  every  traveler.  It  is  more  Swiss-like 
than  any  other  portion  of  the  island.  It  owes  its 
origin  to  Mr.  John  D'Arcy,  a  landed  proprietor, 
who  recognized  the  advantage  of  having  a  sea- 
port town  in  this  remote  locality,  but  though  the 
town  flourished  its  founder  did  not,  for  through 
his  expenditures  and  liberality  he  lost  his  prop- 
erty under  the  Encumbered  Estates  Act.  The 
Owenglen  Eiver  rushes  past  the  town,  forming  a 
picturesque  and  attractive  waterfall,  breaking 


through  the  rocks  in  a  series  of  fascinating  cas- 
cades. The  castle,  a  modern  castellated  man- 
sion, is  a  short  distance  to  the  east  of  the  town 
and  is  surrounded  hy  beautiful  and  magnificent 
scenerj".  In  loveliness  and  grandeur  the  locality 
surpasses  many  of  the  most  celebrated  continental 
scenes. 

KYLEMOKE  CASTLE.— This  picturesque 
and  beautiful  castellated  residence  was  erected 
by  the  late  Mr.  Mitchell  Henrj'  some  years  ago 
and  is  one  of  the  most  handsome  and  romantic- 
ally situated  mansions  in  Ireland.  The  Pass  of 
Kylemore — meaning  great  wood — has  been  al- 
ways considered  equal  in  grandeur  to  the  famed 
gap  of  Duuloe  in  Kerrj',  or  Barnesmore  in  Done- 
gal, while  the  Lough  of  Kylemore  is  scarce  un- 
surpassed hy  the  Lakes  of  Killaruey.  The  pass 
is  3  miles  long,  and  the  lough  2,  and  |  mile 
wide.  Doaghrue  to  the  north  of  the  pass  rises  to 
a  height  of  more  than  1,700  feet,  its  huge,  I'ugged 
crags  jutting  out  of  the  dense  wood  that  gives 
the  pass  its  name.  On  the  north  side  of  this 
height  and  on  the  border  of  the  lough  stands 
the  magnificent  castle  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing engraving,  its  turrets  half-hidden  behind 
the  dense  foliage. 


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WEST  BRIDGE  AND  FATHER  DALY'S  CHAPEL.  GALWAY. 


THE  CLADDAGH,  GALWAY. 


KERRY 


NAME. — Fergus,  ex-king  of  Ulster,  one  of  the 
Ked  Brauch  Kuigbts,  iu  the  time  of  Conor  Mac 
Nessa  (see  Armagh,)  bad  a  son  named  Ciar  (pron. 
Keer),  who  settled  in  Munster.  Ciar's  descen- 
dants, ■nbo  v>ere  called  from  him,  Ciarraighe 
(pron.  Keeree),  possessed  the  district  lying 
■west  of  Abbeyfeale ;  and  this  district,  which 
took  the  name  of  the  tribe,  ultimately  gave 
name  to  the  -whole  count}- — Ciarraighe,  now 
Kerry. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length 
from  Tarbert  on  the  Shannon  to  Bolus  Head,  69 
miles;  breadth  fromMweelin  Mountain,  14  miles 
east  of  Kenmare,  to  Ballydayid  Head  at  Smer- 
wick  Harbor,  53|  miles;  area,  1,853  square  miles; 
population,  201,039. 

SUKFACE.— The  north  part  of  the  county, 
consisting  of  the  barony  of  Iraghticonor  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  barony  of  Clanmaurice,  is 
moderately  level ;  all  the  rest,  with  some  trifling 
exceptions,  is  mountainous. 

MOUNTAINS.— The  Kerry  Mountains  form 
part  of  the  great  group  that  covers  the  west  and 
southwest  of  both  Cork  and  Kerrj' ;  like  those  of 
Cork  they  generally  run  in  chains  east  and  west ; 
and  they  include  the  grandest  combination  of 
mountain  scenery,  the  most  tremendous  preci- 
pices, and  the  finest  valleys,  in  Ireland. 

Three  chief  chains,  each  with  minor  subdivi- 
sions, stand  out  very  prominently,  running  west- 
ward to  the  end  of  the  three  peninsulas  of  Corka- 
guiny,  Iveragh  and  Bear,  the  Bear  chain  belong- 
ing partly  to  Cork.  The  middle  chain  is  divided 
toward  the  west  into  two  distinct  chains,  by  the 
valley  of  the  river  Inny.  Toward  the  eastern 
end  it  includes  Macgillicuddy's  Eeeks,  of  which 
Carrantuohill  (3,414),  a  grand  peaked  moun- 
tain, is  the  highest  summit  in  Ireland.  Near 
Carrantuohill  are  Beenkeragh  (3,314)  half  a 
mile  toward  the  north,  and  Caher  (3,200),  a  mile 
to  the  west.  The  Gap  of  Dunloe,  a  magnificent 
ravine,  cuts  right  across  the  chain  from  north  to 
south,  separating  the  Eeeks  from  the  Killarney 
Mountains,  which  are  the  continuation  of  the 
chain  to  the  east.    Of  these  the  chief  summits 


are  Tomies  (2,413),  Purple  Mountain  (2,639)  a 
fine  conical  peak,  and  Tore  (1,764),  a  massive 
hill  with  precipitous  sides,  all  three  looking 
down  on  the  Lakes  of  Killarney — the  two  former 
on  the  west  side  the  last  on  the  south;  and, 
lastly,  the  gi'eat  mountain  mass  of  Mangerton 
(2,756).  Near  Mangerton  are  Stoompa  (2,281) 
and  Knockbrack  (2,005).  The  continuation  of 
the  Killarney  Mountains  to  the  east  brings  us  to 
the  beautiful  twin  peaks.  The  Paps  (2,268),  close 
together,  with  a  high  narrow  pass  between  them. 

West  of  the  Eeeks  the  most  conspicuous  moun- 
tains are  Drung  (2,104),  and  west  of  it,  Knock- 
nadober  (2,266),  both  rising  from  the  very  shore 
of  Dingle  Bay;  and  4  miles  south  of  Drung, 
Coomacarrea  (2,542). 

In  the  southern  division  of  these  Iveragh 
Mountains,  south  and  southeast  of  the  valley  of 
the  river  Inny,  areBoughil  (2,065),  northwest  of 
Kenmare;  Mullaghanattin  (2,539),  a  few  miles 
west  of  it;  and  Coomcallee  (2,134),  4  miles  west 
of  the  village  of  Sneem. 

The  whole  of  the  Corkaguiny  or  Dingle  penin- 
sula is  a  mass  of  mountains,  which  form  a  con- 
tinuous chain  like  a  great  backbone,  traversing 
the  peninsula  from  east  to  west,  and  sloping 
precipitously  down  to  the  sea  on  all  sides.  They 
begin  on  the  east  with  the  Slieve  Mish  range, 
rising  directly  over  Tralee  Bay,  of  which  the 
highest  summits  are  Baurtregaum  (2,796),  and 
Cahii'conree  (2,715).  Beenoskee  (2,713)  stands 
in  the  middle  of  the  peninsula;  and  northwest 
of  this  is  the  grand  mountain  of  Brandon  (3,127), 
directly  over  the  sea.  St.  Brendan,  from  whom 
this  mountain  received  its  name,  was  a  native  of 
this  district,  and  lived  in  the  beginning  of  the 
6th  century.  He  is  often  called  Brendan  the 
Navigator  on  account  of  his  famous  voj'age  in 
which  it  is  said  he  spent  seven  years  sailing 
about  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  He  set  out  on  his 
voyage  from  a  bay  under  Brandon  Mountain, 
and  his  little  oratory,  which  is  held  in  great 
veneration,  is  still  to  be  seen  on  the  very  sum- 
mit. This  great  Corkaguiny  range  is  abruptly 
terminated  on  tae  west  by  Mount  Eagle  (1,696), 


f 


Ho- 


COUNTY  OF 

KERRY 

En^lith  AfiLc* 

d  J  i  i  i  t  id 

Baronies  thus    I  V  E  R  A  G  H 

RtrwitaA  JOYCE.  LUD,  M.FLLA 


Loop  Eead 


Inishtooskert 

G^Blaskei/} 


MiU.o 


Kerry 


YleaAlr  Si'>*^'' 


BaV^tiaffe-  Bay 


y 


Rossbi  i 


M  O  U  T  H  ^ 

Bauyounjium 
Of    TBE  ^f^^ 

S  RA  N  N  ONu^, 


iqkL 


TrsdeexX 

1  /latUgyeffoty  ' 


,.(^5  ■■■■■ 

Sorb- 

Sxa- 


COPYRIGHT,  1898,  BY  MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


KERRY. 


a  spur  of  which,  Dunmore  Head,  is  the  most 
westerly  point  of  the  mainland  of  Ireland. 

In  the  southern  or  Bear  peninsula,  the  Caha 
Mountains  lie  on  the  boundary  with  Cork,  as 
does  the  Derrynasaggart  range,  northeast  of 
them.    Knockboy  (2,321)  rises  over  Glengarriff. 

Northeast  of  Tralee  the  Glannaruddery  Moun- 
tains (1,097),  run  nearly  north  and  south ;  and 
■west  of  these  are  Stack's  Mountains  (1,170). 
The  moory  hills  east  and  northeast  of  Castle- 
island  are  well  known  as  Slieve  Lougher,  though 
the  name  is  not  now  often  marked  on  maps. 
Their  highest  summit  is  Mount  Eagle  (1,417). 

At  the  northern  end  of  the  county,  Knocka- 
nore  (880)  rises  over  the  Shannon  mouth,  and 
though  not  lofty,  is  conspicuous  by  its  isolation. 
On  the  shore  at  the  western  base  of  this  hill  is 
the  village  of  Ballybunnion,  noted  for  its  fine  sea 
caves. 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  is  pierced  by  deep 
bays  which  cut  the  land  into  long  and  narrow 
peninsulas  and  from  these  larger  bays  innumera- 
ble smaller  ones  branch  off,  presenting  an  in- 
finite variety  of  the  finest  seacoast  scenery  the 
whole  way  round  from  Tarbert  to  Kenmare. 

HEADLANDS. — Beginning  at  the  north:  Beal 
Point  marks  the  commencement  of  the  opening 
of  the  Shannon  into  the  ocean :  Kerry  Head,  a 
bold  promontory,  the  southern  point  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Shannon  :  Brandon  Head  is  a  grand 
cliff  under  Brandon  Mountain.  Sibyl  Head, 
Clogher  Head,  Dunmore  Head  and  Slea  Head, 
are  at  the  extreme  west  of  the  Corkaguiny  penin- 
sula. Bray  Head,  a  tall  cliff,  is  the  southwestern 
end  of  Valentia  Island ;  south  of  which  is  the 
still  more  lofty  promontory  of  Bolus  Head,  the 
extremity  of  the  rugged  peninsula  that  separates 
St.  Einan's  Bay  from  Ballinskelligs  Bay  ;  east  of 
this,  at  the  other  side  of  Ballinskelligs  Bay,  is 
Hog's  Head;  and  lastly  Lamb's  Head,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kenmare  River. 

ISLANDS.— The  largest  is  Valentia,  which 
lies  at  the  extremity  of  the  Iveragh  peninsula; 
it  is  7  miles  long,  and  rises  888  feet  over  the  sea. 
Proceeding  southward  from  Valentia,  Puffin 
Island  lies  outside  St.  Finan's  Bay;  Off  Bolus 
Head  are  the  Skellig  Rocks ;  the  largest  one,  the 
Greater  Skellig,  stands  like  an  enormous  pillar 
714  feet  out  of  the  sea,  and  though  nearly  inac- 
cessible, has  on  it  the  remains  of  a  very  ancient 


religious  establishment  which  has  been  for  ages 
a  place  of  pilgrimage;  there  are  two  lighthouses 
on  this  rock.  The  rocky  and  lofty  island  of 
Scariff  (839  feet  high)  lies  in  front  of  Darrynane 
Bay,  and  near  it  is  the  smaller  island  of  Deenish, 
of  much  the  same  character.  In  the  Kenmare 
River  or  Bay  at  the  Kerry  side  are  the  islands  of 
Sherky,  Rossdohan,  and  Rossmore. 

Going  northward  from  Valentia,  the  Great 
Blasket,  at  the  end  of  the  Corkaguiny  peninsula, 
is  3|  miles  long  and  very  narrow  and  lofty ;  it 
has  tremendous  sea  cliffs  on  the  northwest  side 
which  run  in  a  continuous  line  the  whole  length 
of  the  island ;  one  peak,  Croaghmore,  is  961  feet 
over  the  sea,  and  another,  Slievedonagh,  937; 
each  presenting  an  almost  perpendicular  wall  of 
rock  to  the  sea.  Near  this  is  Inishtooskert,  1 
mile  in  length  and  573  feet  high,  on  which  is  a 
little  church  called  St.  Brendan's  oratory ;  and 
west  and  southwest  of  Blasket  is  Tearaght,  G02 
feet  high;  southwest  of  Great  Blasket  are  the 
two  high  rocky  islands,  Inishvickillane  and  In- 
ishnabro.  All  these  rise  in  lofty  cliffs  from  the 
sea,  the  whole  group  presenting  a  sublime  ap- 
pearance from  the  mainland.  The  Magharees  or 
Seven  Hogs,  a  cluster  of  sea  rocks,  lie  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  long  peninsula  that 
separates  Tralee  Bay  from  Brandon  Bay.  Lastly, 
in  the  Shannon,  near  Ballylongford,  is  Carrig 
Island,  with  the  fine  old  castle  of  Carrigafoyle 
near  the  shore,  the  ancient  residence  of  the 
O  'Conors-Kerry. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— Beginning  on  the 
noi'th,  Ballj'heige  Bay  lies  south  of  Kerry  Head ; 
Tralee  Bay  and  Brandon  Bay,  west  of  Tralee, 
are  both  nearly  circular,  and  are  very  well  shel- 
tered; Smerwick  Harbor  is  near  the  extremity  of 
the  Corkaguiny  peninsula.  Dingle  Bay  (includ- 
ing Castelmaine  Harbor)  is  about  25  miles  long, 
with  an  average  breadth  of  about  7  miles;  is 
overtopped  by  mountains  on  both  sides,  and  is 
noted  for  the  splendid  scenery  of  its  shores.  At 
the  head  of  Dingle  Bay  is  Castlemaine  Harbor, 
sheltered  in  the  outside  by  the  two  long  sandy 
peninsulas  of  Inch  from  the  north  side,  and 
Rossbehy  from  the  south ;  and  off  the  north  side 
of  Dingle  Bay  are  Dingle  Harbor  and  Ventry 
Harbor,  both  well  sheltered — the  latter  cele- 
brated in  legend.  Between  Valentia  and  the 
mainland   is  Valentia  Harbor.    At  the  south- 


KERRY. 


western  extremity  of  the  Iveragb  peninsulas  are 
St.  Finau's  Bay,  and  Ballinskelligs  Bay,  and 
Darryuane  Bay,  this  last  bavins  on  its  shores 
Darrynane  Abbey,  formerly  the  residence  of 
Daniel  O'Connell.  The  mouth  of  the  Kenmare 
River,  or  Kenmare  Bay,  separates  Kerry  from 
Cork,  but  belongs  for  the  greater  part  to  Kerry. 
Branching  off  from  it  on  the  south  are  Kilmakil- 
log  Harbor,  and  Ardgroom  Harbor,  the  latter 
belonging  partly  to  Cork. 

RIVERS. — Beginning  on  the  north,  and  tak- 
ing the  rivers  in  their  order:  The  Shannon 
washes  the  north  shore  of  Kerry  from  Tai'bert  to 
the  mouth.  The  Blackwater  rises  in  Kerry,  then 
runs  on  the  boundar.y  between  Cork  and  Kerry, 
and  next  enters  Cork. 

The  Cashen  runs  into  the  Shannon  mouth,  and 
is  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Galey  (which 
rises  in  Limerick),  the  Feale  (which  rises  in 
Cork),  ai^d  the  Brick  (whose  chief  headwater  is 
the  Shanow) ;  the  Feale  (which  forms  the  bound- 
ary for  13  or  14  miles)  being  joined  from  the 
Kerry  side  by  the  Clydagh,  the  Owveg,  and  the 
Smearlagh.  The  little  river  Lee  flows  by  Tralee 
into  Tralee  Bay,  and  gives  name  to  the  town — 
Tralee,  the  traigh  or  strand  of  the  Lee. 

The  Maine,  which  receives  the  Brown  Flesk  as 
tributary,  flows  into  Castlemaine  Harbor.  Into 
the  same  harbor  flows  the  Laune,  which  carries 
off  the  overflow  of  the  Lakes  of  Killarney ;  it 
receives  as  tributaries  the  Gweestin  from  the 
northeast,  and  from  the  south  the  Gaddagh, 
which  runs  in  the  Hag's  Valley  under  Carrantuo- 
hill,  and  the  Loe  flowing  through  the  Gap  of 
Dunloe.  The  beautiful  river  Flesk  flows  through 
the  fine  valley  of  Glenflesk  into  the  Lower  Lake 
of  Killarney,  receiving  high  up  in  its  course  the 
Loo  and  the  Clj'dagh,  this  latter,  which  draws 
some  of  its  waters  from  Cork,  being  properlj'  the 
headwater.  The  Gearhameen  drains  the  splen- 
did vale  of  Coomyduff,  or  the  Black  Valley,  and 
flowing  eastward  under  the  very  base  of  the 
Reeks,  joins  the  Upper  Lake;  before  entering 
the  lake  it  is  joined  by  the  Owenreagh.  The 
Glanbehy  flows  through  the  fine  valley  of  Glan- 
behy  into  the  head  of  Dingle  Bay,  and  near  it 
on  the  east  is  the  Caragh,  which,  before  it  enters 
the  bay,  expands  into  the  lovely  Lough  Caragh. 

The  Ferta  runs  by  Cahirsiveen  into  Valentia 
Harbor.    The  Inny  drains  the  valley  separating 


the  two  Iveragh  Mountain  ranges,  and  falls  into 
Ballinskelligs  Bay ;  and  near  it,  and  parallel  to 
it,  is  the  Cummeragh,  falling  into  Lough  Cur- 
rane.  The  Roughty  flows  through  a  fine  glen 
(which  gives  to  the  surrounding  barony  the  name 
of  Glanarought),  and  entering  the  sea  at  Ken- 
mare, opens  out  into  the  great  estuary  called 
Kenmare  River,  or  Kenmare  Bay.  The  Sheen 
(called  in  the  early  part  of  it  course  the  Baurea- 
ragh  River)  joins  the  Roughty  on  the  south 
bank  opposite  Kenmare;  the  Slaheny  joins  it  a 
little  higher  up  on  the  same  bank,  and  through 
Kenmare  itself  runs  the  pretty  river  Finnihy, 
also  into  the  Roughty. 

LAKES.  ^ — The  glory  of  Kerry  is  its  combina- 
tion of  lake  and  mountain  scenery.  The  lakes 
of  Killarney  are  three  in  number — the  Upper 
Lake,  the  Middle  Lake,  and  the  Lower  Lake. 
The  Lower  Lake,  or  Lough  Leane,  the  largest  of 
the  three,  is  5  miles  long  by  about  2|  miles 
broad ;  it  contains  several  islands,  the  two  prin- 
ciple being  Innisfallen,  noted  for  its  beauty,  and 
containing  the  ruins  of  the  celebrated  Abbey  of 
Innisfallen,  founded  in  the  7th  century  by 
St.  Finan  the  Leper,  and  Ross  Island  (which  is 
now  connected  with  the  mainland),  on  which 
stands  the  fine  old  ruin  of  Ross  Castle.  A  tor- 
rent flowing  into  this  lake  down  the  side  of 
Tomies  Mountain  forms  the  beautiful  O'Sulli- 
van's  cascade.  Middle  Lake,  or  Tore  Lake,  or 
Muckross  Lake,  is  2  miles  long  by  three-quarters 
of  a  mile  wide;  it  is  separated  from  Lough  Leane 
by  the  lovely  peninsula  of  Muckross,  on  which 
are  the  ruins  of  Muckross  Abbey,  and  by  the  lit- 
tle island  of  Dinish.  The  Upper  Lake  is  2| 
miles  long  by  ^  mile  broad;  it  contains  a 
number  of  islands,  the  chief  of  which  are  Eagle 
Island,  Ronayne's  Island,  and  Stag  Island;  and 
it  is  by  far  the  wildest  of  the  three  in  its  scen- 
ery. The  Gal  way's  River,  flowing  into  it  from 
the  south,  forms  the  cascade  of  Derrycunnihy. 
The  Upper  Lake  is  connected  with  the  Lower 
and  Middle  Lakes  by  a  channel  3  miles  long — 
half  river,  half  lake — called  the  Long  Range, 
over  the  north  bank  of  which  rises  a  lofty  rock 
called  the  Eagle's  Nest,  noted  for  its  fine  echoes. 
All  three  lakes  are  overhung  by  splendid  moun- 
tains, their  shores  and  islands  are  well  wooded, 
and  their  scenery  is  unequaled  for  softness, 
freshness  and  beauty.    Near  the  Upper  Lake 


KERRY. 


and  beside  the  road  from  Killarney  to  Kenmare  is 
Looscaunagb  Lough. 

The  Devil's  Punch   Bowl  (called  in  Gaelic 
Poulaniffrin,  or  the  hole  of  hell),  near  the  sum- 
mit of  Mangerton,  is  an  extraordinary  mountain 
tai'n;  a  stream  flowing  from  it  tumbles  into  the 
Middle  Lake  and  forms  in  its  course  the  beauti- 
ful Tore  Waterfall.    Under  a  stupendous  preci- 
pice between   Mangerton  and  Stoompa  is  the 
deep  glen  called  Glenacappal,  in  which  are  three 
small  lakes,  Lough  Erhagb,  Lough  Managh,  and 
Lough  Garagarry ;  and  near  this  last  is  the  large 
circular  'Lough  Guitane.    On  the  south  side  of 
the  Kenmare  Eiver  are  Inchiquin  Lough  and 
the  two  lakes  of  Cloonoe,  all  three  beside  each 
other.    West  of   Killarney,  near  the  head  of 
Dingle  Bay,  is  the  beautiful  Lough  Caragh,  3| 
miles  in  length,   with  Carrantuohill  towering 
over  it.    Lough  Currane,  or  Waterville  Lake,  is  a 
fine  sheet  of  water  near  Ballinskelligs  Bay;  and 
6  miles  northeast  of  it  are  Lough  Derriana  and 
Cloonaghlin  Lake,  both  of  which  send  their  over- 
flow of  water  to  Lough  Currane  by  the  Cum- 
meragh  Eiver. 

The  word  coom  is  used  very  often  in  Kerry  to 
designate  deep  basin-like  hollows  among  the 
mountains;  it  is  used  as  a  topographical  term  in 
other  parts  of  Ireland,  but  it  is  more  common  in 
Munster — especially  in  Kerry  and  Cork — than 
elsewhere.  A  vast  number  of  the  cooms  of  the 
Kerry  Mountains  contain  lakes;  as,  for  instance, 
Coomasaharn,  near  Drung  Hill,  in  which  the 
Glanbehy  River  rises.  Some  of  these  cooms  give 
names  to  the  hills  which  rise  over  them,  as  in 
the  case  of  Coomacarrea  Mountain,  south  of 
Drung. 

TOWNS.— Tralee  (9,910),  the  assize  town, 
stands  on  the  little  river  Lee,  near  where  it 
enters  Tralee  Bay.  Killarney  (6,651),  is  situ- 
ated a  mile  east  of  Lower  Lake.  The  other 
inland  towns  are  Listowel  (2,965),  in  the  north 
part  of  the  county  on  the  Feale;  in  the  east  Cas- 
tleisland  (1,466),  on  the  Maine. 

Beside  Tralee,  the  towns  on  or  near  the  coast 
are,  beginning  on  the  north,  the  stirring  little 
town  of  Tarbert  (712)  on  the  Shannon ;  near  it 
Ballylongford  (829),  on  a  creek  of  the  Shannon; 
Castlegregory  (597),  on  the.  western  shore  of 
Tralee  Bay;  Dingle  (1,833),  on  Dingle  Bay  is 
the  capital  of  the  Corkaguiny  peninsula;  Mill- 


town  (636)  stands  near  the  mouth  of  the  Maine; 
near  it  is  Killorglin  (1,028),  on  the  Laune,  where 
it  enters  Castlemaine  Harbor.  Cahersiveen 
(2,003),  the  capital  of  the  Iveragh  peninsula, 
stands  on  a  creek  of  Valentia  Harbor,  and 
lastly,  the  pretty  town  of  Kenmare  (1,279)  stands 
in  a  deep  valley  at  the  mouth  of  Eoughty  Eiver. 

MINERALS.— On  the  island  of  Valentia  there 
are  valuable  quarries  of  flags  and  rooting  slates. 
Copper  ore  is  found  at  Muckross  and  at  Ardfert; 
also  near  Cahersiveen  and  in  Glanarought.  The 
stones  called  Kerry  diamonds,  which  are  very 
like  real  diamonds,  are  found  among  the  rocks  on 
several  parts  of  the  coast,  especially  near  Dingle 
and  near  Kerry  Head. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— ^Kerry  anciently  formed  one  of  the  five 
Munsters,  namely,  lar-Muman,  or  West  Munster. 
The  district  between  Tralee  and  the  Shannon, 
and  west  of  Abbeyfeale,  was  the  original  Ciar- 
raighe,  from  which  Kerry  derived  its  name.  It 
was  often  called  Ciarraighe-Luachra,  from  Sliabh- 
Luachra,  or  Slieve  Lougher. 

Remains  of  antiquity,  both  Pagan  and  Chris- 
tian, ai'e  more  numerous,  and  in  many  respects 
more  interesting,  in  Kerry,  than  in  any  other 
county  of  Ireland.  They  are  more  abundant  in 
the  peninsula  of  Corkaguiny  than  elsewhere. 

The  most  curious  and  interesting  earlj'  Chris- 
tian oratory  in  Ireland  is  at  Gallerus,  on  the 
southern  shore  of  Smerwick  Harbor;  it  is  very 
small,  rectangular  in  plan,  and  the  side  walls 
curve  upward  till  they  meet  in  a  ridge  so  as  to 
form  a  roof.  At  Kilmalkedai',  a  mile  from  Gal- 
lerus, there  is  another  oratory.  Both  these 
buildings  are  coeval  with  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  into  Ireland;  and  beside  each  there 
is  a  pillar-stone  with  an  inscription  in  Roman 
letters. 

Staigue  Fort,  near  West  Cove,  on  the  north 
shore  of  the  Kenmare  River,  is  the  most  per- 
fectly preserved  circular  stone  caher  in  Ireland. 
At  Fahan,  southwest  of  Ventry,  just  at  the  base 
of  Mount  Eagle,  there  is  a  whole  village  of 
ancient  beehive- shaped  stone-roofed  houses,  the 
most  curious  collection  of  the  kind  in  the 
country. 

On  a  shoulder  of  Cahirconree  Mountain,  near 
Tralee,  is  an  immense  Cyclopean  fortress,  built 
up  in  the  usual  pagan  fashion,  of  very  large 


KERRY. 


stones  without  cement.  This  is  the  caher  or  for- 
tress of  Curoi  MacDara,  who  was  king  of  all  this 
southwest  part  of  Muuster;  and  the  mouutaiu 
still  preserves  his  name,  for  Caherconree  means 


the  caher  of  Curoi.  He  lived  in  the  time  of 
Conor  Mac  Nessa,  in  the  first  century ;  and  he  is 
one  of  the  chief  characters  in  several  of  the 
ancient  tales  of  the  Red  Branch  Knights. 


MUCKROSS  ABBEY,  KILLARNEY.— From 
its  scenic  surroundings,  being  built  on  an  arm 
of  one  of  the  Lakes  of  Killaruey,  the  remains  of 
Muckross  Abbey  are  among  the  most  interesting 
of  any  in  Ireland.  The  beautiful  and  secluded 
spot  was  selected  by  "the  Monks  of  old,"  as  an 
ideal  place  for  a  holy  life  of  meditation  and 
praj'er.  The  Abbey  was  erected  on  the  site  of 
Hn  ancient  church  which  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1192.  It  was  built  for  the  Franciscan  monks, 
Dy  one  of  the  McCarthys,  Princes  of  Desmond, 
in  1440,  but  according  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters,  the  most  reliable  authority,  a  century 
earlier.  It  was  repaired  in  1602,  and  also  in 
1626.  It  is  to-day  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation. 
"Within  the  choir  is  a  huge  vault  containing  the 
tombs  of  the  McCarthys  Mor,  and  of  the 
O'Donoughes  of  the  Glens  whose  descendants 
were  interred  there  as  late  as  1833. 

O'CONNELL  MEMORIAL  CHURCH,  CAHIR- 
CIVEEN. — This  beautiful  structure  is  an  eccle- 
siastical monument  to  the  emancipator  of  the 
Catholics  of  Ireland,  and  is  due  to  the  energy, 
and  religious  and  patriotic  zeal  of  Very  Rev. 
Canon  Brosnau,  of  Cahir-civeen.  It  is  in  the  cen- 
ter of  a  picturesque  and  romantic  district,  and 
close  to  Derrynane,  famed  as  the  seat  and  birth- 
place of  O'Connell.  In  its  vicinity  are  the  ruins 
of  an  ancient  monastery  founded  by  the  monks 
of  St.  Finbar  in  the  7th  century.  O'Connell  was 
accustomed  to  attend  Mass  in  the  old  chapel  of 
Cahir-civeen,  and  from  his  enthusiastic  delight 
in  the  wild  scenery  of  the  locality,  and  his  love 
of  roaming  amid  its  grand  and  inspiring  views 
of  mountain,  crag,  and  dale,  when  temporarily 
withdrawn  from  the  cares  of  more  serious  duty, 
we  may  easily  imagine  that  he  would  prefer 
such  a  memorial  as  this  beautiful  church  in  this 
spot  to  the  grandest  monument  that  could  be 
erected  to  his  memory,  in  city  or  court. 

KENMARE. — Kenmare  is  a  small  but  pretty 
town,  in  the  ancient  "Kingdom  of  Kerry,"  and 
is  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  some  of  the  wildest 


and  most  romantic  scenery  in  the  south  of  Ire- 
land. It  is  approached  by  a  fine  suspension 
bridge,  the  only  one  of  note  in  Ireland,  called 
Landsdowne  Bridge,  after  the  master  of  the 
estate.  The  town  is  of  comparatively  modern 
date,  having  been  founded  in  1670  by  Sir  Will- 
iam Petty,  one  of  the  most  disreputable  of  Eng- 
lish adventurers  in  Ireland,  and  progenitor  of 
the  Landsdowne  family.  During  the  English 
revolution  of  1688,  it  was  forced  to  capitulate  to 
King  James'  army.  The  inhabitants,  being 
English  and  Protestant,  determined  to  embark 
for  Bristol ;  but  after  the  fall  of  Limerick  most 
of  them  retui'ned.  The  convent  of  St.  Clare, 
herewith  shown,  has  become  noted  of  late  years, 
especially  through  the  work  of  Sister  Mary 
Frances  Clare,  a  convert  from  Protestantism,  and 
author  of  works  on  Irish  and  religious  subjects. 

DERRYCUNNIHY  COTTAGE,  BRICKEEN 
BRIDGE,  AND  GLENA  COTTAGE,  KILLAR- 
NEY.— It  is  unnecessary  to  more  than  allude  to 
the  world-famed  Lakes  of  Killarney.  They  have 
been  at  once  the  delight  and  the  despair  of  the 
tourist.  The  marvelous,  ever-changing  scenery 
of  the  locality,  the  beauty,  grandeur  and  sublim- 
ity of  everything  around  this  enchanting  spot 
have  defied  such  word-painters  as  Wordsworth, 
Scott,  and  Macaulay,  who  declare  that  no  lan- 
guage can  adequately  describe  their  wondrous 
loveliness  and  fascinations.  The  lakes,  which 
are  three  in  number,  the  Upper,  Tore,  and  Lower, 
were  renowned  from  the  most  remote  times  for 
their  natural  beauty,  and  after  the  introduction 
of  Christianity,  for  the  number  and  extent  of 
their  monasteries,  churches,  and  schools. 
Derrycunnihy,  which  gives  its  name  to  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  cascades,  is  a  favorite  meet 
for  the  hunt;  Glena  Cottage,  built  by  the  earls  of 
Kenmare  for  the  accommodation  of  strangers,  is 
situated  in  the  midst  of  the  most  enchanting 
scenery;  and  Brickeen  Bridge  spans  by  a  single 
arch  the  stream  dividing  Muckross  Peninsula 
from  Brickeen  Island. 


KILDARE. 


NAME. — The  town  of  Kildare  took  its  name 
from  a  little  church  or  cell  built  by  St.  Brigid, 
in  the  end  of  the  5th  century,  under  a  great 
oak  tree.  This  church,  -which  was  the  germ 
round  which  grew  up  a  great  religious  establish- 
ment that  flourished  for  many  ages  afterward, 
was  called  Cill-dara,  the  church  of  the  oak;  and 
the  old  oak  tree  stood  there  for  several  hundred 
years  after  the  time  of  St.  Brigid;  and  in  mem- 
ory of  her  it  was  held  in  great  veneration.  The 
town  gave  name  to  the  county. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length 
from  north  to  south,  42  miles;  greatest  breadth 
from  east  to  west,  along  the  northern  frontier,  2G 
miles;  area,  654  square  miles;  population,  75,804. 

SURFACE:  HILLS.— Kildare  is  the  levelest 
county  in  Ireland.  There  are  some  hills  over 
1,000  feet  high  in  the  east  margin,  which  are  the 
mere  outskirts  of  the  Wicklow  Mountains.  To 
the  northwest  of  Kildare  town  a  low  range  of 
heights  called  the  Red  Hills,  or  the  Dunmurrj- 
Hills,  runs  from  southwest  to  northeast;  the 
highest,  which  lies  3  miles  northwest  of  Kildai'e, 
has  an  altitude  of  only  769  feet;  and  a  little 
range  may  be  said  to  be  terminated  by  the 
round-topped  Hill  of  Allen  (676),  which  is  the 
most  remarkable,  and  which  is  rendered  con- 
spicuous by  a  tall  pillar  on  its  summit.  This 
hill  gives  name  to  the  Bog  of  Allen.  Dun 
Ailliuue,  or  Kuockaulin  (600),  a  round  hill  near 
Old  Kilculleu,  in  the  southeast  of  the  county',  is 
more  remarkable  for  its  antiquities  than  for  its 
elevation.  A  considerable  area  of  the  flat  part 
of  the  county  in  the  west  and  northwest  is  occu- 
pied by  portions  of  the  Bog  of  Allen.  Near  the 
town  of  Kildare  is  the  Curragh,  the  finest  racing 
ground  in  the  empire;  6  miles  long  by  2  miles 
broad,  and  containing  4,858  acres.  It  is  a  gen- 
tly undulating  plain,  covered  with  a  fine  velvety 
elastic  sward,  perpetually  green.  From  the 
most  remote  period  of  Irish  history  the  Curragh 
has  been  used  as  a  racecourse,  and  its  impor- 
tance in  old  times,  maj'  be  inferred  from  the 
numerous  raths  or  forts  and  other  ancient  earth- 
works scattered  over  its  surface. 


RIVERS.— The  Boyne  rises  in  Trinity  Well, 
at  Carbury  Hill,  in  the  northwest  of  the  county; 
flows  first  through  this  county,  next  forms  for 
3|  miles  the  boundary  with  Kings  County,  and 
then  with  Meath  for  7|  miles,  after  which  it 
enters  this  last  county.  The  Liffey,  coming 
from  "VVicklow,  enters  Kildare  near  Ballymore 
Eustace,  and  just  on  the  boundary  tumbles  over 
a  series  of  rock  ledges,  forming  the  tine  cascade 
of  Pollaphuca;  it  sweeps  in  a  curve  with  many 
windings  through  Kildare,  and  enters  the  county 
Dublin  at  Leixlip.  Less  than  half  a  mile  above 
Leixlip  it  falls  over  another  ledge  of  rock,  and 
forms  the  beautiful  waterfall  of  the  Salmon  Leap. 
In  the  west,  the  Barrow  first  touches  Kildare 
near  Monasterevin,  where  it  forms  the  boundary 
with  Queens  County  for  a  mile ;  next  crosses  a 
corner  of  Kildare  at  Monasterevin  for  2  miles; 
then  again  runs  on  the  boundary  with  Queens 
County  for  7^  miles;  next  runs  through  Kildare 
for  6  miles,  and  lastly  forms  the  boundary  again 
with  Queens  County  for  7|  miles,  when  it  finally 
leaves  Kildare. 

Nearly  all  the  other  streams  of  the  county  are 
tributaries  to  the  Boyne,  the  Liffey,  and  the 
Barrow.  On  the  north,  the  Rye  Water  flows 
eastward  partly  on  the  boundary  with  Meath 
and  partly  through  Kildare,  and  joins  the  Liffey 
at  Leixlip.  The  Lj'reen  runs  to  the  northeast, 
and  passing  by  Maynooth,  joins  the  Rye  Water 
a  mile  below  the  town.  The  Blackwater,  for  the 
most  part  a  boggy  and  sluggish  stream,  rises  in 
Kildare,  and  flowing  to  the  northwest  by  Johns- 
town, forms  for  about  6  miles  the  boundary  be- 
tween Kildare  and  Meath,  after  which  it  enters 
Meath  to  join  the  Boyne.  The  Gai'r  in  the 
northwest  joins  the  Boyne  near  Ballyboggan 
Bridge.  The  Cushaling,  the  Crabtree  River, 
and  the  Black  River*,  all  unite  on  the  western 
boundary  of  the  countj'  and  form  the  Figile, 
which  flows  first  through  Kings  County,  then 
crossing  an  angle  of  Kildare,  it  forms  the  boun- 
dary between  Kildare  and  Queens  County,  till 
it  joins  the  Barrow  beside  Monasterevin.  The 
Slate  River,  rising  near  Prosperous,  flows  west- 


1 


KILDAKE. 


ward  by  Rathangan,  then  forms  the  boundary 
between  Kildare  and  Kings  County'  for  about  a 
mile,  when  it  enters  Kings  County  to  join  the 
Figile.  The  Cushina,  coming  from  Kings 
County,  and  flowing  eastward,  forms  three  miles 
of  the  boundary  between  Kildare  and  Kings 
County,  and  joins  the  Figile  just  where  the  lat- 
ter enters  Kildare.  The  Finnery  comes  from 
the  west  and  joins  the  Barrow  4  miles  above 
Athy.  The  Greese  rises  near  Dunlavin  in 
Wicklow,  and  flowing  southwest  across  the 
southern  angle  of  Kildare,  joins  the  Barrow  near 
the  southern  extremity  of  the  county.  The 
Lerr,  running  parallel  with  the  Greese,  flows 
into  the  Barrow  at  the  southern  boundary. 

TOWNS.— Athy  (4,181),  in  the  south  of  the 
county,  on  the  Barrow,  a  good  business  town, 
connected  with  Waterford  by  the  Barrow  and 
Suir,  and  with  Dublin  bj'  the  grand  canal. 
HigBier  up  on  the  Barrow  is  Monasterevin 
(1,044),  beside  which  is  the  fine  demesne  of 
Moore  Abbey.  Rathangan  (683),  6  miles  nearly 
due  north  of  Monasterevin,  stands  on  the  Slate 
River.  Toward  the  middle  of  the  county  are 
Kildare,  Newbridge,  and  Naas.  Kildare  (1,174) 
was  in  old  times  one  of  Ireland's  great  religious 
centers,  which  is  still  evidenced  by  its  round 
tower  and  fine  church  ruins  standing  conspicu- 
ously on  a  ridge  partlj'  occupied  by  the  town. 
Newbridge  (3,372)  is  on  the  Lilfey,  a  neat  town 
with  large  military  barracks.  Naas  (3,808)  is 
the  assize  town,  and  has  much  retail  trade. 

In  the  northeast  of  the  county  are  Celbridge 
(988)  and  Leixlip  (741),  both  on  the  Liffey,  the 
latter  just  on  the  boundary  of  the  county,  in  a 
lovely  situation  near  the  waterfall  that  has  given 
name  to  the  town  (Leixlip  is  a  Danish  word 
meaning  salmon-leap).  Near  the  north  margin 
of  the  county,  west  of  Leixlip,  is  the  neat  town 
of  Maynooth  (1,278),  now  remarkable  as  contain- 
ing the  college  for  the  education  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  priesthood.  It  contains  the  ruins  of 
the  castle  of  the  Fitzgeralds,  earls  of  Kildare,  the 
ancestors  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  whose  fine 
demesne  of  Carton  lies  beside  the  town.  West 
of  Maynooth  is  Kilcock  (721). 

In  the  southern  end  of  the  county  is  Castle- 
ermot  (675),  on  the  river  Lerr,  in  which  there 
5*as  in  old  days  an  important  religious  establish- 
||^^  ment,  and  which  now  contains  a  round  tower. 


several  crosses,  and  some  beautiful  abbey  ruins. 
Kilcullen,  or  Kilculleu  Bridge  (783),  is  prettily 
situated  on  the  Lilfey  near  the  southeast  margin 
of  the  county  ;  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  which 
is  Old  Kilcullen,  containing  the  ruins  of  a 
round  tower,  of  a  monastery,  and  of  some  old 
crosses,  the  remains  of  an  important  ecclesiasti- 
cal foundation.  Ballymore  Eustace  (629)  stands 
in  a  very  pretty  situation  on  the  Liffey,  two 
miles  below  Pollaphuca  waterfall. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  northeast  part  of  the  county,  viz., 
the  baronies  of  Salt,  Ikeathy  and  Oughteranny, 
Clane,  and  part  of  those  of  Naas  and  Connell, 
formed  the  ancient  Hy  Faelan.  Up  to  the  end 
of  the  12th  century  it  was  the  territory  of  the 
O'Byrnes,  who,  however,  were  about  that  time 
driven  out,  and  took  refuge  in  the  mountain 
districts  of  Wicklow,  where  they  afterward  be- 
came powerful. 

The  southern  half  of  the  county,  from  the  Hill 
of  Allen  southward  (excluding  the  two  baronies 
of  Offaly),  was  the  old  territory  of  Hy  Murray, 
which  had  Hy  Faelan  on  the  northeast,  Offaly 
on  the  northwest,  and  Leix  (see  Queens  County) 
on  the  west.  This  was  the  original  home  of  the 
O'Tooles,  who,  like  the  O'Byrnes,  were  driven 
out  by  the  Anglo-Normans  about  the  end  of 
the  12th  century,  and  settled  in  Wicklow,  in  the 
district  lying  round  the  Glen  of  Imaile,  near 
Ballinglass. 

The  two  baronies  of  East  and  West  Offaly  form 
a  portion  of  the  ancient  sub-kingdom  of  Offaly, 
which  also  included  a  portion  of  Kings  and 
Queens  counties.  That  part  of  Kildare  through 
which  the  Liffey  flows  was  formerly  called  Life 
or  Moy  Life,  the  river  dividing  it  into  East  Life 
and  West  Life.  From  this  plain  the  present 
name  was  given  to  the  Liffey,  whose  old  name 
was  Rurthach. 

In  this  county  there  were  anciently  three  royal 
residences.  The  kings  of  Leinster  lived  at  Naas 
till  the  10th  century,  and  the  great  high  mound 
beside  the  town  is  the  remnant  of  the  old  palace. 
Another  palace  of  the  Leinster  kings  (namely, 
Dun-Aillinne)  was  on  the  hill  of  Knockaulin, 
near  Kilcullen,  and  the  great  old  circular  fortifi- 
cation of  the  palace  still  surrounds  the  summit 
of  the  hill.  Perhaps  the  most  noted  of  the  three 
was  the  Hill  of  Allen,  anciently  called  Alma,  5 


KILDARE. 


miles  nortb  of  Kildare,  on  -svhich  was  the  resi- 
dence of  Finn  the  sou  of  Cuiual,  one  of  the  most 
celebrated  of  all  the  ancient  Irish  heroes.  The 
bill  is  now  rendered  verj^  conspicuous  by  a  tall 
pillar  on  its  summit,  in  the  erection  of  which 
the  vestiges  of  Finn's  old  palace  fort  were  nearly 


obliterated.  There  are  very  remarkable  forts 
also  at  Ardscull,  3  miles  northeast  of  Athy, 
and  at  Mullamast,  2|  miles  east  of  Ardscull, 
anciently  called  Maistean ;  these  great  forts 
are  the  remains  of  the  residences  of  kings  or 
chiefs. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


MAYNOOTH  COLLEGE.— This  celebrated 
institution  is  devoted  to  the  education  and  train- 
ing of  the  Irish  Catholic  priesthood.  About 
one-half  of  the  priests  of  Ireland,  and  many  in 
other  lands  have  passed  through  Maynooth. 
The  course  comprises  eight  years,  and  the 
system  and  high  standing  of  the  professors  make 
the  institution  the  peer  of  any  ecclesiastical 
establishment  in  Europe.  It  was  founded  in 
1795  by  the  Irish  Parliament,  not  so  much  as  an 
act  of  justice  or  generosity,  as  a  means  of  avert- 
ing by  home  education  the  evils  likely  to  arise 
to  Great  Britain  from  committing  the  education 
of  the  Irish  priesthood  to  foreign  teachers  on  the 
continent,  which  the  Irish  people  were  com- 
pelled to  do  previous  to  that  date.  But  the 
Maynooth  priests  did  not  turn  out  to  be  loyal- 
ists, as  was  confidently  expected.  The  jiresent 
edifice  was  erected  in  1846  from  designs  by 
Pugin.  In  1869,  by  the  Disestablishment  Act 
the  yearly  grant  of  £26,360  was  commuted  to  a 
capital  sum  of  £36,940,  which,  with  additional 
private  bequests,  suffices  to  conduct  the  institu- 
tion as  before. 

CASTLEDERMOT  ABBEY.— This  splendid 
relic  of  Irish  ecclesiastical  architecture  dates  its 
origin  from  about  the  year  800,  when  it  was 
built  by  Diarmid,  son  of  King  Aedh  Roin,  of 
Ulidia.  During  the  Danish  incursions  and  the 
Anglo-Norman  wars  it  was  repeatedly  plundered 
and  burned,  but  was  as  often  rebuilt  or  restored, 
until  the  year  1650,  when  it  was  partly  destroyed 
by  the  sacrilegious  Cromwellian  soldiery,  and  in 
the  turbulent  and  persecuting  period  that  fol- 


lowed, it  was  left  to  decay.  Yet  enough  of  the 
structure  remains  to  attest  its  former  splendor, 
the  archways  and  some  of  the  windows  still 
being  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation.  It  was  the 
home  of  the  Franciscans,  that  heroic  order  that 
during  the  penal  days  so  unflinchingly  braved 
the  sword  of  persecution,  and  faithfully  minis- 
tered to  the  Irish  Catholics.  There  are  many 
other  abbeys  and  remains  of  noted  structures  in 
the  county  of  Kildare,  around  which  storied 
memories  cling  as  thickly  as  the  ivy  that  covers 
their  walls. 

ROUND  TOWER  CASTLEDERMOT.  — 
This  illustration  presents  one  of  the  finest  speci- 
mens of  Ireland's  round  towers.  It  is  situated 
in  an  old  cemetery  near  a  chapel  and  the  ruins 
of  a  Norman  arch.  It  is  considered  by  an- 
tiquaries to  be  one  of  the  oldest  round  towers  in 
Ireland,  and  well  illustrates  the  lines : 

The  pillar  towers  of  Ireland,  how  wondrously  they  stand, 
By  the  lakes  and  rushing  rivers  through  the  valleys  of 
our  land, 

In  mystic  file  throughout  the  isle  they  lift  their  heads 
sublime; 

These  gray  old  pillar  temples,  these  conquerors  of  time. 
O,  may  they  stand  forever  while  one  symbol  doth  impart, 
To  the  mind  one  glorious  vision  or  one  proud  throb  to  the 
heart, 

While  the  breast  needeth  rest,  may  these  gray  temples  last. 
Bright  prophets  of  the  future,  as  preachers  of  the  past. 

Castledermot  possesses  many  other  relics  of 
antiquity. 

In  the  same  county  there  are  other  round 
towers  at  Kildare,  Killashee,  Oughterard,  Old 
Kilcullen  and  Taghodoe. 


KILKENNY. 


NAME. — The  citj-  of  Kilkenny,  which  gave 
name  to  the  count.v,  received  its  own  name  from 
a  church  founded  bj^  St.  Canice,  which  was 
called  Cill-Chainuigh,  the  church  of  St.  Canice. 
St.  Canice  was  abbot  of  Aghaboe  in  Queen's 
Countj',  where  he  had  his  ju'incipal  church ;  he 
died  in  the  year  598. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length 
north  and  south,  from  the  bend  of  the  Suir  at 
Moonveeu,  west  of  "Waterford  city,  to  the  north 
angle  of  the  county  near  the  village  of  Clogh, 
45  miles;  breadth  east  and  west,  from  the  Bar- 
row, near  Graiguenamanagh,  to  the  western 
boundary,  23  miles;  area  796  square  miles; 
population  99,531. 

SURFACE:  HILLS.— The  whole  north  mar- 
gin of  the  county  is  moderatelj'  upland  and  hilly. 
The  hills  that  occupy  the  barony  of  Fassadinin, 
and  the  north  of  the  barony  of  Gowran,  are  com- 
monly called  the  Castlecomer  Hills,  and  some- 
times the  Slievemargy  Hills,  from  the  adjacent 
barony  of  Slievemargy  in  Queens  County,  into 
which  they  extend.  But  though  the  elevations 
in  this  northern  part  of  the  county  are  sometimes 
up  to  1,000  feet  over  the  sea  level,  there  are  few 
or  no  conspicuous  hills  among  them,  as  they 
slope  very  gradually,  and  the  plain  on  which 
they  stand  is  itself  300  or  400  feet  above  the  sea 
level.  South  of  the  city  of  Kilkenny,  and  west 
of  the  Nore,  extends  a  great  plain  diversified 
with  gentle  undulations.  The  eastern  part  of 
the  county  south  of  the  Powerstown  Eiver,  and 
also  the  south  part,  including  the  baronies  of 
Iverk  and  Ida,  are  also  hilly  and  upland.  Near 
the  eastern  margin,  two  miles  south  of  Graigue- 
namanagh, is  Brandon  Hill  (1,G94),  the  highest 
elevation  in  the  whole  county.  The  two  series 
of  hills  covering  the  north  of  the  barony  of  Iverk, 
are  commonly  called  the  Booley  Hills.  All  this 
hilly  region  is  very  similar  in  character  to  the 
Castle-comer  and  Galmoy  districts  in  the  north. 

RIVERS. — The  Nore,  coming  from  Queens 
Couut3',  runs  through  Kilkenny  in  a  direction 
generally  toward  the  south-southeast,  and  pass- 
ing by  Ballyragget,  Kilkennj',  and  Thomastown, 


joins  the  Barrow  on  the  east  side,  2  miles  above 
New  Ross.  The  Barrow,  coming  from  Carlow, 
first  touches  Kilkenny  at  Duninga;  and  from 
that  south  to  where  it  enters  the  Suir  at  Snow- 
hill  House  (about  3G  miles  following  the  wind- 
ings) it  forms  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
county.  The  Suir,  coming  from  the  west,  first 
touches  the  southern  end  of  the  county  at  the 
mouth  of  Lingaun  River,  a  mile  below  Garrick- 
on-Suir;  and  from  that  to  the  junction  of  the 
Barrow  (about  22  miles  following  the  windings), 
it  forms  the  southern  boundary.  All  the  other 
rivers  are  tributaries,  either  immediately  or 
ultimately,  to  these  three. 

Tributaries  of  the  Nore  beginning  on  the 
north :  The  Owbeg,  coming  south  from  Queens 
County,  forms  the  boundary  between  Kilkenny 
and  Queens  County  for  the  last  3  miles  of  its 
course,  and  joins  the  Nore  2  miles  above  Ball.v- 
ragget,  receiving  the  Glashagal  just  above  the 
junction.  The  Dinin,  noted  for  its  floods 
(hence  the  name,  meaning  Vehement  River), 
comes  south  from  Queens  County,  and  passing 
by  Castlecomer,  joins  the  Nore  4  miles  above 
Kilkenny.  One  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Dinin, 
coming  from  Queens  County  and  Carlow  on  the 
east,  is  called  by  the  same  name,  Dinin ;  and 
this  Dinin  receives  from  the  south  the  Cool- 
cuUen,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  eastern  boun- 
dary. A  little  lower  down  there  are  two  other 
tributaries  (of  the  large  Dinin),  joining  at  oppo- 
site banks,  the  Muckalee  on  the  left  and  the 
Cloghagh  on  the  right.  Two  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Diniu,  the  Nore  is  joined  on  the 
other  bank  by  the  Nuenna,  flowing  from  the 
west  by  Freshford.  The  King's  Eiver,  flowing 
eastward  from  Tipperary  through  Callan  and 
Kells,  joins  the  Nore  4  miles  above  Thomastown : 
a  mile  above  Callin  the  King's  River  is  joined 
from  the  north  by  the  Muuster  River,  which  for 
the  greater  part  of  its  course  forms  the  boundary 
between  Kilkenny  and  Tipperary.  A  little  be- 
low Callan  the  King's  River  is  joined  by  the 
Owbeg  from  the  southwest,  and  near  Kells,  by 
the  Glory  River  from  the  south.    A  mile  above 


KILKENNY. 


Thomastown  the  Little  Arrigle  flows  iuto  the 
Nore  from  the  southwest;  and  3  miles  below  the 
same  town  the  Arrigle  from  the  south. 

The  tributaries  of  the  Barrow  (beside  the 
Nore)  from  the  Kilkenny  side,  are  the  Monefelim- 
and  the  Powerstown  River,  both  which  join 
the  main  stream  near  Gowran.  The  Kilkenny 
tributaries  of  the  Suir  are  the  Lingaun,  which 
comes  from  Tipiierary,  and  forming  the  boun- 
dary for  7  miles,  flows  into  the  Suir  2  miles  be- 
low Carrick;  and  the  Blackwater,  which,  pass- 
ing by  MuUinavat,  joins  the  Suir  a  mile  above 
the  city  of  Waterford.  The  Blackwater  is  joined 
near  Mullinavat  by  the  Pollanass,  from  the 
northeast. 

LAKES. — The  only  lake  in  the  county  is  the 
small  Lough  Cullen,  near  the  southern  extrem- 
ity, 3  miles  north  from  Waterford;  which  is 
only  remarkable  for  the  numerous  legends  in 
connection  with  it. 

TOWNS.— The  city  of  Kilkenny  (12,299),  on 
the  Nore,  the  assize  town,  may  be  called  the  in- 
land capital  of  L'eland.  It  has  been  from  the 
earliest  times  a  place  of  importance,  both  as  re- 
gards eccelsiastical  and  civil  affairs,  and  it  is  one 
of  the  most  beautifully-built  and  one  of  the  most 
interesting  towns  in  Ireland.  It  contains  a 
round  tower  and  many  other  fine  ecclesiastical 
ruins,  and  also  Kilkenny  Castle,  the  seat  of  the 
great  family  of  Butler  or  Ormand,  beautifully 
situated  on  the  margin  of  the  Nore. 

Beside  Kilkenny,  the  towns  on  the  Nore  are 
the  following:  (beginning  on  the  north)  Bally- 
ragget  (741),  which  took  its  rise  from  the  castle 
built  by  the  Butlers  in  the  15th  century,  the 
ruins  of  which  yet  remain.  Thomastown  (1,067), 
in  a  beautiful  spot  on  the  convex  side  of  a  bend 
of  the  river,  with  several  castle  and  abbej'  ruins. 
A  mile  and  a  half  above  the  town,  near  the  point 
of  junction  of  the  Arrigle  with  the  Nore,  is 
Jerpoint  Abbey,  erected  in  the  12th  century 
-  by  Donogh  MacGillapatrick,  king  of  Ossory,  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  ecclesiastical  ruins  in  Ire- 
land. About  three  miles  north  of  Thomastown 
are  the  round  tower  and  church  ruins  of  Tulla- 
herin;  the  tower  very  well  preserved,  but  with- 
out the  conical  cap.  Inistioge  (570),  is  a  neat 
town  in  a  lovely  narrow  valley  along  the  Nore. 
Freshford  (733),  is  on  the  Nuenna. 

On  the  King's  River,  near  the  western  margin 


of  the  county,  is  Callan  (2,340)  with  its  fine 
abbej^  ruins ;  east  of  Callan,  near  the  village  of 
Kells,  is  the  round  tower  of  Kilree,  with  an  old 
Celtic  cross  beside  it.  At  Kells  itself  are  the 
fine  remains  of  a  priory,  founded  in  1183  by 
Geoffrey  Fitz  Robert.  Further  north  on  this 
west  margin  is  Urlingford  (847) ;  two  miles 
northeast  of  this  is  Johnstown  (456),  near  which 
is  the  once  celebrated  Ballyspellau  Spa. 

In  the  north,  on  the  river  Dinin,  is  Castle- 
comer  (1,182).  Graiguenamanagh  (1,172),  at 
the  eastern  margin,  stands  in  the  midst  of  hills, 
in  a  beautiful  situation  on  the  Barrow,  with  fine 
abbey  and  castle  ruins.  Higher  up  on  the  Bar- 
row is  the  village  of  Goresbridge  (501);  three 
miles  west  of  which  is  Gowran  (618).  In  the 
south,  Mullinavat  (399)  stands  on  the  Black- 
water;  and  the  barony  of  Iverk  is  studded  with 
little  villages,  the  chief  of  which  are  Mooncoin 
(644),  and  Pilltown  (396). 

MINERALS.— The  great  Leinster  coal  field 
extends  into  Kilkenny,  and  occupies  the  greater 
part  of  the  barony  of  Fassadinin  and  the  north 
margin  of  the  barony  of  Gowran.  The  limestone 
which  occupies  the  great  central  plain  of  the 
county  becomes  a  fine  black  marble  in  the  dis- 
trict lying  round  the  city  of  Kilkenny.  This 
"Kilkenny  marble"  is  richly  variegated  with 
fossil  shells;  it  is  quarried  extensively  in  great 
blocks,  which  are  manufactured  into  chimney 
pieces,  tombstones,  and  various  kinds  of  archi- 
tectural ornamental  work. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  greater  part  of  the  county  Kil- 
kenny was  included  in  the  ancient  sub-kingdom 
of  Ossory.  The  old  district  of  Hy  Duach  was 
coextensive  with  the  present  barony  of  Fassadi- 
nin. The  present  village  of  Rosbercon,  on  the 
Barrow,  retains  the  name  of  the  old  territory  or 
barony  of  Hy  Bercon,  which  lay  west  of  the  Bar- 
row, and  comprised  a  good  part  of  the  present 
barony  of  Ida;  and  the  southern  part  of  Ida  was 
the  old  barony  of  Igrine.  The  barony  of  Ida 
itself  represents  the  old  territory  of  Ui-Deag- 
haigh;  and  the  barony  of  Iverk  is  the  ancient 
district  of  Hy-Erc. 

About  two  miles  below  Ballyragget,  on  the 
Nore,  was  situated  a  wooded  district  called  in 
ancient  times  Arget-ros,  or  Silver-wood.  It  was 
here,  according  to  the  bardic  history,  that  Enna 


KILKENNY. 


the  Spoiler,  one  of  the  very  early  kings  of  Ire- 
land, luade  silver  shields,  and  distributed  them 
among  his  chiefs.  In  this  district  also,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Nore,  in  the  parish  of  Eathbeagh, 
Eber  and  Eremon,  the  two  first  kings  of  Ireland 


of  the  Milesian  colony,  erected  a  fort,  in  which 
Eremon  afterward  died.  This  fort,  which  -was 
called  Eathbeagh  or  Rathveagh,  still  remains;  it 
is  well  known  by  its  old  name,  and  it  has  given 
the  name  of  Eathbeagh  to  the  parish. 


ST.  CANICE'S  CATHEDEAL.— This  is  one 
of  the  most  imposing  ecclesiastical  structures  in 
Ireland.  Although  among  Irish  churches,  in- 
ferior in  size  only  to  Christ  Church  and  St. 
Patrick's,  Dublin,  it  possesses  a  lightness  and 
grace  rarely  found  in  buildings  of  its  capacitj'. 
Acording  to  "\\'are  it  was  founded  about  the  year 
1180  hy  Bishop  O'Dullany,  who  transferred  the 
old  see  of  Ossory  f rom  Aghadoe  to  Kilkenny,  and 
was  not  completed  until  two  centuries  later.  It 
is  said  to  have  been  erected  on  the  site  of  a 
building  coeval  with  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity into  Ireland,  and  derives  its  name  from 
Cauice  or  Canicus,  a  holy  man,  who  built  a  cell 
near  the  spot.  The  church  is  cruciform  in  shape, 
and  is  226  feet  in  length  and  123  feet  in  breadth. 
In  architecture  and  ornamentation  it  is  a  splen- 
did type  of  mediaeval  art ;  but  bears  the  marks 
of  the  iconoclastic  Cromwellians  in  1650.  It 
has  been  in  a  great  measure  restored.  Within  a 
few  feet  of  the  church  stands  a  round  tower  108 
feet  high  and  40  feet  in  circumference. 

ST.  KIERNAN'S  COLLEGE.— This  splendid 
structure  is  one  of  the  finest  of  modern  Irish  in- 
stitutions of  learning.  The  saint  whose  name  it 
bears  is  said  to  have  pi-eceded  St.  Patrick  in  his 
mission  by  thirty  years,  and  to  have  been  the 
first  to  preach  the  Christian  faith  in  Ireland. 
He  is  also  said  to  have  been  the  founder  of  the 
see  of  Ossorj',  early  in  the  5th  century,  at  a 
place  call  Sagir,  in  the  Kings  County.     The  | 


chair  of  St.  Kiernan,  a  curious  stone  seat,  stands 
in  the  north  transept  of  the  old  cathedral  of  St. 
Canice.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  city  in  Ireland 
that  contains  so  many  interesting,  striking,  and 
picturesque  ruins  as  Kilkenny,  or  that  has  been 
the  scene  of  more  important  historical  events. 
For  many  years  it  was  the  capital  of  the  English 
Pale,  and  many  iiarliaments  were  held  there 
from  1309  down,  noted  chiefly  for  the  atrocious 
laws  enacted  against  the  native  Irish. 

EUINS  AT  KELLS.— Kells,  a  place  of  great 
antiquity,  though  now  reduced  to  a  small  hamlet, 
is  situated  on  the  Kings  Eiver.  Its  i-uins  of 
churches  and  castles,  however,  strikingly  attest 
its  former  importance.  It  was  founded  by 
Geoffrey  Fitz-Eobert,  one  of  Strongbow's  fol- 
lowers, as  a  point  of  vantage  to  resist  the  Tip- 
perary  clans,  who  for  a  long  period  gave  the 
invader  no  peace.  This  invadei',  like  many 
other  of  the  Anglo-Norman  intruders  of  the  time, 
was  pious  enough  to  build  a  monastery  in  1183, 
on  the  land  of  which  he  had  despoiled  the  native 
owners.  He  filled  the  priory  with  monks  from 
Cornwall,  and  endowed  it  with  large  possessions. 
The  prior  was  a  lord  of  parliament,  and  the 
establishment  over  which  he  presided  was  one  of 
the  largest  and  richest  of  the  period,  as  may  be 
seen  in  the  extent  of  its  ruins  to-day.  It  was 
dissolved  by  Henry  VIII.  in  the  thirty-first  year 
of  his  reign.  The  whole  district  is  dotted  with 
antiquities,  many  of  them  in  a  perfect  condition. 


RUINS  AT  KETXS.  KILKENNY. 


KINGS. 


NAME. — Kings  County  and  Queens  County 
were  formed  into  sbire  ground  in  the  reign  of 
Philip  and  Mary,  and  received  their  present 
names  in  honor  of  the  king  and  queen. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— The  county  is 
irregular  and  broken  in  shape,  and  it  is  not  easy 
to  fix  on  suitable  dimensions.  Greatest  length 
from  the  Ollatrim  River  near  Moneygall,  at  the 
southwestern  corner,  to  the  boundary  near 
Edenderry  in  the  northeast,  52  miles  (but  the 
straight  line  between  these  extreme  points 
falls,  for  about  halfway,  outside  the  countj^) ; 
breadth  from  Clonmacnoise  on  the  Shannon  to 
the  boundary  near  Frankford,  19  miles,  or  from 
Banagher  to  Arderin  mountain,  17  miles;  area 
772  square  miles;  population,  72,852. 

SURFACE. — The  east  margin  of  the  great 
southwestern  projection  is  mountainous  or  up- 
land; in  the  barony  of  lower  Philipstown  in  the 
north  there  are  a  few  inconsiderable  hills.  All 
the  rest  of  the  county  is  flat,  and  much  of  it, 
especially  in  the  northwest,  flat  without  any 
relief  whatever.  A  considerable  part  of  the  Bog 
of  Allen  belongs  to  Kings  County;  and  bogs 
and  morasses — some  small,  some  stretching  for 
miles — cover  a  large  area  of  the  county.  The 
eastern  projection  and  the  barony  of  Garrycastle, 
in  the  west,  are  particulary  distinguished  by  the 
prevalence  of  flat  bogs  and  fens. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— A  considerable 
section  of  the  Slieve  Bloom  Mountains  lies 
within  the  boundary  of  this  county,  in  the 
baronj'  of  Ballybritt;  of  which  the  chief  sum- 
mits are  Arderin  (1,733),  on  the  boundary  of 
Queens  County,  the  highest  of  the  Slieve  Bloom 
range;  under  which  on  the  north  side  is  the 
deep  Gap  of  Glendine,  one  of  the  two  passes 
leading  across  the  range. 

(See  Queens  County,  for  another  pass.)  Two 
miles  southwest  of  Arderin  is  Farbreague  (1,411), 
also  on  the  boundary.  Knocknaman  (1,113), 
standing  on  the  west,  detached  from  the  general 
range,  rises  over  the  village  of  Kinnitty;  and 
between  this  and    Arderin  lies  Carroll's  Hill 


(1,584).  Northeast  of  these,  Wolftrap  (1,584) 
stands  on  the  boundary ;  and  near  it  on  the 
northwest  is  Spink  (1,087). 

The  rest  of  the  county  is  such  a  dead  level  that 
trifling  elevations  count  as  remarkable  hills. 
Croghan  Hill  (769)  in  the  north  of  the  county,  4 
miles  north  of  Philipstown,  rising  quite  detached 
in  the  midst  of  the  great  plain,  is  a  conspicuous 
object,  and  affords  an  immense  view  from  its 
summit. 

RIVERS.— The  Shannon  forms  the  western 
boundary  for  23  miles.  The  Little  Brosna,  com- 
ing from  Tipperary,  runs  to  the  northwest 
through  the  southwestern  extremity  of  the  coun- 
ty for  7  miles,  after  which  it  forms  the  boun- 
dary with  Tipperary  for  13  miles  till  it  falls  into 
the  Shannon.  Its  chief  head-water,  the  Bunow, 
which  flows  across  the  corner  of  Tipperarj'  by 
Roscrea,  rises  in  Kings  County,  northeast  of 
Roscrea,  and  draws  some  of  its  head  feeders  from 
Queens  County.  The  Barrow,  flowing  easterly, 
forms  the  south  boundary  of  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity for  9  miles,  excei)t  at  the  middle  of  this  space 
— at  Portarlington — where  a  corner  of  Queens 
County  projects  northward  to  the  other  side  of 
the  river.  In  the  northeast,  the  Boyne,  coming 
from  the  east  (from  Kildare),  forms  the  boun- 
darj'  for  nearly  4  miles.  West  of  this  the  Yellow 
River,  coming  from  the  interior  of  Kings 
County,  and  joining  the  Boyne,  forms  the  boun- 
dary for  the  last  3  miles  of  its  course;  and  west 
of  this  again  the  Mongagh  (which  joins  the 
Yellow  River)  is  the  boundarj'  for  5  or  6  miles. 
The  southwest  corner  is  bounded  and  separated 
from  Tipperary  for  2|  miles  hy  the  Ollatrim 
River.  All  the  streams  of  the  interior  of  the 
county  are  tributaries,  either  immediately  or  re- 
motely to  the  foregoing. 

In  the  northwest  the  Blackwater  drains  a 
large  area  of  the  bogs  of  the  barony  of  Garry- 
castle, and  joins  the  Shannon  3  miles  below 
Shannon  Bridge.  A  little  south  of  this  the 
Brosna,  coming  from  Westmeath,  flows  toward 
the  southwest  through  Kings  County  for  about 


KINGS. 


26  miles,  passing  by  Clara  and  Ferbane,  and 
joins  the  Shannon  near  Shannon  Bridge,  2  miles 
above  Banagher.  The  Brosna  has  the  following 
affluents  belonging  wholly  or  partly  to  this 
county :  The  Gageborough  River,  coming  from 
the  north,  joins  just  a  mile  below  Clara.  The 
Clodiagh,  coming  from  Queens  County,  enters 
Kings  County  at  Monettia  Bog,  and  flowing- 
northwest  joins  the  Brosna  2  miles  below  Bally- 
cumber.  The  Clodiagh  itself  is  joined  by  the 
Tullamore  River,  which  flows  west  through  Tul- 
lamore  and  joins  two  miles  below  the  town,  and 
by  the  Silver  River,  from  the  northeast,  which 
joins  the  Clodiagh  a  little  above  the  mouth  of 
the  latter.  Another  Silver  River  flows  from  the 
Slieve  Bloom  Mountains,  first  westerly  through 
JFrankford  and  then  northward,  and  joins  the 
Brosna  a  little  above  Ferbane ;  and  the  Boora, 
running  northward  from  Lough  Boora,  also  joins 
the  Brosna  2  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Silver 
River. 

In  the  extreme  south,  the  Camcor  flows  west- 
ward from  Slieve  Bloom  through  Birr  or  Par- 
sonstown,  and  joins  the  Little  Brosna  half  a  mile 
below  the  town.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  county, 
the  Figile  flows  southward  through  Clonbulloge ; 
then  crossing  a  corner  of  Kildare,  forms  for  a 
little  way  the  boundary  between  Kings  County 
and  Kildare,  till  it  joins  the  Barrow  near  Monas- 
terevin.  The  Figile  is  joined  from  the  west  by  the 
Cushina  (which  flows  first  through  Kings  County 
and  afterward  forms  the  boundary  for  3  miles 
between  it  and  Kildare),  and  from  the  east  by 
the  Slate  River,  coming  from  Kildare.  Higher 
up  the  Philipstown  River  flows  eastward  through 
Philipstown  and  joins  the  Figile  at  Clonbulloge. 

LAKES. — Lough  Boora,  half  a  mile  in  length, 
lies  a  little  north  of  Frankford;  Lough  Coura 
lies  nearly  midway  between  this  and  Birr,  and  is 
about  a  mile  in  length ;  Lough  Annaghmore  is 
on  the  boundary,  east  of  Frankford,  and  is  about 
the  same  size  as  the  last;  Pallas  Lough,  north- 
east of  Frankford,  is  a  mile  in  length,  and  very 
narrow;  Lough  Fin,  nearly  circular,  and  half  a 
mile  across,  lies  near  the  Shannon  at  the  north- 
western boundary. 

TOWNS.— Tullamore  (5,098),  on  the  Tulla- 
more River,  the  assise  town,  is  an  excellent  busi- 
ness center:  east  of  which  is  Philipstown  (829), 
on  the  Grand  Canal,  and  near  the  Philipstown 


River.  Birr  or  Parsonstown  (4,955)  stands  on 
the  Camcor  River,  just  where  it  enters  the  Little 
Brosna;  beside  it  stands  Parsonstown  Castle, 
where  are  some  of  the  finest  reflecting  telescopes 
in  the  world,  erected  by  Lord  Ross.  Edenderry 
(1,555)  is  on  the  east  margin,  near  the  Boyne, 
and  not  far  from  the  northeast  extremity  of  a 
branch  of  the  Bog  of  Allen ;  and  on  the  Shannon, 
in  the  west,  is  Banagher  (1,192).  Clara  (956), 
in  the  north  of  the  county,  is  watered  by  the 
Brosna;  Frankford  (559)  lies  near  the  middle  of 
the  southeast  boundary,  on  the  Silver  River.  In 
the  southwest  projection  is  Shinrone  (448),  and 
near  the  very  extremity,  just  beside  the  boun- 
dary of  Tipperary,  is  Monegall  (376).  That 
portion  of  Portarlington  lying  in  Kings  County 
contains  a  population  of  842. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.—The  old  territory  of  Ely  O 'Carroll— 
the  inheritance  of  the  O'Carrolls — included  the 
southwest  portion  of  this  county,  viz.,  the  baro- 
nies of  Ballybritt  and  Conlisk ;  but  it  also  ex- 
tended into  Tipperary.  This  whole  territory 
was  in  old  times  counted  part  of  Munster,  though 
the  Kings  County  portion  of  it  is  now  in 
Leinster.  A  part  of  Ely  O 'Carroll — coextensive 
with  the  barony  of  Ballybritt — was  called  Kinel 
Farga,  and  was  held  by  the  O 'Flanagans. 

The  old  district  of  Fircall  included  the  pres- 
ent baronies  of  Eglish,  Balb'boy,  and  Bally- 
cowan.  It  was  the  territory  of  the  O'Molloys, 
and  was  included  in  the  ancient  i^rovince  of 
Meath.  There  were  several  territories  called 
Delvin  in  different  parts  of  Leinster  and  Con- 
naught;  one  of  which,  Delvin-Ethra  or  Delvin- 
Mac  Coghlan,  was  in  this  county;  it  was  nearly 
coextensive  with  the  baronj'  of  Garrycastle,  and 
was  the  patrimony  of  the  family  of  Mac  Coghlan. 
The  barony  of  Kilcoursey  was  the  old  Munter- 
Tagan,  the  district  of  the  O'Caharneys,  Sinachs, 
or  Foxes.  The  barony  of  Upper  Philipstown 
formed  part  of  Clanmaliere,  the  country  of  the 
O'Dempseys,  which  also  extended  into  Queens 
County. 

On  a  high  bank  over  the  Shannon,  9  miles  be- 
low Athlone,  is  Clonmacnoise,  one  of  the  great- 
est, if  not  the  very  greatest,  of  all  the  ancient 
religious  establishments  of  Ireland.  It  was 
founded  by  St.  Ciaran  (or  Kieran)  in  the  6th 
century,  and  flourished  for  many  ages  afterward. 


KINGS. 


It  was  adopted  as  the  burying  place  of  the  kings 
of  Ireland  belonging  to  the  southern  Hy  Neill 
race ;  and  numberless  kings  and  chiefs  retired  to 
it  to  spend  their  old  age  in  meditation  and 
prayer.    Even  to  this  day  it  is  the  most  cele- 


brated and  the  most  frequently  used  of  all  the 
ancient  cemeteries  of  Ireland.  It  contains  the 
ruins  of  many  churches  (popularly  called  the 
"Seven  Churches"),  two  round  towers,  old 
crosses,  and  many  ancient  tombs. 


ILLXISTRA^TIOISr. 


BIRR  CASTLE.— This  edifice  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  in  Ireland  from  its  romantic 
and  historical  associations.  Birr  derives  its 
name  from  Biorra,  an  ancient  abbey,  founded  by 
St.  Brendan.  A  great  battle  was  fought  there 
in  the  3d  century  between  Cormac,  son  of  Con 
of  the  Hundred  Battles  and  the  people  of  Mun- 
ster.  The  district  originally  formed  a  part  of 
Ely  O'CarroU,  and  the  castle  was  the  seat  of  the 
O'Carroll  chieftains.  It  was  "granted"  by  King 
Henry  II.  to  Philip  de  Worcester,  but  its  owners 
defended  their  territory  so  vigorously  and  per- 
sistently that  it  frequently  alternated  between 


its  English  and  Irish  masters.  It  was  not  in- 
cluded in  Kings  County  until  the  reign  of  James 
I.  That  monarch  assigned  it  to  Laurence  Par- 
sons, brother  of  Sir  "William  Parsons,  surgeon- 
general.  Cromwell  attacked  it,  and  his  son-in- 
law  Ireton  took  it  in  1650,  and  it  was  again 
beseiged  in  the  Jacobite  war  of  1688-90.  It  has 
been  noted  in  recent  years  as  the  residence  of 
the  Earl  of  Ross — ^descendant  of  the  Parsons — 
famed  for  his  astronomical  pursuits,  and  his 
great  reflecting  telescope.  The  castle  has  been 
renovated  so  often  that  it  is  practically  a  modern 
structure. 


0  rc  D 


LEITRIM. 


NAME. — The  county  took  its  name  from  the 
village  of  Leitrim,  near  the  Shannon,  4  miles 
above  Carrick-on-Shannon.  The  Gaelic  form  of 
the  name  is  Liath-druim  (pron.  Leedrim),  sig- 
nifying gray  ridge  (liath,  grey ;  druim,  a  ridge 
or  long  hill) ;  and  there  are  more  than  forty 
places  of  the  name  in  Ireland. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— The  county 
consists  of  two  parts,  almost  wholly  separated 
from  one  another  by  Lough  Allen.  The  north- 
west part  touches  the  sea,  having  a  coast  of  2^ 
miles  on  Donegal  Bay.  The  greatest  length  of 
the  two  parts  taken  together,  from  Donegal  Bay 
to  the  southern  extremity  near  Drumlish  in 
Longford,  is  51  miles;  breadth  of  the  northwest 
part,  from  the  boundary  near  Ballintogher  in 
Sligo  to  Upper  Lough  Macnean,  17  miles; 
breadth  of  the  southeast  part,  from  Lough 
Boderg  to  the  boundary  near  Killygar,  18  miles; 
area,  613  square  miles;  population,  90,372. 

SUEFACE.— The  northern  half  of  the  county 
is  all  mountainous  or  hilly,  with  the  exception  of 
a  narrow  east-and-west  belt  extending  in  breadth 
from  Donegal  Bay  to  Lough  Melvin  and  the  river 
Duff.  The  north  part  of  the  other  half,  viz. ,  that 
part  east  of  Lough  Allen,  is  mountainous,  being 
occupied  hy  a  portion  of  that  mountain  group 
that  covers  also  the  northwest  projection  of 
Cavan.  The  south  part,  viz.,  the  barony  of 
Mohill,  and  the  southern  portions  of  the  baro- 
nies of  Carrigallen  and  Leitrim,  is  moderately 
level,  but  in  many  places  it  is  interrupted  by 
low  heights  and  ridges. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  most  re- 
markable mountain  in  the  whole  county  is  Slieve 
Anierin  (1,922),  whose  summit  is  2|  miles  east 
of  the  shore  of  Lough  Allen ;  a  little  northeast  of 
which  is  Bencroy  (1,707).  Slievenakilla  (1,793), 
east  of  the  head  of  Lough  Allen,  stands  on  the 
boundary  with  Cavan.  In  the  northwest  portion 
of  the  county  there  is  an  endless  succession  of 
summits  of  all  heights  up  to  1,700  feet.  Two 
miles  west  of  Manorhamilton  is  the  conspicuous 


mountain  of  Benbo  (1,365).  The  summit  of 
Truskmore  (2,113)  is  in  Sligo,  but  a  part  of  its 
eastern  slope  extends  into  Leitrim. 

KIVERS. — The  Shannon,  coming  from  Cavan, 
forms  the  boundary  for  a  mile  and  a  half ;  then 
crossing  the  narrow  neck  connecting  the  two 
parts  of  Leitirm  for  another  mile  and  a  half,  it 
enters  Lough  Allen;  and  from  that  down  to 
a  point  a  little  below  Eoosky,  a  distance  of  about 
35  miles  (following  the  larger  windings)  it  forms 
the  western  boundary  of  the  county.  On  the 
northeast,  the  stream  flowing  from  Upper  Lough 
Macnean  to  Lough  Melvin — called  the  Kilcoo 
River  in  the  lower  half  of  its  course — forms  the 
boundary  between  Leitrim  and  Fermanagh. 
The  river  Drowes  has  a  course  of  4  miles  from 
Lough  Melvin  to  Donegal  Bay,  the  first  mile  of 
which  is  in  Leitrim,  and  the  last  three  is  the 
boundary  between  Leitrim  and  Donegal.  This 
little  river  is  mentioned  in  Gaelic  records  as 
having  from  the  most  ancient  times  separated 
Connaught  from  Ulster,  and  it  still  continues  the 
boundary  between  the  two  provinces.  The  Kiico 
River  receives  the  Lattone  from  the  Leitrim  side ; 
and  near  it  on  the  west  are  the  Ballagh  River 
and  Glenaniff  River,  both  flowing  into  the  head 
of  Lough  Melvin.  North  of  Lough  Melvin, 
the  Bradoge,  flowing  to  the  west  from  Ferma- 
nagh, forms  for  2  miles  the  boundary  between 
Leitrim  and  Donegal,  after  which  it  enters 
Dongel.  In  the  extreme  northwest  the  Duff 
(called  the  Black  River  in  the  early  part  of  its 
course),  forms  the  boundary  between  Leitrim 
and  Sligo  for  2  miles;  then  crosses  Leitrim  for  2 
miles ;  and  lastly,  forms  again  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  same  two  counties  for  a  mile,  till  it 
enters  Donegal  Bay.  South  of  this  the  Diffreen 
runs  west  into  Glencar  Lake. 

The  Bonet  rises  in  Glenade  Lake,  in  the 
barony  of  Rosclogher,  and  flows  first  southeast 
through  Glenade,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  val- 
leys in  the  whole  district;  then  gradually  curv- 
ing,  it  passes  by  Drumahaire  and   falls  into 


LEITRIM. 


Lough  Gill,  flowing  through  a  succession  of 
lovelj'  landscapes  through  its  whole  course. 
The  Owenmore  or  Seardan  passes  through  Man- 
orhaiuiltou,  and  falls  into  the  Bouet  a  mile  below 
the  town. 

To  the  north  of  Lough  Allen  the  Owenayle, 
flowing  southward,  forms  the  eastern  boundary 
(between  Leitrim  and  Cavan)  for  4|  miles  till  it 
falls  into  Shannon.  The  Yellow  Kiver  rises  in 
the  glens  between  Bencroy  and  Slievenakila,  and 
flows  westward  into  Lough  Allen ;  and  the  Stony 
River  runs  down  the  side  of  Slieve  Anierin  into 
the  same  lake.  On  the  west  side.  Lough  Allen 
receives  the  Diffagher  Eiver  and  the  Owengar, 
which  unite  and  flow  into  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  lake.  The  Arigna  flows  to  the  southeast 
for  several  miles  on  the  boundary  between  Lei- 
trim and  Sligo,  after  which  it  enters  the  county 
Eoscommon,  and  ultimately  falls  into  the  Shan- 
non where  it  issues  from  Lough  Allen.  South- 
east of  Lough  Allen,  the  Aghacashlaun  flows 
southward  down  the  slopes  of  Bencroy  Mountain 
and  into  Lough  Scur,  the  overflow  of  which  is 
poured  into  the  Shannon  at  the  village  of  Lei- 
trim. Near  this  on  the  east,  the  Yellow  Kiver 
flows  south  and  east,  by  the  village  of  Ballina- 
more  into  Garadice  Lough. 

LAKES. — Leitrim,  like  the  neighboring  coun- 
ties of  Fermanagh,  Cavan,  and  Eoscommon,  is 
dotted  all  over  with  lakes.  Lough  Allen,  in  the 
middle  (a  small  part  of  which  belongs  to  Eos- 
common), is  8^  miles  long  and  3  miles  broad  at 
its  north  or  widest  end.  It  is  nearly  surrounded 
with  hills,  so  that  it  occupies  the  bottom  of  a 
basin,  down  the  slopes  of  which  rivers  pour  into 
the  lake  from  every  side. 

The  following  lakes  lie  round  the  margin  of 
the  county,  beginning  on  the  north  and  going 
from  left  to  right:  Lough  Melvin  and  Upper 
Lough  Macnean  have  been  spoken  of  in  Fer- 
managh; Derrycassan  Lake  (part  of  which  be- 
longs to  Cavan),  from  which  the  Woodford  Eiver 
in  Cavan  issues;  Glasshouse  Lake,  also  on  the 
boundary  with  Cavan.  Passing  over  several 
small  lakes  we  come  to  those  on  the  Shannon, 
viz..  Lough  Bofin  and  Lough  Boderg.  Lastly, 
Lough  Gill,  Glencar  Lake,  and  Cloonty  Lake, 
all  which  are  mentioned  in  Sligo. 

The  chief  lakes  in  the  interior  are:  in  the 
north  part  of  the  county  the  lovely  Glenade 


Lake,  a  little  over  a  mile  in  length,  occupying 
the  head  of  a  fine  valle3',  which  is  traversed  by 
the  Bouet  Eiver  issuing  from  the  lake.  The 
small  lake  of  Munakill  lies  near  Manorhamilton; 
and  the  larger  lake  of  Belhavel  is  east  of  Druma- 
haire.  In  the  interior  of  the  southern  part  of 
the  county,  Garadice  Lough,  or  Lough  Finvoy, 
a  very  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  2^  miles  in 
length,  lies  near  the  east  margin.  Lough  Einn, 
near  Mohill,  is  3  miles  in  length ;  Lough  Scur, 
a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  the  smaller  lake  of 
Carrickaport,  both  lie  southeast  of  Drumshambo; 
east  of  these  is  the  irregularly  shaped  St.  John's 
Lake,  about  2  miles  in  length.  The  small  lakes 
scattered  over  this  southern  portion  of  the  county 
are  numerous  beyond  description. 

TOWNS.— Carrick-on-Shannon  (1,384),  the 
assize  town,  Mohill  (1,117),  and  Ballinamore 
(526),  are  all  in  the  southern  division  of  the 
county.  In  the  center  of  the  northern  division 
is  Manorhamilton  (1,225),  standing  in  the  midst 
of  a  lovely  country ;  and  at  the  south  corner  of 
Lough  Allen  is  Drumshanbo  (544). 

MINEEALS. — Lough  Allen  occupies  the  cen- 
ter of  the  great  Connaught  coal  district,  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  which  belongs  to  Leitrim. 
There  are  coal  pits  in  several  places  round  the 
lake,  especially  at  and  near  Slieve  Anierin,  the 
coal  being  raised  for  smelting  purposes.  What 
is  called  the  Arigna  iron  district  belongs  partly 
to  Leitrim,  and  partly  to  the  county  Eoscom- 
mon. Iron  ore  abounds  on  Slieve  Anierin,  and 
the  mines  were  worked  for  a  long  period.  The 
vei-y  name  of  the  mountain  shows  that  the  pres- 
ence of  iron  was  known  ages  ago,  when  the  name 
was  imposed;  for  Slieve-an-ierin  signifies  the 
"Mountain  of  ii'on. " 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— This  county  was  formerly  called  Brefny 
O'Eourke;  it  was  the  priucipalitj^  of  the 
O'Eourkes,  and  from  the  same  family  the  village 
of  Drumahaire  was  often  called  Bally -O'Eourke. 
Brefny  O'Eourke  included  also  a  part  of  the 
northwest  extremity  of  Cavan.  The  barony  of 
Eosclogher  was  formerly,  and  is  still,  known  by 
the  name  of  ■  Dartrj' ;  and  was  possessed  by  the 
family  of  Mac  Clancy.  ■  The  southern  or  level 
part  of  the  county,  the  territory  of  the  Mac 
Eannalls,  or  Eeynolds,  was  called  Moy  Eein,  and 
often  Munter  Eolais. 


LEITRIM. 


Lougli  Gill,  flowiug  through  a  succession  of 
lovely  landscapes  through  its  -whole  course. 
The  Owenmore  or  Seartlan  passes  through  Man- 
orhamiltou,  and  falls  into  the  Bonet  a  mile  below 
the  town. 

To  the  north  of  Lough  Allen  the  Owenayle, 
flowing  southward,  forms  the  eastern  boundary 
(between  Leitrim  and  Cavan)  for  4^  miles  till  it 
falls  into  Shannon.  The  Yellow  River  rises  in 
the  glens  between  Bencroy  and  Slievenakila,  and 
flows  westward  into  Lough  Allen ;  and  the  Stony 
Eiver  runs  down  the  side  of  Slieve  Auierin  into 
the  same  lake.  On  the  west  side.  Lough  Allen 
receives  the  Diffagher  Eiver  and  the  Ovvengar, 
which  unite  and  flow  into  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  lake.  The  Arigna  flows  to  the  southeast 
for  several  miles  on  the  boundary  between  Lei- 
trim and  Sligo,  after  which  it  enters  the  county 
Roscommon,  and  ultimately  falls  into  the  Shan- 
non where  it  issues  from  Lough  Allen.  South- 
east of  Lough  Allen,  the  Aghacashlaun  flows 
southward  down  the  slopes  of  Bencroy  Mountain 
and  into  Lough  Scur,  the  overflow  of  which  is 
poured  into  the  Shannon  at  the  village  of  Lei- 
trim. Near  this  on  the  east,  the  Yellow  River 
flows  south  and  east,  by  the  village  of  Ballina- 
more  into  Garadice  Lough. 

LAKES. — Leitrim,  like  the  neighboring  coun- 
ties of  Fermanagh,  Cavan,  and  Roscommon,  is 
dotted  all  over  with  lakes.  Lough  Allen,  in  the 
middle  (a  small  part  of  which  belongs  to  Ros- 
common), is  8|  miles  long  and  3  miles  broad  at 
its  north  or  widest  end.  It  is  nearly  surrounded 
with  hills,  so  that  it  occupies  the  bottom  of  a 
basin,  down  the  slopes  of  which  rivers  pour  into 
the  lake  from  every  side. 

The  following  lakes  lie  round  the  margin  of 
the  county,  beginning  on  the  north  and  going 
from  left  to  right:  Lough  Melvin  and  Upper 
Lough  Macnean  have  been  spoken  of  in  Fer- 
managh; Derrycassan  Lake  (part  of  which  be- 
longs to  Cavan),  from  which  the  Woodford  River 
in  Cavan  issues;  Glasshouse  Lake,  also  on  the 
boundary  with  Cavan.  Passing  over  several 
small  lakes  we  come  to  those  on  the  Shannon, 
viz.,  Lough  Bofin  and  Lough  Boderg.  Lastly, 
Lough  Gill,  Glencar  Lake,  and  Cloonty  Lake, 
all  which  are  mentioned  in  Sligo. 

The  chief  lakes  in  the  interior  are:  in  the 
north  part  of  the  county  the  lovely  Glenade 


Lake,  a  little  over  a  mile  in  length,  occupying 
the  head  of  a  fine  valley,  which  is  traversed  by 
the  Bouet  River  issuing  from  the  lake.  The 
small  lake  of  Munakill  lies  near  Manorhamilton; 
and  the  larger  lake  of  Belhavel  is  east  of  Druma- 
haire.  In  the  interior  of  the  southern  part  of 
the  county,  Garadice  Lough,  or  Lough  Finvoy, 
a  very  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  2|  miles  in 
length,  lies  near  the  east  margin.  Lough  Rinn, 
near  Mohill,  is  3  miles  in  length ;  Lough  Scur, 
a  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  the  smaller  lake  of 
Carrickaport,  both  lie  southeast  of  Drumshambo; 
east  of  these  is  the  irregularly  shaped  St.  John's 
Lake,  about  2  miles  in  length.  The  small  lakes 
scattered  over  this  southern  portion  of  the  county 
are  numerous  beyond  description. 

TOWNS.— Carrick-on-Shannon  (1,384),  the 
assize  town,  Mohill  (1,117),  and  Baliinamore 
(526),  are  all  in  the  southern  division  of  the 
county.  In  the  center  of  the  northern  division 
is  Manorhamilton  (1,225),  standing  in  the  midst 
of  a  lovely  country ;  and  at  the  south  corner  of 
Lough  Allen  is  Drumshanbo  (544). 

MINERALS. — Lough  Allen  occupies  the  cen- 
ter of  the  great  Connaught  coal  district,  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  which  belongs  to  Leitrim. 
There  are  coal  pits  in  several  places  round  the 
lake,  especially  at  and  near  Slieve  Anierin,  the 
coal  being  raised  for  smelting  purposes.  What 
is  called  the  Arigna  iron  district  belongs  partly 
to  Leitrim,  and  partly  to  the  county  Roscom- 
mon. Iron  ore  abounds  on  Slieve  Anierin,  and 
the  mines  were  worked  for  a  long  period.  The 
very  name  of  the  mountain  shows  that  the  pres- 
ence of  iron  was  known  ages  ago,  when  the  name 
was  imposed ;  for  Slieve-an-ierin  signifies  the 
"Mountain  of  iron." 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— This  county  was  formerly  called  Brefny 
O'Rourke;  it  was  the  principalitj'  of  the 
O'Rourkes,  and  from  the  same  family  the  village 
of  Drumahaire  was  often  called  Bally -O'Rourke. 
Brefny  O'Rourke  included  also  a  part  of  the 
northwest  extremity  of  Cavan.  The  barony  of 
Rosclogher  was  formerly,  and  is  still,  known  by 
the  name  of  Dartrj' ;  and  was  possessed  by  the 
family  of  Mac  Clancy.  ■  The  southern  or  level 
part  of  the  county,  the  territory  of  the  Mac 
Rannalls,  or  Reynolds,  was  called  Moy  Rein,  and 
often  Munter  Eolais. 


LIMERICK. 


NAME. — The  Gaelic  form  is  Luimneacb  (pron. 
Limnagb),  which  was  formerlj^  applied  to  a  por- 
tion of  the  Shannon,  and  thence  to  the  city  (like 
Dublin,  Sligo,  Galway,  etc.).  But  Luimneach 
must  have  been  originally  applied  to  a  piece  of 
land  (probably  on  King's  Island,  on  which  part 
of  the  city  now  stands),  for  it  means  a  "bare 
spot"  (from  lorn.,  bare,  with  the  postlis  neach), 
and  there  are  several  other  places  in  Ireland 
bearing  the  same  name,  variously  modernized 
Limerick,  Limnagh,  Lumnagh,  Lomanagh,  Lum- 
ney,  etc. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length 
from  the  bend  of  the  river  Feale,  2  miles  south- 
west of  Abbeyfeale  in  the  west,  to  the  boundary 
at  Galtymore  in  the  east,  50  miles;  greatest 
breadth  from  Montpelier  on  the  Shannon  in  the 
north,  to  the  Ballyhoura  Hills  on  the  southern 
border,  33  miles;  average  breadth,  about  23 
miles;  area,  1,064  square  miles;  population,  180,- 
632. 

SUKFACE. — The  northeastern  corner  lying 
east  of  the  Shannon  and  Limerick  city  is  moun- 
tainous, covered  by  a  continuation  of  that  Tip- 
perarj'  group  whose  principal  summit  is  Keeper 
Hill.  The  southeast  corner,  namely,  the  greater 
part  of  the  barony  of  Coshlea,  is  also  mountain- 
ous, being  occupied  by  a  continuation  of  the 
Galty  range  (the  whole  range  extending  west  to 
Charleville)  and  by  other  hills  not  immediately 
connected  with  the  Galtys.  The  whole  western 
part  of  the  county  lying  west  of  Rathkeale  and 
Dromcolliher  is  a  continued  succession  of  hills  and 
uplands.  All  the  center  of  the  county  is  a  great 
plain,  almost  surrounded  by  the  mountain  bul- 
warks above  mentioned.  The  plain  is  broken  up 
somewhat  toward  its  borders  by  ridges  and  de- 
tached hills,  but  is  very  flat  in  the  middle,  and 
also  toward  the  Shannon  on  the  north.  This 
plain  contains  the  finest  land  in  Ireland ;  and 
that  part  of  it  sweeping  round  by  Hospital,  Kil- 
mallock,  and  Bruree,  is  a  portion  of  the  district 


called  fiom  its  richness  the  "Golden  Vale," 
which  stretches  eastward  into  Tipperary  toward 
Cashel. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— In  the  north- 
east, separated  from  the  Tipperary  Mountains 
on  the  north  by  the  narrow  vale  of  the  Clare 
Eiver,  the  Slievefelim  Mountains,  or  Slieve 
Eelim  (sometimes  also  called  the  Twelve  Hills  of 
Evl  mn),  run  east  and  west  through  the  north 
part  of  the  barony  of  Owneybeg,  the  chief  sum- 
mits being  Cullaun  (1,523),  toward  the  east  end; 
and  about  3  miles  east  of  this  again  rises  the  de- 
tached mountain,  Knockastanna  (1,467),  sepa- 
rated from  Cullaun  by  the  valley  of  the  Bilboa 
River. 

In  the  southeast  the  Ballyhoura  Mountains 
run  east  and  west  for  about  6  miles  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Limerick  and  Cork.  The  principal  sum- 
mits are  Seefin  (1,702),  rising  straight  over  the 
village  and  valley  of  Glenasheen,  and  having  on 
its  south  side  the  pretty  mountain  glen  of  Lyre- 
na-Grena.  Near  Seefin  on  the  northwest  is 
Blackrock  (1,696),  with  a  great  precipice  on  its 
northeastern  face;  and  3  miles  to  the  west  is 
Carron  (1,469),  on  the  boundary  of  Cork  and 
Limerick.  Immediately  east  of  Seefin  is 
Knockea  (1,311),  east  of  which  again  is  the  fine 
detached  mountain  of  Knockeennamroanta 
(1,319);  between  which  and  Knockea  is  the 
ancient  pass  of  Barnaderg,  now  called  Eedchair, 
leading  from  the  plain  of  Limerick  to  the  plain 
of  Cork.  At  the  north  side  of  the  valley,  over 
the  village  of  Ballyorgan,  is  the  sharp  peak  of 
Barnageeha  (1,196). 

Five  miles  from  the  Ballyhoura  Mountains  to 
the  northeast  is  Slievereagh  (1,439),  lying  north- 
east of  Kilfinane,  and  overlooking  toward  the 
north  the  rich  plain  of  the  "Golden  Vale."  The 
Ballyhoura  Mountains  are  a  continuation  to  the 
west  of  the  Galty  Mountains,  a  grand  range,  the 
western  part  of  which  belongs  to  Limerick,  and 
the  eastern  part  to  Tipperary,  the  highest  sum- 


I 


LIMERICK. 


ruit  of  the  'nbole  rauge,  Galtymore  (3,015), 
staudiiig  ou  the  boundary. 

lu  the  extreme  southwest  the  Mullaghareirk 
Mountains  run  east  and  west,  the  western  part  in 
Limerick  and  the  eastern  part  in  Cork,  or  partly 
ou  the  boundary.  The  chief  summits  belonging 
to  Limerick  are  Knockanade  (1,070),  and 
Knockawarriga  (1,007) ;  4^  miles  east  of  Knocka- 
nade is  Mullaghanuish  (1,189). 

In  the  western  part  of  the  countj'  the  chief 
summits  are  Knockanimpaha  (1,132),  Sugar  Hill 
(1,090),  and  Barnagh  Hill  (907),  all  near  each 
other,  and  about  4  miles  west  of  Newcastle. 
Near  the  extreme  western  boundary  is  Knocka- 
thea  (801). 

Several  detached  hills  rise  from  the  level  part 
of  the  county ;  for  instance,  round  Lough  Gur, 
near  Bruff,  are  a  number  of  beautiful  hills;  and 
in  the  baronies  of  Clanwilliam  and  Connagh  in 
the  northeast,  round  the  villages  of  Pallas  Grean 
and  Cahercoulish,  the  country  is  broken  iip  by  a 
series  of  lovelj'  pastoral  hills.  The  most  re- 
markable hill  of  this  kind  is  Knockfeerina  (949), 
2  miles  east  of  Ballingarry,  overlooking  the 
whole  plain  of  Limerick;  it  has  a  great  earn  on 
its  summit;  and  both  mountain  and  cam  are 
celebrated  in  fairj'  legends.  Tory  Hill,  a  mile 
and  a  half  northeast  of  Croom,  though  only  374 
feet  liigh,  is  a  striking  feature  in  the  midst  of 
the  great  plain  around  it. 

COAST  LINE.— From  Limerick  city  down  to 
Toynes  the  Limerick  shore  of  the  Shannon  is 
low,  except  indeed  that  Aughinish  Island  rises 
to  the  height  of  105  feet.  Foynes  Island  is  196 
feet  high,  and  from  that  downward  is  a  succes- 
sion of  bluffs  from  100  to  upward  of  300  feet  over 
the  river.  There  is  a  succession  of  mansions 
and  demesnes  the  whole  way  down  from  Limer- 
ick to  Tarbert,  rendering  the  coast  very  beauti- 
ful as  viewed  from  the  Shannon. 

ISLANDS. — Foynes  Island  is  nearly  circular, 
and  about  a  mile  in  diameter,  with  the  pretty 
village  of  Foynes  opposite  it  on  the  mainland, 
the  terminus  of  the  railway  from  Limerick. 
Near  this  on  the  east  is  the  larger  island  of 
Aughinish,  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
very  narrow  channel.  King's  Island  at  Lim- 
merick,  surrounded  by  two  branches  of  the 
Shannon,  is  a  mile  in  length,  and  is  partly  cov- 
ered by  the  city. 


KrVERS. — The  Shannon  first  touches  Limerick 
a  mile  above  O'Briensbridge,  and  from  this  down 
to  Tarbert,  a  distance  of  48  miles,  following  the 
windings  of  the  shore,  it  forms  the  boundary  of 
the  county,  except  for  G  miles  partly  above  and 
partly  below  Limerick  city,  where  a  small  por- 
tion of  Limerick  county  lies  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  river.  A  little  below  Limerick  the  river 
becomes  very  wide,  and  from  that  down  to  its 
mouth  it  is  a  noble  estuary,  fully  deserving 
Spenser's  description,  "The  spacious  Shenan 
spreading  like  a  sea."  With  some  trifling  ex- 
ceptions, which  will  be  noticed,  the  whole  of 
the  countj'  Limerick  is  drained  into  the  Shannon. 

In  the  northeast  of  the  county  the  'Mulkear 
(or  Mulkern  as  it  is  sometimes  called),  joins  the 
Shannon  about  halfway  between  Limerick  city 
and  Castleconuell.  The  Mulkear  is  formed  by 
the  following  tributaries :  From  the  north  the 
Newport  River  comes  from  Tipperary,  having  in 
the  early  part  of  its  course  among  the  Tipper- 
ary Hills,  the  same  name  as  the  main  stream — 
Mulkear;  the  Aunagh  River  joins  the  Newport 
River,  and  the  combined  stream  falls  into  the 
Mulkear  near  Barrington's  Bridge  (this  com- 
bined stream  during  its  short  course  of  less  than 
three  miles  having  two  different  names  in  succes- 
sion as  it  flows  along) ;  the  Annagh  or  Clare 
River,  as  it  is  called  in  the  early  part  of  its 
course,  flowing  westward  under  the  north  base 
of  the  Slievefelim  Mountains,  and  forming  a  part 
of  the  boundary  between  Limerick  and  Tipper- 
ary. The  Bilboa  River,  the  Dead  River,  and  the 
Cahernahallia  River,  all  of  which  rise  in  Tipper- 
ary, are  the  chief  headwaters  of  the  Mulkear. 
West  of  the  Mulkear  the  little  river  Grood.v  falls 
into  the  Shannon  a  little  above  Limerick  city ; 
and  the  Ballynaclogh  River  about  the  same  dis- 
tance below  the  city.  On  the  north  bank  of  the 
Shannon,  3  miles  below  the  city,  the  Crompaun 
River  forms  for  its  whole  course  the  boundary 
between  Limerick  and  Clare. 

The  Maigue  rises  near  Milford,  in  Cork  (west 
of  Charleville,  and  running  north  for  about  2 
miles,  touches  Limerick) ;  then  turning  eastward 
it  runs  for  a  short  distance  partly  on  the  boun- 
dary of  Cork  and  Limerick,  and  partly  in  Limer- 
ick; next  turns  north,  and  flowing  by  Bruree, 
Croom  and  Adare,  through  the  magnificent  plain 
of  Limerick,  joins  the  Shannon  9  miles  below 


LIMERICK. 


Limerick  city.  The  Maigue  has  the  folio-wing 
tributaries;  the  Loobah  rises  in  Slievereagh, 
northeast  of  Kilfinnane,  and  winding  westward 
by  Kilmallock,  joins  the  Maigue  a  mile  and  a 
half  above  Bruree.  The  Morning  Star  rises  be- 
tween Ballylanders  and  Galbally  (in  the  barony 
of  Coshlea),  and  flowing  to  the  northwest,  falls 
into  the  Maigue  two  miles  below  Bruree.  The 
Camoge  comes  from  that  part  of  Tipperary  lying 
near  Knocklong,  in  the  east  of  Limerick,  pass- 
ing by  Knocklong  and  receiving  the  Mahore  as 
tributary  (which  runs  through  Hospital),  it  turns 
westward  and  joins  the  Maigue  a  mile  above 
Croom.  Toward  the  mouth,  the  Maigue  receives 
the  Barnakyle  Eiver  from  the  east. 

The  Deel  rises  in  Cork,  2  or  3  miles  south  of 
Milford  (near  the  source  of  the  Maigue),  runs  in 
a  general  direction  to  the  north,  and  leaving 
Newcastle  a  mile  to  the  west,  it  flows  through 
Kathkeale  and  Askeaton,  and  joins  the  Shannon 
a  mile  below  this  last  town.  Above  Newcastle  it 
receives  the  Bunoke  on  the  west  bank,  and  the 
Owenskaw  on  the  east,  and  near  Newcastle  it  is 
joined  on  the  left  bank  by  the  Daar,  and  by  the 
combined  streams  of  the  Ehernagh,  the  Dooally, 
and  the  Arra,  these  two  last  joining  at  Newcastle. 

West  of  the  Deel,  the  Shannon  is  joined  by 
the  Eobertstown  River  at  Foynes,  by  the  White 
Eiver  at  Loghill,  and  by  the  Glin  Eiver  at  Glin. 
In  the  southwest,  the  Feale,  rising  in  Cork, 
forms  the  boundary  between  Limerick  and  Kerry 
for  7  miles,  after  which  it  enters  Kerry.  From 
Limerick,  the  Feale  receives  as  tributaries,  the 
Allaghaun,  rising  in  the  Mullaghareirk  Moun- 
tains; the  Oolagh,  which  rises  in  Sugar  Hill, 
west  of  Newcastle;  and  the  Galey,  which  draws 
its  headwaters  from  Knockanimpaha  and  the 
uplands  round  it,  but  enters  Kerry  before  join- 
ing the  Feale. 

Of  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county  a  por- 
tion is  drained  into  the  basin  of  the  Suir,  and  a 
small  part  into  that  of  the  Blackwater.  The 
Aherlow  Eiver  flows  by  Galbally,  then  runs  for 
3  miles  on  the  boundary  between  Limerick  and 
Tipperary,  after  which  it  enters  Tipperary  to 
join  the  Suir.  The  Funshion,  flowing  first  south- 
ward down  the  slope  of  Galtymore,  separates 
Limerick  from  Tipperary  for  5  or  6  miles,  then 
turning  westward  at  the  junction  of  the  three 
counties,  it  forms  the  boundary  between  Limer- 


ick and  Cork  for  5  miles,  after  which  it  enters 
Cork  to  join  the  Blackwater.  From  Limerick 
the  Funshion  receives  at  Kilbeheny,  the  Betha- 
nagh  (Spenser's  Molana),  flowing  south  from  a 
deep  glen  in  the  Galtys ;  and  further  on  to  the 
west,  the  Ahaphuca  Eiver  and  the  Keale  Eiver 
(flowing  by  Ballyorgan)  join  at  the  bridge  of 
Ahaphuca,  on  the  boundary  of  Limerick  and 
Cork,  after  which  the  united  stream  is  called  the 
Ownnageeragh  or  Sheep  Eiver,  which  forms  the 
boundarj-  of  the  two  counties  for  half  a  mile,  and 
then  enters  Cork  to  join  the  Funshion. 

LAKES. — The  only  lake  of  any  consequence 
in  the  whole  county  is  Lough  Gur,  3  miles  north 
of  Bruff.  It  is  upward  of  a  mile  in  length,  and 
irregular  in  shape,  surrounded  by  lovely  hills; 
and  on  its  islands  and  round  its  shores  there  are 
numbers  of  most  interesting  remains  of  antiquitj' 
— castles,  cromlechs,  sepulchral  chambers,  stone 
circles,  and  circular  raths  or  forts. 

TOWNS.— Limerick  (38,562),  a  very  ancient 
city,  built  on  a  plain,  part  being  on  the  King's 
Island,  but  the  chief  portion  on  the  mainland. 
It  contains  many  interesting  remains  of  antiq- 
uity, among  them  being  the  old  cathedral  founded 
in  the  12th  century,  and  rebuilt  in  the  15th; 
King  John's  Castle ;  and  a  portion  of  the  old  town 
walls.  Three  miles  southwest  of  Limerick  are 
the  remains  of  the  ancient  priory  of  Mungret,  an 
establishment  of  great  antiquitj' ;  it  was  formerly 
a  celebrated  center  of  learning,  and  is  said  to 
have  had  at  one  time  1,500  monks.  Above 
Limerick,  on  the  Shannon,  is  Castleconnell  (330), 
in  a  lovely  situation  near  the  falls  of  Dunass  (see 
Clare),  with  the  fine  old  castle  of  the  O'Briens 
on  a  rock  in  the  village.  The  lovely  little 
town  of  Glin  (842)  stands  on  the  Shannon  shore, 
near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county. 

Towns  on  the  Maigue  and  its  tributaries: 
Adare  (561)  is  situated  7  miles  in.  a  straight  line 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Maigue,  a  very  pretty 
village,  with  interesting  ruins  of  abbeys, 
churches,  and  castles  in  and  near  it,  and  having 
the  Earl  of  Dunraven's  beautiful  residence, 
Adare  Manor,  beside  it.  Six  miles  below  Adare, 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Maigue,  is  the  old  castle 
of  Carrigogunnel,  one  of  the  most  singular  ruins 
in  the  country,  perched  on  the  top  of  an  abrupt 
rock  overlooking  the  rich  plain  all  round. 
Croom  (747)  stands  5  miles  above  Adare,  beside 


LIMERICK. 


■nbicb  is  Croom  Castle,  oue  of  the  strongholds  of 
the  Fitzgerakls,  from  which  they  took  theii"  war 
cry  of  Croui-Aboo ;  two  miles  east  of  Croom  is 
Monasterauenagh  Abbey,  one  of  the  finest  eccle- 
siastical ruins  in  Ireland ;  and  one  mile  west  of 
the  town  are  the  verj'  ancient  church  ruin  and 
round  tower  of  Dysert.  Bruree  (472)  is  8  miles 
above  Croom.  Hospital  (667),  in  the  east  of  the 
county,  stands  on  the  Mahore,  one  of  the  head 
streams  of  the  river  Camoge.  On  the  Morning 
Star  is  Brufi  (1,600);  and  near  the  source  is  the 
village  of  Ballylauders  (438).  On  the  Loobagh 
is  Kilmallock  (1,027).  The  town  rose  round  a 
monastery  founded  in  the  6th  century  by  St. 
Mochelloc  or  Mallock.  In  after  ages  it  was  the 
capital  of  the  Fitgeralds,  Earls  of  Desmond ;  and 
it  is  now  the  most  interesting  town  in  Ireland 
for  its  remains  of  antiquity.  There  are  still  two 
fine  castellated  gateways  in  good  preservation, 
with  a  considerable  portion  of  the  old  town 
walls.  The  abbey  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul  stands 
within  the  town,  and  a  portion  of  it  is  still  used 
for  divine  service.  The  Dominican  friary  is 
situated  beside  the  river  a  little  to  the  northeast 
of  the  town,  a  very  fine  old  ruin,  containing  a 
pointed  window,  the  most  beautiful  in  Ire- 
land. Along  the  street  of  the  town  many  of  the 
ancient  houses  still  remain  fitted  up  as  modern 
dwellings.  Near  the  source  of  the  Loobagh  ic 
Kilfinane  (1,398),  on  the  slope  of  a  hill  overlook- 
ing the  great  plain  of  Limerick,  a  good  business 
town,  with  an  ancient  triple-fossed  fort  of  great 
size  beside  it.  Two  miles  from  Kilfinane  toward 
the  west  is  the  green  round  hill  of  Ardpatrick 
having  on  its  summit  a  burying  ground,  with 
the  ruins  of  a  very  ancient  abbey  church  and  a 
portion  of  a  round  tower.  Ballingarry  (795) 
stands  on  a  stream  that  joins  the  Maigue  on  the 
left  bank  a  mile  below  Adare. 

Towns  on  the  Deel  and  its  tributaries:  Two 
miles  from  the  mouth  is  Askeaton  (891),  with 
beautiful  abbey  ruins,  and  an  ancient  castle 
of  the  Earls  of  Desmond  on  a  high  rock ;  beside 
the  town  the  Deel  tumbles  over  a  ridge  of  rocks, 
forming  a  pretty  waterfall.  Seven  miles  south- 
west of  Askeaton,  near  the  village  of  Shana- 
golden,  is  a  little  hill  with  two  peaks,  one  of 
which  is  crowned  with  the  fine  old  ruins  of 
Hhanid  Castle,  from  which  the  Knights  of  Glin 
took  their  war  cry,  Shanid-Aboo;  the  other  peak 


has  an  ancient  circular  fort  on  its  summit. 
Higher  up  on  the  Deel  is  Rathkeale  (2,549), 
which  is,  next  to  Limerick,  the  most  important 
town  in  the  county.  Newcastle  (2,186)  stands 
on  the  Arra  within  a  mile  of  the  confluence  of 
this  little  river  with  the  Deel,  another  important 
and  prosperous  town.  Dromcolliher  (633)  stands 
near  the  boundary  of  Cork,  on  a  small  stream, 
one  of  the  headwaters  of  the  Deel. 

In  the  west  of  the  county,  Abbeyfeale  (965) 
stands  on  the  Feale,  where  it  separates  Limerick 
from  Kerry;  the  town  took  its  name  from  an 
abbey  founded  in  the  12th  century,  the  fine 
ruins  of  which  still  remain  beside  the  river.  In 
the  northeast,  Cappamore  (954)  stands  on  the 
Bilboa  River. 

MINERALS.— The  mountainous  district  in 
the  west  of  the  county  is  a  part  of  the  great 
Munster  coalfield,  and  coal  is  raised  for  local 
purposes  in  several  places.  About  7  miles  from 
Limerick,  on  the  road  to  Askeaton,  there  are 
quarries  of  fine  marble  of  a  reddish  brown  color. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— All  that  part  of  Limerick  lying  west  of 
the  Maigue,  together  with  the  barony  of  Coshma 
(lying  chiefly  east  of  the  river),  was  called  Hy 
Fidgente  or  Hy  Carbery.  It  was  the  territory 
of  the  O 'Donovans,  who  were  driven  out  of  it  in 
1178,  and  fled  to  Cork  and  Kerry.  The  present 
barony  of  Small  Countj'  was  the  ancient  Deis- 
Beg.  In  this  district  is  the  hill  now  called 
Knockainy  (with  the  village  of  Knockainy  at  its 
foot),  formerly  called  Aine,  or  Aine-Clich,  from 
the  territory  of  Cliach  or  Ara-Cliach,  which  lay 
round  the  hill.  That  part  of  the  barony  of 
Coshlea  lying  between  Knocklong  and  the  south- 
ern boundary  near  Ballyorgan,  was  the  old  dis- 
trict of  Cliu  Mail. 

Olioll  Olum,  king  of  Munster  in  the  2d  cen- 
tury, had  his  palace  at  Bruree,  whence  it  got  its 
name,  Brugh-righ,  the  brugh  or  fort  of  the  king. 
It  continued  to  be  a  royal  seat  for  ages  after- 
ward, for  the  O'Donovans,  chiefs  of  Hy  Fidgente, 
had  their  principal  residence  there;  and  there 
are  still  remaining  extensive  raths  or  forts,  the 
fortifications  of  the  old  palace.  The  tomb  of 
Olioll  Olum — a  great  cromlech — stands  on  a  hill 
near  the  church  of  Duntryleague,  between  Gal- 
bally  and  Knocklong  in  this  county. 

The  following  baronies  still  retain  the  names 


LIMERICK. 


of  the  old  territories  from  which  they   were  i 
formed:  Coonagh,  the  district  of  Hy  Cuanach; 
Owneybeg  is  Uaithne  (pron.  Oona);  the  baro- 
nies of  Connello  represent  Hy  Conall  Gavara ;  and 
Kenry  is  the  old  Caenarighe  (pron.  Kaiu-ree). 

The  round  green  hill  of  Knocklong,  now 
Ciowned  with  the  ruins  of  a  castle  and  of  a 
church,  was  the  ancient  Drum-Davary.  In  the 
3d  century  Cormac  Mac  Art,  king  of  Ireland, 


I  marched  southward  to  exact  tribute  from  Mun- 
ster;  and  he  was  opposed  by  Fiacha  Mullahan, 
king  of  the  province,  who  encamped  his  army 
on  Drum  Davary,  Cormac's  armj'  being  on  the 
opposite  hill — Slieve  Claire,  now  Sleive  Eeagh. 
After  a  series  of  battles  Cormac  was  repulsed ; 
and  Drum  Davary  thenceforward  and  to  the 
present  day  retains  the  name  of  Knocklong,  c 
the  bill  of  the  encampment. 


ILLTJSTRA.TIONS. 


THE  TREATY  STONE.— It  was  on  this  his- 
toric stone,  celebrated  in  song  and  story,  that 
the  famous  "Treaty  of  Limerick"  was  signed  be- 
tween the  Irish  and  the  "VVilliaraites,  when  the 
city  of  Limerick  had  capitulated,  after  one  of 
the  most  heroic  defenses  in  history.  But  it  was 
infamously  broken  "ere  the  ink  wherewith  'twas 
writ  could  dry."  The  treaty  consisted  of  two 
parts,  civil  and  military,  and  both  were  violated. 
Hence  Limerick  has  since  borne  the  title  of  "The 
City  of  the  Violated  Treaty."  Even  in  the  very 
place  where  the  treaty  was  agreed  to  and  signed 
it  was  most  flagrantly  repudiated,  and  the 
atrocious  Penal  Laws  were  most  rigorously 
applied.  It  was  the  memory  of  this  infamous 
treachery  that  inspired  the  Irish  regiments  when 
at  the  battle  of  Fontenoy  they  swept  the  English 
from  the  field  to  the  cry,  in  the  Irish  tongue, 
"Remember  Limerick  and  English  faith. "  The 
Treaty  Stone  was  placed  in  its  present  position 
on  a  fine  pedestal,  near  the  foot  of  Thomond 
Bridge,  bv  the  municipal  authorities  some  years 
ago. 

THE  SAESFIELD  STATUE.— Few  names 
in  Irish  history  are  more  fondly  cherished  by 
"the  sea-divided  Gael"  than  that  of  Gen.  Patrick 
Sarsfield,  the  commander  of  the  Irish  forces  at 
the  siege  of  Limerick.  He  was  not  a  great 
diplomat  or  commander,  like  Hugh  O'Neill,  nor 
can  he  be  said  to  have  evinced  genius  of  a  high 
order  in  any  respect,  but  he  was  the  impersona- 
tion of  honor,  chivalry,  courage  and  patriotism, 
in  a  word  an  epitome  of  the  best  qualities  of  the 
Irish  race.  His  mother  was  a  sister  of  the  cele- 
brated Roger,  or  Rory  O 'Moore,  of  1641  fame; 
while  on  his  paternal  side,  as  his  name  implies, 
he  waa  of   Anglo-Norman  blood.    His  heroic 


defense  of  Limerick ;  his  dashing  exploit  in 
destroying  King  William's  artillery  train;  his 
subsequent  career  in  France,  where  with  hia 
troop  he  laid  the  foundation  of  the  famouf? 
Irish  Brigades,  and  his  death  of  wounds  received 
at  the  battle  of  Landen  are  familiar  to  all  readers 
of  Irish  history.  The  magnificent  monument 
here  shown  was  erected  in  1881,  largely  through 
the  instrumentality  of  the  late  patriotic  Bishop 
Butler,  of  Limerick. 

AD  ARE  ABBEY.  ^Adare,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  places  in  the  province  of  Munster,  is 
rich  in  ancient  archaeological  remains,  among 
them  those  of  several  religions  houses.  Of  these 
a  number  are  situated  within  the  beautiful  park 
of  the  Earl  of  Dunraven,  including  the  Black 
Abbey  herewith  shown.  It  was  built  in  1279  by 
John,  first  Earl  of  Kildare. "  Nearby  is  a  castle  of 
the  Desmonds,  which  "much  incommoded  the 
English,"  during  the  Elizabethan  wars.  The 
ruins  of  some  of  these  were  repaired  by  the  late 
Earl  of  Dunraven,  a  well-known  antiquarian,  so 
completely  as  to  secure  them  for  centuries  to 
come.  One  of  them  he  appropriated  to  the 
Protestant  service,  and  another,  the  monastery 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  or  Black  Abbey,  for  Catho- 
lic worship.  It  consists  of  a  nave  and  choir, 
and  is  surmounted  by  an  embattled  tower,  still 
in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation. 

KING  JOHN'S  CASTLE  AND  THOMOND 
BRIDGE. — This  massive  and  gloomy  structure 
was  erected  in  1205  by  King  John,  son  of  Henry 
II.,  and  "lord  of  Ireland."  Commanding  the 
only  entrance  to  Limerick  over  the  Shannon  it 
was  for  centuries  the  object  of  contending  parties 
in  the  various  wars,  and  the  marks  of  cannon 
balls  that  its  walls  bear,  give  evidence  of  its 


LIMERICK. 


strength,  and  the  sieges  and  battles  of  which  it 
was  the  center.  It  was  one  of  the  strongest  for- 
tresses erected  by  the  Normans,  and  is  still  for- 
midable looking  and  solid.  About  a  century 
ago  the  battlements  were  dismantled.  The  seven 
towers  are  connected  by  massive  and  high  walls. 
The  interior  is  at  present  used  as  a  barracks. 
Thomond  Bridge,  shown  in  the  engraving,  occu- 
pies the  place  of  the  old  bridge,  also  built  by 
King  John  and  taken  down  in  1838.  The  cele- 
brated Treaty  of  Limerick  was  signed  on  a  large 
stone  near  the  old  bridge,  on  the  Clare  side  of 
the  river. 

ASKEATON  ABBEY.— Askeaton  Abbey,  like 
most  of  the  ruins  of  the  old  castles,  abbeys  and 
churches  in  the  county  of  Limerick  had  its 
origin  in  the  wealth  and  power  of  the  Desmonds, 


the  noble  Geraldine  princes.  It  was  founded  in 
1420  by  James,  seventh  Earl  of  Desmond,  for 
conventual  Franciscans,  and  in  1490  was  re- 
formed by  the  Observantine  friars.  A  chapter 
of  the  order  was  held  in  the  sacred  edifice  in 
15G4.  After  the  overthrow  of  the  D.esmond 
power  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  abbey  shared 
the  general  fate  of  the  Irish  monasteries.  An 
unsuccessful  effort  to  restore  it  was  made  by  the 
confederated  Catholics  in  1648;  and  though  it 
has  since  been  left  to  decay,  it  is,  still  in  a  fair 
state  of  preservation.  The  windows,  arches, 
and  other  portions  of  the  structure  attest  its  for- 
mer beauty  and  grandeur.  The  transept  con- 
tains many  ancient  tombs,  among  them  that  of 
James,  fifteenth  Earl  of  Desmond,  who  died, 
1558. 


LOUTH. 


NAME. — The  county  took  its  name  from  the 
village  of  Louth;  the  old  form  of  the  name  is 
Lughmhagh  (pron.  Loova),  of  which  the  mean- 
ing is  uncertain. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Louth  is  the 
smallest  county  in  Ireland.  Length,  from  the 
boundary  south  of  Drogheda  to  the  boundary  a 
little  north  of  Kaveusdale,  29  miles;  breadth 
variable — average  12  or  13  miles;  area  316  square 
miles;  population  77,684. 

SUKFACE.— The  whole  of  the  peninsula  be- 
tween Dundalk  Bay  and  Carlingford  Lough  is 
covered  with  mountains  except  two  or  three 
miles  of  the  point,  and  two  narrow  strips  at  the 
sides;  these  mountains  being  the  continuation 
of  those  Armagh  mountains  that  culminate  in 
Slieve  Gullion.  In  the  south  a  range  of  low 
heights  runs  east  and  west,  extending  from  the 
interior  of  Meath  across  the  boundary  near  Col- 
lon,  and  terminating  in  Clogher  Head.  All  the 
rest  of  the  county,  viz.,  from  the  neighborhood 
of  Collon  and  Ardee  northward  to  Dundalk,  and 
taking  in  the  whole  breadth  of  the  county,  is 
a  dead  level,  well  inhabited  and  highly  culti- 
vated. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  mountains 
that  occupy  the  Carlingford  or  Cooley  peninsula 
are  often  called  the  Cooley  Mountains.  Of 
these,  Anglesey  (1,349)  lies  on  the  boundary; 
south  of  this  is  Clermont  Carn  (1,674);  on  the 
southern  border  is  Slieve  Naglogh  (1,024);  on 
the  north  border  Carlingford  Mountain  (1,935) 
rises  straight  over  Carlingford,  at  the  west  side ; 
and  near  this  again  on  the  south  side  of  Carling- 
ford is  Barnavave  (1,142). 

In  the  south  of  the  county  there  is  nothing 
deserving  the  name  of  a  mountain ;  but  some  of 
the  heights  are  remarkable  by  comparison.  Be- 
ginning at  the  west,  White  Mountain  (519)  lies 
near  the  boundary  with  Meath ;  Mount  Oriel 
(744)  stands  one  mile  northwest  of  Collon ;  and 
the  last  elevation  of  any  consequence  is  Castlecoo 


Hill  (346,)  near  the  coast,  a  mile  and  a  half 
north  of  the  village  of  Termoufeckiu,  the  range 
terminating  two  miles  further  on  in  Clogher 
Head. 

COAST-LINE.— Eound  the  whole  of  the  Car- 
lingford peninsula  there  is  a  narrow  belt  of  coast, 
for  the  most  part  level;  but  the  hills  rise  up  im- 
mediately behind,  giving  the  coast  on  the  whole 
a  mountainous  character.  From  Dundalk  Bay 
south  to  Clogher  Head  the  shore  is  low  and  sandy. 
Clogher  Head  is  high  and  rocky;  but  south  of 
this  the  coast  again  assumes  the  sandy  character, 
as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Boyne. 

HEADLANDS. — Greeuore  Point,  two  miles 
east  of  Carlingford,  is  now  the  terminus  of  a  rail- 
way; Ballagan  Point  is  the  extremity  of  the 
Carlingford  peninsula;  southwest  of  this  is 
Cooley  Point;  Dunany  Point  is  the  southern 
limit  of  Dundalk  Bay;  and  Clogher  Head  is  a 
scarped  promontory  183  feet  high,  the  terminat- 
ing point  of  the  range  of  heights  running  east- 
ward thi'ough  the  barony  of  Ferrard. 

BAYS  AND  HAEBORS.— Carlingford  Bay 
lies  between  Down  and  Louth ;  Dundalk  Bay  is 
about  9  miles  across  the  mouth  from  Dunany 
Point  to  Cooley  Point,  and  about  the  same  in 
depth ;  off  which,  on  the  north,  is  Dundalk 
Harbor. 

RIVERS.— In  the  Carlingford  peninsula  the 
Big  River  and  the  Little  River  flow  southward 
through  a  fine  valley,  and  joining  together  their 
united  waters  take  the  name  of  the  Piedmont 
River,  flowing  into  Dundalk  Bay  west  of  Cooley 
Point.  The  Kilcurry  River,  the  Cully  Water, 
and  the  Castletown  River,  all  coming  from 
Armagh,  unite  and  flow  into  Dundalk  Harbor. 
The  Fane,  coming  from  Monaghan,  flows  across 
the  county  and  enters  Dundalk  Bay  at  Lurgan 
Green.  The  Glyde  also  crosses  Louth,  and  flow- 
ing by  Castlebellingham,  enters  Dundalk  Bay  at 
Annagassan.  Its  chief  headwater  is  the  Lagan, 
which,  coming  from  Monaghan,  forms  the  boun- 


COUNTY  OF 

LOUTH 

En<jU^h  Jitiles 

^  i  k  '  i 

Jlail'tyays 


LOU 


TH. 


dary  between  that  county  and  Louth  for  4  miles, 
and  becomes  the  Glyde  a  little  lower  down.  The 
Dee,  coming  from  Meath,  flows  east  by  Ardee, 
and  enters  Dundalk  Bay  at  Annagassan,  having 
a  common  mouth  with  the  Glj'de ;  it  is  joined  on 
its  right  bank  by  the  White  Eiver,  which  passes 
hy  Dunleer. 

In  the  extreme  south,  the  Boyne  first  touches 
Louth  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mattack,  near  Town- 
ley  Hall ;  flows  thence  for  3  miles  between  Louth 
and  Meath ;  next  cuts  off  at  Drogheda  a  small 
angle  of  Louth,  which  lies  on  the  south  of  the 
river — flowing  here  for  a  mile  and  three-quarters 
through  Louth  and  for  the  rest  of  its  course — 
three  miles — again  divides  Louth  from  Meath. 
At  the  point  where  the  Boyne  first  touches 
Louth  it  receives  the  Mattock,  which,  rising  in 
this  county,  separates  Louth  from  Meath  for 
nearly  the  whole  of  its  course,  down  to  its 
mouth. 

TOWNS.— Drogheda  (12,297),  built  on  both 
sides  of  the  Boyne,  4  miles  from  its  mouth,  is  an 
interesting  town,  containing  many  remains  of 
its  old  fortifications,  and  some  fine  ecclesiastical 
ruins.  Dundalk  (11,913),  the  assize  town,  at 
the  head  of  Dundalk  Harbor,  a  town  of  consid- 
erable trade  and  manufacture.  Three  miles 
northwest  of  Dundalk  is  Faughart  Hill,  a  round 
grassy  eminence  crowned  by  a  large  rath  or  fort ; 
here  Edward  Bruce  was  defeated  and  slain  in 
1316 ;  and  here  also  St.  Brigid,  the  foundress  of 
Kildai'e,  was  born  in  the  fifth  centurj- — her 
father's  house  being  probably  the  old  fort. 
Near  the  fort  is  the  ruin  of  St.  Brigid's  church; 
and  also  St.  Brigid's  Well. 

Ardee  (2,622)  stands  on  the  river  Dee,  and 
has  two  old  castles.  Carlingford  (727)  stands  in 
a  very  romantic  situation,  nestling  under  high 
mountains,  on  a  narrow  strip  of  level  land  be- 
tween their  bases  and  the  sea ;  retaining  still 
some  fragments  of  its  walls  and  bastions,  the 
fine  ruins  of  King  John's  Castle  perched  on  a 
peninsulated  rock  over  the  sea,  and  some  abbey 
ruins.  Clogher  (662)  is  beside  Clogher  Head; 
Collon  (451)  is  a  very  pretty  little  town  in  the 
southwest,  in  the  midst  of  wooded  hills;  Dun- 
leer  (498),  northeast  of  Collon,  is  on  the  White 
Kiver;  and  near  the  coast  of  Dundalk  Bay,  on 
the  river  Glyde,  is  Castlebellingham  (541),  a 
pretty  village  celebrated  for  its  ale.  Southwest 


of  Dundalk  is  the  village  of  Louth  (261),  once 
imijortant  in  an  ecclesiastical  point  of  view,  but 
now  very  insignificant,  and  only  worthy  of  notice 
as  having  given  name  to  the  county. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Louth  is  classical  ground.  That  por- 
tion lying  between  Dundalk  and  Drogheda, 
including  the  whole  breadth  of  the  county,  was 
the  ancient  Murthemne,  the  patrimony  of  the 
hero  Cuchullin,  the  greatest  of  all  the  Red 
Branch  Knights  (see  Armagh).  It  was  the  scene 
in  which  were  enacted  the  chief  events  of  the 
ancient  Irish  heroic  romance  or  epic  called  the 
Tain-bo-Quelne,  or  the  "Cattle-spoil  of  Quelne." 
The  subject  of  this  old  epic  was  a  seven  years' 
war  between  Ulster  and  Connaught,  in  which 
Cuchullin  was  the  leading  character. 

The  plain  of  Murthemne  was  also  called  in 
later  ages  Maghera-Conaill  and  also  Maghera 
Oriel,  i.e.,  the  plain  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of 
Oriel.  The  district  of  Quelne  is  the  Carlingford 
or  Cooley  peninsula;  the  Gaelic  form  of  the 
name  is  Cuailnge,  which  may  be  represented  in 
sound  by  either  "Quelne"  or  "Cooley;"  and  the 
old  name  is  still  preserved  in  Cooley  Point  near 
the  extremity  of  the  peninsula,  and  also  in  the 
name  of  the  Cooley  Mountains. 

Cuchullin's  residence  still  remains.  It  is  now 
known  as  the  Moat  of  Castletown,  a  conspicuous 
high,  flat-topped  mound  or  fort,  two  miles  west 
of  Dundalk.  It  is  well  known  in  the  Tain  and 
other  romances  by  the  name  of  Dundalgan,  and 
in  later  ages  it  gave  its  name  to  the  town  of 
Dundalk. 

The  range  of  low  hills  in  the  south  is  a  part  of 
the  ancient  Slieve-Bregh,  for  which  see 
Meath. 

There  are  two  great  groups  of  ecclesiastical 
ruins  in  this  county.  Monasterboice,  which  was 
one  of  the  greatest  of  Ireland's  ecclesiastical 
establishments,  lies  5  miles  northwest  from 
Droghega;  it  was  founded  by  St.  Buite  or 
Boethius,  who  died  in  522,  and  now  contains  the 
ruins  of  two  very  ancient  churches,  a  round 
tower,  and  three  magnificent  Celtic  crosses 
elaborately  sculptured.  Three  miles  southwest 
from  this  and  five  from  Drogheda,  in  a  beautiful 
valley  watered  by  the  Mattock,  are  the  ruins  of 
Mellifont  Abbey.  It  is  much  less  ancient  than 
Monasterboice,  having  been  founded  in  the  12th 


LOUTH. 


century ;  but  it  was  equally  celebrated ;  aud 
some  most  interesting  ruins  still  remain  to 
interest  the  visitor. 

Three  miles  above  Drogheda  is  the  spot  where 
the  battle  of  the  Boyne  was  fought  in  1G90,  in 
which  ^Villiam  Prince  of  Orange  defeated  James 
II.  King  "William's  army  was  encamped  the  night. 


before  the  battle  at  the  Louth  side  of  the  river, 
and  king  James'  at  the  Meath  side,  and  the 
main  conflict  was  at  Oldbridge,  which  is  in 
Meath.  The  monument  erected  in  memory  of 
Schomberg,  William's  best  general,  who  was 
killed  in  the  battle,  stands  on  a  rock  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river. 


THE  CELTIC  CROSS,  MONASTERBOICE. 
— Monasterboice,  the  name  of  which  is  derived 
from  St.  Buithe,  a  disciple  of  St.  Patrick,  who 
founded  a  religious  establishment  there  about 
the  end  of  the  fifth  century,  is  about  five  and  a 
half  miles  distant  from  Drogheda,  and  possesses 
ruins  of  great  interest  and  very  remote  antiq- 
uity. Among  them  are  a  round  tower  and  three 
crosses,  two  of  the  latter  being  the  finest  of  the 
kind  in  Ireland,  one  of  which  is  shown  in  the 
accompanying  illustration.  It  is  entirely  cov- 
ered on  both  sides  with  sculptui'ed  images,  the 
subjects  of  which  are  plainly  apparent.  The 
round  tower  is  110  feet  high,  aud  must  have  been 
considerably  higher,  as  the  cap  and  upper  parts 
were  destroyed  by  lightning  many  years  ago. 
It  is  51  feet  in  circumference;  is  divided  into 
five  stories,  and  has  a  doorway  six  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  railing  was  erected  to  prevent 
relic  kunters  defacing  the  picturesque  re- 
mains. 

THE  CITY  OF  DROGHEDA.— Drogheda, 
meaning  the  Bridge  of  the  Ford,  is  situated  on 


the  river  Boyne  about  four  miles  from  its 
mouth.  Although  possessing  many  interesting 
ecclesiastical  and  architectural  remains,  it  is  best 
known  on  account  of  its  historical  associations. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  places  in  Ireland. 
There  it  was  that  Heremon,  son  of  Milesius, 
landed,  after  having  lost  his  brothers,  Aireach 
and  Colpa  in  the  bay.  Drogheda  suffered  re- 
peatedly from  the  incursions  of  the  Danes,  and 
later  from  the  Anglo-Norman  invaders.  There 
Richard  II.  held  his  court  in  1395,  and,  in  one 
of  the  parliaments  held  there  the  famous  Poyn- 
ing's  law  was  passed,  1494.  In  1641,  its  Eng- 
ish  garrison  was  unsuccessfully  besieged  by  Sir 
Phelim  O'Neil.  But  the  city  is  more  memora- 
bly associated  with  one  of  the  most  atrocious 
massacres  in  human  history— that  of  the  garri- 
son and  the  entire  inhabitants  by  Oliver  Crom- 
well in  1649.  Neither  age  nor  sex  was  spared, 
aud  with  his  characteristic  blasphemous  hy- 
pocrisy, the  Puritan  monster  disclaimed  any 
"credit"  for  the  butchery,  but  gave  all  the  glory 
of  it  to  God. 


ST.  LAWRENCE'S  GATE,  DROGHEDA. 


LONDONDERRY. 


NAME. — County  named  from  the  city.  The 
most  ancient  name  of  Lontlonderry  was  Derrj' 
Calgagh,  I.e.,  the  derrj'  or  oak-wood  of  Calgach. 
In  veneration  for  St.  Columkille,  who  erected  his 
monaster}'  in  Derrj-  in  546,  it  began  in  the  10th 
or  11th  century  to  be  called  Derry  Columkille ; 
and  this  continued  to  the  time  of  James  I., 
whose  charter,  granted  to  a  company  of  London 
merchants,  imposed  the  name  Londonderry. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
Magilligan  Point  to  the  Ballinderry  Eiver,  40| 
miles;  breadth  from  the  southwestern  corner  be- 
side the  Foyle,  to  the  northwestern  boundary 
near  Coleraine,  35  miles;  area  81G  square  miles; 
population  164,991. 

SUEFACE.— A  belt  of  level  land  stretches 
more  than  half  round  the  county  from  Lough 
Neagh,  by  Colerain  to  the  Foyle,  six  or  seven 
miles  broad  along  the  Bann,  but  much  narrower 
along  Lough  Foyle.  There  is  a  large  tract  of 
beautiful  level  country  in  the  center;  and  the 
south  of  the  county  is  mountainous,  the  southern 
border,  where  it  verges  on  Tyrone,  remarkably 
so — an  almost  uninterrupted  mass  of  high  moun- 
tains. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— In  the  south- 
west, the  Sperrin  Mountains  run  in  a  curve  from 
near  Strabaue  in  Tyrone  to  near  Garvagh  in  this 
county,  lying  partly  in  Tyrone,  partly  on  the 
border  between  Tyrone  and  Londonderry,  and 
partly  in  Londonderry.  The  chief  summits 
touching  or  belonging  to  Londondex'ry  are  Sawel 
(2,240);  a  mile  to  the  southwest  of  it.  Dart 
(2,040);  Meenard  (2,061),  3  miles  from  Saw-el, 
nearly  due  east,  and  Oughtmore  (1,878)  2  miles 
east  of  Meenard — these  four  being  on  the  boun- 
dary with  Tyrone.  The  following  are  in  Lon- 
donderry:  Barnes  Top  (1,506)  and  Mullaghash 
(1,581),  northwest  of  Meenard;  and  as  you  go 
northeast  from  this,  Craigagh  (1,489),  near 
Oughtmore;  Mullaghmore  (1,825),  White  Moun- 
tain (1,774),  Brown  Hill  (1,278),  and  Streeve 
(1,282),  all  four  close  to  each  other;  Glenshane 
Mountain  (1,507),  and  Craigmore  (1,306). 

South  of  these,  and  west  of  Draperstown,  are 


Knockbrack  (1,735),  and  on  the  boundary 
Slieveavaddy  (1,605)  and  Mullaghturk  (1,353); 
all  these  belonging  to  a  range  separated  from  the 
Sperrin  Mountains  by  the  valley  of  Glenelly  Eiver. 

Toward  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  county 
stands  the  short  range  of  Slieve  Gallion  (1,623), 
separated  from  the  Sperrin  Mountains  by  the 
valley  of  the  Moyola  Eiver.  Five  miles  south  of 
Loudonderrj'  city  is  Slievekirk  (1,219),  on  the 
boundary  with  Tyrone. 

The  following  are  in  the  interior :  Benbradagh 
(1,536),  northeast  of  Dungiven;  north  of  this, 
Craiggore  (1,277),  Boyd's  Mountain  (1,077)  and 
Keady  Mountain  (1,101),'  near  Newton  Lima- 
vady;  and  north  of  the  same  town,  about  half 
way  toward  Magilligan  Point,  Binevenagh 
(1,260),  almost  detached,  and  commanding  a 
beautiful  view  on  all  sides.  Loughermore 
(1,298)  lies  southwest  of  Limavady;  and  north- 
west from  Sawe  are  Meeny  Hilll  (1,198)  and 
Straid  Hill  (1,002). 

COAST  LINE.— That  part  of  the  coast  lying 
between  Portrush  and  the  mouth  of  the  Bann 
is  bold,  rocky,  and  cliffy.  From  the  mouth  of 
the  Bann,  round  by  Magiligan,  the  strand  is  flat 
and  sandy ;  but  a  mile  or  two  inland  there  are 
fine  cliffs  and  hills,  culminating  in  Binevenagh. 
From  Bellarena  west  to  the  Foyle,  both  shore 
and  interior  are  flat,  but  well  cultivated  and  very 
beautiful.  The  only  cape  of  anj'  consequence  is 
Magilligan  Point,  a  sandy  projection,  confining 
on  the  east  the  entrance  to  Lough  Foyle. 

EIVEES. — The  Bann,  issuing  from  Lough 
Neagh,  runs  on  the  boundary  between  Antrim 
and  Londonderry  for  a  mile,  then  after  flowing 
through  Antrim  for  half  a  mile,  it  expands  into 
Lough  Beg:  issuing  from  Lough  Beg,  it  again 
forms  the  boundary  for  22  miles  down  to  Cole- 
breene;  and  from  that  to  the  mouth,  a  distance 
of  10  miles,  it  flows  through  Londonderry.  A 
mile  above  Coleraine  it  falls  over  a  ledge  of 
rocks,  forming  the  "Salmon  Leap"  cascade, 
where  there  is  a  great  salmon  fishery.  On  the 
west  side,  the  Foyle  flows  through  this  county 
for  the  last  11  miles  of  its  course. 


LONDONDEREY. 


The  Faughau  rises  at  the  base  of  Sawel  Moun- 
tain, and  running  northwest,  flows  into  the 
mouth  of  the  Foyle.  The  Faughan  receives  as 
tributaries,  on  the  left  bank,  the  Glenrandal, 
which  rises  in  Tyrone,  and  the  Berry  Burn,  ris- 
ing in  Slievekirk  ;  and  on  the  right  bank  the 
Burn  Toilet.  The  Koe  rises  on  the  southern 
boundary  at  a  great  height  among  the  Sperrin 
Mountains,  and  flowing  in  a  general  direction 
northward,  it  passes  by  Dungiven  and  Newton 
Limavady,  and  enters  Lough  Foj'Ie. 

The  Mooyla  flows  from  the  mountains  in  the 
southwest  border,  and  running  first  northeast, 
next  east,  and  lastly  southeast,  it  enters  the 
northwest  corner  of  Lough  Neagh.  Like  the 
Roe,  it  rises  at  a  great  elevation,  and  is  subject 
to  sudden  floods.  Its  tributaries  are :  on  the 
right  bank,  the  White  Water  and  the  Grange 
Water;  on  the  left  bank,  the  Glengomna  and  the 
Douglas.  South  of  this,  the  Ballinderry  River 
forms  the  boundary  with  Tyrone  for  the  last  8 
or  10  miles  of  its  course,  and  enters  Lough 
Neagh ;  a  little  higher  up  it  also  runs  on  the 
same  boundary  for  a  mile  and  a  half.  It  re- 
ceives the  Lissan  Stream  on  the  left  bank,  which 
flows  partly  on  the  boundary  with  Tyrone,  but 
chiefly  through  Londonderry.  The  London- 
derry tributaries  of  the  Bauu,  north  of  the 
Moyola,  are  the  following:  The  Claudy  flows 
east  and  joins  the  Bann  half  a  mile  below  Port- 
glenone,  receiving  as  tributaries  on  its  left  bank 
the  Grilagh  and  the  Knockoneill  River.  Below 
this  is  the  Inverroe  "Water;  next  the  Agivey 
River,  which  is  joined  on  the  left  bank  by  the 
Aghadowey  River  and  by  the  Mettican  River; 
and  lastly  the  Macosquin  River. 

LAKES. — Lough  Neagh  forms  the  boundary 
for  8  miles,  and  Lough  Beg  for  3|  miles.  In 
the  southwest.  Lough  Fea  and  the  mountain 
pool  Lough  Ouske  lie  on  the  boundary  with 
Tyrone. 

TOWNS.— Londonderry  (29,162,)  the  assize 
town,  built  on  a  hill  rising  over  the  left  or  west- 
ern shore  of  the  Foye,  is  a  most  picturesque  city, 
rendered  highly  interesting  by  its  remains  of 
antiquity,  especially  the  old  walls,  gates,  and 
bastions  that  formerly  defended  the  town.  On  the 
eastern  side  of  the  county  is  Coleraine  (5,899), 
on  the  Bann,  4  miles  from  its  mouth.  Higher 
up,  Kilrea  (935)  is  half  a  mile  from  the  river. 


On  the  Roe  are,  Newtown  Limavady  (2,954); 
and  Dungiven  (761),  in  a  beautiful  valley,  with 
the  ruins  of  a  castle  and  of  a  very  ancient  abbey. 
Magherafelt  (1,514)  stands  in  the  southeast,  4 
miles  from  the  shore  of  Lough  Neagh  ;  near  it,  on 
the  Moyola  River,  is  Castledawsou  (511);  a  little 
higher  up,  near  but  not  quite  on  the  same  river, 
Tobernaore  (347);  and  higher  up  still.  Drapers- 
town,  half  a  mile  from  the  river.  Maghera 
(1,124),  a  little  to  the  north  of  the  Moyola,  is  a 
place  of  great  antiquity,  with  a  most  interesting 
and  very  ancient  church  ruin ;  Garvagh  (708)  is 
farther  north,  4  miles  from  the  Bann ;  Money- 
more  (588),  in  the  southeastern  corner,  is  a  very 
neat  town;  and  on  the  north  coast.  Port  Stewart 
(556)  is  a  pretty  watering  place,  and  much 
patronized. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Londonderry  formed  a  jiart  of  the 
ancient  territory  of  Tir  Owen,  i.e.,  the  land  of 
Owen,  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages.  The 
barony  of  Keenaght  represents  the  ancient  ter- 
ritory of  Cianachta,  or  Cianachta  of  Gleugiven, 
which  was  in  early  times  the  territory  of  the 
O'Conors;  but  they  were  dispossessed  a  short 
time  before  the  English  invasion  by  theO'Cahans 
or  O'Kanes. 

One  mile  above  Coleraine,  towering  over  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  is  a  great  fort  or  mound, 
one  of  the  largest  in  the  country,  now  called 
Mountsandel,  but  .  anciently  Dun-da-bheann 
(pron.  Dundavan'),  or  the  fort  of  the  two  peaks 
or  gables,  which  was  the  residence  of  a  chief 
called  "Niall  of  the  brilliant  deeds"  a  little  be- 
fore the  Christian  era,  and  which  is  celebrated 
in  ancient  Irish  romance.  A  still  more  cele- 
braterl  fort  lay  about  5  miles  west  of  this  in  the 
parish  of  Duudo;  it  is  now  called  the  Giant's 
Sconce,  but  it  Avas  the  ancient  Dun  Keheru, 
the  residence  of  Keheru,  one  of  the  Red  Branch 
Knights.    (See  Armagh.) 

In  Roe  Park,  near  Newtown  Limavady,  is  a 
long  mound  now  called  "the  Mullah"  or  "Daisy 
Hill;"  this  is  the  ancient  Drumket,  celebrated 
for  the  convention  held  there  574  by  Aed,  the  son 
of  Ainmire,  king  of  Ireland,  which  was  attended 
by  the  chief  people  of  the  country,  both  lay  and 
ecclesiastical,  among  others  by  St.  Col'umkille, 
and  in  which  various  important  national  matters 
were  settled. 


LONGFORD. 


NAME. — The  Gaelic  form  of  the  name  is 
liougphort,  which  signifies  a  fortress;  the  word 
was  originally  applied  to  the  old  circular  forts, 
but  in  after  ages  to  the  more  modern  stone  cas- 
tles. There  are  about  twenty  places  in  Ireland 
called  Longford,  all  so  named  from  fortresses  of 
some  kind.  The  town  of  Longford,  from  which 
the  county  has  its  name,  is  called  in  the  annals, 
Longford  O'Farrell,  from  the  castle  of  the  O'Far- 
rells,  the  ancient  proprietors,  which  was  situated 
where  the  present  military  barrack  stands. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Greatest  length, 
from  the  southwest  point  in  Lough  Ree  near 
Black  Islands,  to  the  northeast  corner  near  Gul- 
ladoo  Lough  30|  miles ;  greatest  breadth  from 
the  river  luny  in  the  east,  to  Drumshanbo  Lake 
noi'th  of  Drumlish,  18  miles;  average  breadth 
about  16  miles ;  area  421  square  miles ;  population 
61,000. 

SURFACE:  HILLS.— A  range  of  low  round 
hills  extend  from  the  northeast  near  Lough 
Gowna,  to  the  southwest  near  Newtown  Forbes; 
of  which  Carn  Clouhugh  (912),  toward  the  south- 
west end,  is  the  highest  summit,  a  flat-topped 
hill,  very  conspicuous  in  consequence  of  rising 
in  the  midst  of  a  great  plain.  This  hill  should 
have  been  called  Carn  Clanhugh,  for  it  took  its 
name  from  the  Clanhugh  (the  children  or  de- 
scendants of  Hugh),  who  were  a  sept  of  the 
O'Farrells,  ancient  princes  of  Annaly.  Slieve 
Golry  650  a  mile  and  a  half  southwest  of 
Ardagh,  is  another  hill  conspicuous  for  the 
same  reason.  These  are  the  only  hills  worth 
mention  in  the  whole  countj'.  All  the  rest  of 
the  county  is  flat,  in  some  places,  as  long  the 
course  of  the  Camlin  River,  quite  level  and  un- 
interrupted ;  in  other  places  broken  up  by  long 
ridge  sandhills.  In  the  level  portions  there  is 
a  good  dedl  of  bog. 

RIVERS. — The  Shannon  bounds  the  county 
on  the  west  from  a  jjoint,  below  Roosky  a  mile  to 
where  it  opens  into  Lough  Ree  at  Lanesborough, 
a  distance  of  14  miles.  The  Rinn  River  coming 
south  from  Leitx'im,  forms  the  boundary  between 


Leitrim  and  Longford  for  2  miles,  then  flows 
through  Longford  for  a  mile,  and  enters  Lough 
Forbes.  In  the  same  neighborhood  the  Black 
River  flows  southwest  through  Longford,  and 
enters  Leitrim  to  join  the  Rinn  River. 

The  Camlin  rises  near  Granard,  and  flowing 
through  Longford  town,  joins  the  Shannon  2 
miles  above  Cloondara.  The  Keenagh  or  Fallan 
River,  flowing  northwest,  joins  the  Shannon  at 
Cloondara;  but  a  branch  of  it  connects  with  the 
Camlin,  so  as  to  form  with  that  river  and  the 
Shannon  what  is  called  the  Island  of  Cloondara. 
The  Inny,  coming  westward  from  Westmeath, 
forms  for  2  miles  the  boundary  between  West- 
meath and  Longford,  then  flowing  for  12  or  13 
miles  through  Longford,  and  passing  by  Bally- 
mahon,  it  enters  the  eastern  corner  of  Lough 
Ree.  The  Inny  is  joined  on  the  left  bank,  3 
miles  below  Ballymahon,  by  the  Tang  River, 
which,  coming  from  Westmeath,  forms  for  the 
last  3  miles  of  its  course  the  southern  boundary 
of  Longford ;  and  a  little  above  Ballymahon,  by 
the  Rath  River,  which  also  comes  from  West- 
meath, and  flows  through  Longford  for  the  last 
3  miles  of  its  course.  The  Riffey,  another  tribu- 
tary of  the  Inny  on  the  right  bank,  rises  near 
Edgeworthstown,  and  flowing  southeast,  enters 
Westmeath. 

All  the  above  streams  send  their  waters  to  the 
Shannon.  But  there  is  a  district  in  the  north- 
east which  is  drained  by  a  number  of  rivulets  into 
Lough  Gowna,  whence  the  united  waters  are 
carried  ofE  by  the  river  Erne. 

LAKES. — The  lake  expansions  of  the  Shannon 
that  touch  Longford  are :  Lough  Forbes,  near 
Newtown  Forbes,  and  Lough  Ree,  which  forms 
the  southwestern  boundary.  Along  the  north- 
west boundary  there  is  a  line  of  small  lakes,  viz., 
Drumshanbo  Lake,  Lough  Sallagh,  Fearglass 
Lake,  Cloucose  Lake,  Lough  Nahelwy,  Doogary 
Lake,  Gortermore  Lake,  Tully  South  Lake, 
Beaghmore  Lake,  and  Gulladoo  Lake,  this  last 
at  the  north  extremity  of  the  count.v.  These 
belong  partly  each  to  Longford  and  Leitrim. 


LONGFORD. 


Proceeding  on  in  the  same  direction  round  the 
boundary;  near  Gulladoo  Lake  is  Lower  Lake, 
near  the  village  of  Arvagh  in  Cavan  lying  (with 
the  adjacent  lake  of  Garty  in  Cavan)  in  the  midst 
of  a  series  of  pretty  hills;  a  little  south  from 
which  is  Enaghan  Lake.  Lough  Gowna  on  the 
northeast  margin,  a  very  beautiful  lake,  belong- 
ing partly  to  Cavan,  is  about  6  miles  in  length, 
extremely  irregular  in  shape,  and  greatly  broken 
up  by  peninsulas  and  islands.  Lough  Kinale 
lies  on  the  east  bordei',  beside  which  is  the 
smaller  lake  Derragh,  which  is  wholly  in  Long- 
ford. Glen  Lough  lies  3  miles  southeast  of 
Edgeworthstown. 

The  following  lakes  are  in  the  interior:  In 
the  northern  corner,  Corglass  Lake,  Lough 
Naback  and  Lough  Annagh.  Killeen  Lake,  and 
Cloonfin  Lake  lie  3  miles  west  of  Granard. 
Gorteen  Lake  and  Currygrane  Lake  lie  imme- 
diately south  of  the  village  of  Ballinalee.  Lough 
Bannow  lies  beside  Lanesborougb;  and  south- 
east of  this,  beside  the  village  of  Keeuagh,  is 
another  Lough  Bannow.  In  the  southern  end, 
Derry  Lake  and  Derrymacar  Lake  lie  about  4 
miles  west  of  Ballymahon. 

ISLANDS. — Those  in  Lough  Ree  belonging  to 
Longford  are :  In  the  north  end,  Incharmader- 
mot ;  a  mile  south  of  this  is  the  larger  island  of 
Inchenagh  ;  and  another  mile  south  is  Clawinch. 
The  next  is  Inchcleranun,  or  Quaker's  Island, 
which  was  in  old  times  the  seat  of  a  religious 
establishment,  founded  by  St.  Dermot  in  the  6th 
century,  and  which  still  contains  a  most  interest- 
ing group  of  ecclesiastical  ruins,  commonly 
called,  as  elsewhere,  the  "Seven  Churches." 
The  little  cluster  called  the  Black  Islands  lies 
south  of  the  southern  point  of  the  county,  and 
lastly,  to  the  northeast  of  Black  Island,  is  Saint's 
Island,  on  which  are  the  ruins  of  a  church. 

In  that  pai"t  of  Lough  Gowna  belonging  to 
Longford  is  Inchmore  or  Great  Island,  which 
contains  the  ruins  of  an  abbey,  called  Temple 
Columkille,  i.e.,  St.  Columkille's  Church,  which 
was  the  original  parish  church  of,  and  gave  name 
to,  the  surrounding  parish  of  Columkille. 

TOWNS.— Longford  (4,380),  on  the  river  Cal- 
min,  is  the  most  important  town  and  the  best 
business  center  between  Dublin  and  Sligo; 
Granard  (1,828)  is  in  the  northeast  of  the  county. 
Beside  the  town  is  the  "Moat,"  a  very  large  and 


high  mound,  the  remains  of  the  fortified  resi- 
dence of  some  old  king  or  chief,  similar  to  others 
found  in  many  parts  of  Ireland;  it  is  on  the  top 
of  a  hill,  commanding  a  great  view  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  is  a  very  remarkable 
feature  in  the  district.  Two  miles  southeast  of 
Granard  is  the  village  of  Abbeylara,  containing 
the  interesting  ruins  of  an  abbey  from  which  the 
place  has  its  name.  Edgeworthstown  (842), 
near  the  eastern  margin  of  the  county,  is  a  very 
neat  town ;  it  received  its  name  from  the  family 
of  Edgeworth,  well  known  in  literature — one 
member,  Maria  Edgeworth,  being  particularly 
distinguished.  Ballymahon  (869)  in  the  south, 
stands  on  the  river  Inny.  Two  miles  east  of 
Ballymahon  is  the  village  of  Pallas,  the  birth 
place  of  Oliver  Goldsmith ;  and  five  miles  south- 
west of  Ballymahon,  in  the  county  Westmeath, 
is  the  village  of  Lissoy,  celebrated  under  the 
name  of  Auburn  in  the  "Deserted  Village." 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  county  Longford  is  co-extensive 
with  the  ancient  territory  of  Annal.v,  which  was 
for  some  centuries  before  the  invasion  the  patri- 
mony of  the  O'Farrells.  In  earlier  ages,  about 
the  time  of  St.  Patrick,  it  formed  what  was  called 
North  Teffia,  to  distinguish  it  from  South  Tefiia, 
which  comprised  a  large  part  of  Westmeath,  the 
two  Teffias  being  separated  by  the  river  Inny. 
A  portion  of  North  Teffia,  viz.,  the  barony  of 
Granard,  was  one  of  the  districts  anciently  called 
Carbery;  and  to  distinguish  it  from  the  other 
Carberys  this  was  called  Carbery  of  Teffia. 

One  of  the  several  districts  called  Calry  was 
situated  round  the  village  of  Ardagh  in  this 
county;  and  the  name,  though  no  longer  applied 
to  the  territory,  is  preserved  in  the  name  of 
Slieve  Golry.  This  hill  was  in  more  ancient 
times  called  Bri-Leth;  it  was  the  residence 
of  the  Dedannan  fairy  prince  Midir;  and  in 
some  very  old  Gaelic  romantic  tales  there  are 
curious  fairy  legends  in  connection  with  it. 

At  Ardagh  a  monastery  was  founded  by  St. 
Mel,  a  British  missionary  who  was  contemporai-y 
with  St.  Patrick  and  St.  Brigid;  and  the  place 
was  and  is  still  held  in  great  veneration.  It 
contains  the  ruins  of  a  church,  with  all  the  char- 
acteristics of  extreme  antiquity,  and  it  has  con- 
tinued an  episcopal  see  since  the  time  of  its  first 
bishop  St.  Mel. 


MEATH. 


NAME. — The  Gaelic  form  is  Midhe  (pron. 
Mee),  which  probably  means  middle  ;  Meath  was 
the  middle  province  of  Ireland. 

SIZE  AXD  POPULATION.— Greatest  length, 
from  the  Delvin  Kiver  to  Lough  Sheelin,  47^ 
miles  :  greatest  breadth  from  the  Yellow  River  to 
Ballyhoe  Lake,  39^  miles ;  area,  90G  square 
miles  ;  population,  87,469. 

SURFACE  :  HILLS.— Meath  is  nearly  all 
level.  There  are  hills  in  the  northwest,  of  which 
one  range,  lying  a  little  southeast  of  Oldcastle, 
is  called  Slieve  na  Calliagh,  or  the  Loughcrew 
Hills,  the  highest  elevation  being  Carnbane  (904). 
On  the  summits  of  these  hills  is  an  ancient 
pagan  cemetery,  consisting  of  a  most  remarkable 
group  of  large  cromlechs  and  sepulchral  cham- 
bers, in  all  respects  resembling  the  great  ceme- 
tery at  Brixga  of  the  Boyne  (see  General  Sketch 
of  Ireland  ;  Antiquities).  South  of  this  near 
Loughcrew  House,  is  Slieve  Gullion  (640) ;  two 
miles  west  of  which  is  Seafin  (661).  All  these 
hills,  though  low,  command  extensive  views,  as 
they  rise  in  the  midst  of  a  plain.  In  the  barony 
of  Lower  Kells,  at  the  north  end  of  the  county, 
there  are  hills  rising  to  the  height  of  835  feet. 
There  is  a  range  of  hills  beginning  in  the  barony 
of  Upper  Slane,  which  run  into  Louth,  and  ter- 
minate at  Clogher  Head  (see  Louth).  The  por- 
tion of  this  range  lying  in  Meath  is  called  Slieve 
Bregh  (753),  which  lies  4  miles  north  of  Slane. 
The  Hill  of  Ward,  near  Athboy,  though  only  390 
feet  high,  is  locally  very  remarkable.  In  various 
other  parts  of  the  county  the  pl^in  is  broken  up 
by  low  hills,  nearly  all  being  cultivated  or  grass 
land. 

COAST  LINE.— Meath  has  a  coast  line  of  7 
miles,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Delvin  River  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Boyne;  it  is  nearly  straight,  and 
there  is  a  fine  sandy  strand  the  whole  way, 
backed  by  sand  hills. 

RIVERS. — The  Boyne,  coming  from  Kings 
County  and  Kildare,  first  touches  Meath  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Yellow  River,  at  the  southMest 
corner;  then  forms  the  boundary  between  Meath 
and  Kildare  for  8  miles;  after  which  it  flows 


through  Meath,  passing  by  Trim,  Navan,  and 
Slane,  till  it  meets  the  Mattock  River  at  Old- 
bridge  (for  the  rest  of  its  course  see  Louth). 

Tributaries  of  the  Boyne :  In  the  northwest, 
the  Blackwater,  flowing  from  Lough  Ramor  in 
Cavan,  runs  for  a  short  distance  through  Cavan; 
then  forms  for  a  mile  the  boundary  between 
Cavan  and  Meath,  after  which  it  enters  Meath, 
and  passing  by  Kells,  joins  the  Boyne  at  Navan. 
It  is  joined  at  Oristown,  on  the  left  bank,  by 
the  Moynalty  River,  which,  rising  in  Cavan, 
forms  the  boundary  between  that  county  and 
Meath  for  7  miles,  after  which  it  enters  Meath, 
taking  its  name  from  the  village  of  Moynalty,  by 
which  it  flows.  Two  miles  above  Navan,  the 
Blackwater  is  joined,  also  on  the  left  bank,  by 
the  Yellow  River;  and  at  the  point  where  it  first 
touches  Meath  it  is  joined  on  the  right  bank  by 
the  Cross  Water,  which  forms  the  boundary  be- 
tween Meath  and  Cavan  for  about  3  miles. 

The  Boyne  is  joined  at  Oldbridge  by  the  Mat- 
tock River  (for  which  see  Louth);  and  the 
Mattock  itself  is  joined  by  the  Devlins  River, 
flowing  from  Slieve  Bregh.  Two  miles  above 
Trim  the  Tremblestown  River  joins  on  the  left 
bank,  after  flowing  by  Athboy;  and  a  few  miles 
higher  up,  the  Boyne  is  joined  on  the  same  bank 
by  the  Ston^'ford  River,  which  comes  imme- 
diately from  Westmeath,  but  rises  originally  in 
Meath;  a  little  above  this  it  receives  the  Dale 
River,  also  coming  from  Westmeath  ;  and  lastly, 
still  on  the  left  bank,  the  Boyne  is  joined  near 
Castlejordan  by  the  Yellow  River,  which  forms 
for  3  miles  the  boundary  between  Kings  County 
and  Meath.  On  the  right  bank,  another  Black- 
water,  a  boggy,  sluggish  stream,  joins  the  Boyne 
at  Castlerickavd  in  the  southwest,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Dale;  on  the  right  bank  also,  the  Boyne 
receives  the  Boycetown  River,  2  miles  below 
Trim.    So  far  the  basin  of  the  Boyne. 

In  the  north  of  the  county,  the  Dee,  rising  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Moynalty  and  Nobber,  flows 
eastward,  and  enters  Louth  2  miles  above  Ardee. 

The  Nanny  Water  runs  south  of,  and  parallel 
to,  the  Boyne,  at  a  distance  of  3  or  4  miles;  it 


ME.\TH. 


rises  a  little  east  of  Navaa,  flows  the  whole  way 
along  a  beautiful  valley,  and  passing  by  Duleek, 
falls  into  the  sea  4  miles  south  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Boyne;  at  Athcarne  Castle  it  receives  the 
Hurley  River  from  the  south,  which  rises  in 
Dublin  county.  Three  miles  south  of  this,  the 
Delvin  River  forms  the  boundary  between  Meath 
and  Dublin  for  7  or  8  miles,  and  enters  the  sea 
at  Gormanstown. 

The  river  called  in  Dublin  the  Broad  Meadow 
"Water  (flowing  into  Malahide  Bay),  rises  in 
Meath,  near  Dunshaughlin,  and  flowing  by  Rat- 
oath  and  Ashbourne,  enters  Dublin  near  Gree- 
noge.  The  Swords  River,  a  tributary  of  the  last, 
also  rises  in  Meath.  The  Tolka  rises  a  little 
south  of  Dunshaughlin,  and  flowing  to  the  south- 
east, enters  Dublin  at  Clouee  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  Meath.  The  Rye  Water  rises  in 
Meath ;  and  forming  the  boundary  between 
Meath  and  Kildare  for  several  miles,  enters  Kil- 
dare  at  Carton. 

In  the  extreme  northwest  corner,  the  river 
Inny  rises  in  Meath  and  forming  the  boundary 
between  Meath  and  Cavan  for  about  -i  miles, 
enters  Lough  Sheelin. 

LAKES. — Lough  Sheelin  touches  the  north- 
west projection,  and  a  portion  of  it  belongs  to 
Meath.  The  other  lakes  on  the  margin  are : 
Lough  Ervey,  1^  miles  southwest  of  Kingscourt, 
on  the  boundary  with  Cavan;  Rahan's  Lough  in 
the  north,  chiefly  belonging  to  Mouaghan ; 
Ballyhoe  Lake  near  it,  belonging  partl.v  to 
Monaghan,  but  chiefly  to  Meath;  Croboy  Lake 
in  the  southwest,  a  small  pool  3  miles  northeast 
of  Kinnegad,  half  in  Westmeath ;  Lough  Bane  in 
the  west,  half  of  which  belongs  to  Meath  and  the 
other  half  to  Westmeath ;  and  near  it,  to  the 
northwest.  White  Lough  and  Lough  Naneagh, 
which  are  also  divided  equally  by  the  boundary 
line  of  Meath  and  Westmeath. 

The  lakes  in  the  interior  are  small  and  unim- 
portant. Lough  Breaky  in  the  northwest,  in  the 
barony  of  Lower  Kells,  lies  near  the  boundary ; 
and  near  it  to  the  east  are  Whitewood  Lake  and 
Newcastle  Lake. 

TOWNS.— Trim  (1,586),  the  assize  town,  on 
the  Boyne,  a  town  of  great  antiquity,  with  many 
remains  of  its  former  importance,  among  others 
a  fine  old  castle,  and  the  ruins  of  several  eccle- 
siastical establishments,  chief  among  them  being 


the  Yellow  Steeple.  Navan  (3,873),  situated  at 
the  junction  of  the  Boyne  and  the  Blackwater, 
a  good  trading-town.  Kells  (2,822),  on  the 
Blackwater,  with  several  very  ancient  ecclesias- 
tical remains — a  round  tower,  a  Celtic  cross,  and 
a  stone-roofed  oratory  called  St.  Columb's 
House.  The  town  grew  round  a  monastery 
founded  there  in  the  6ta  century  by  St.  Colum- 
kille.  Oldcastle  (952)  lies  in  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  county ;  Athboy  (748)  in  the  west, 
stands  on  the  Tremblestown  River.  Duleek 
(581),  in  the  east,  on  the  Nanny  Watei',  was  in 
old  times  a  place  of  great  importance.  An  abbey 
was  founded  there  in  the  5th  century  by  the 
celebrated  St.  Cianan  or  Keenan,  its  first  bishop, 
which  continued  to  flourish  for  many  ages ;  and 
the  place  now  contains  the  ruins  of  a  mon- 
astery, 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  present  county  formed  a  part  of 
the  ancient  kingdom  of  Meath.  The  two  baro- 
nies of  Deece  retain  the  name  of  an  ancient  tribe 
called  the  Desi,  who  dwelt  at  the  south  side  of 
Tara  in  the  reign  of  Cormac  Mac  Art,  in  the  third 
century,  and  who  also  gave  name  to  the  baro- 
nies of  Decies  in  Waterford  see  (Waterford;. 

Tara,  the  ancient  residence  of  the  kings  of 
Ireland,  is  situated  6  miles  southeast  of  Navan. 
Another  very  celebrated  place  in  Meath  was 
Tailltenn,  now  called  Teltown,  situated  on  the 
Blackwater,  midway  between  Navan  and  Kells; 
and  still  another  was  Tlachtga,  which  is  now 
called  the  Hill  of  Ward,  and  is  situated  near 
Athboy. 

The  chief  ecclesiastical  centers  of  Meath  were : 
Bective,  on  the  Boyne,  a  few  miles  below  Trim, 
where  there  is  a  beautiful  abbey  ruin ;  Dun- 
shaughlin, in  the  southeast  of  the  couutj',  now 
a  poor  village,  but  once  important,  where  St. 
Sechnall,  nephew  of  St.  Patrick,  founded  an 
abbey  in  the  5th  century :  Slaue,  on  the  Boyne, 
with  the  fine  ruins  of  an  abbey  and  the  ruin  of 
the  hermitage  of  St.  Ere  the  patron;  Skreen,  on 
a  hill,  with  church  ruins,  where  St.  Patrick 
lighted  the  first  paschal  fire  (in  the  year  433) ; 
and  Clonard,  on  the  Boyne,  in  the  barony  of 
Upper  Moyfenrath  in  the  southwest,  the  most 
celebrated  of  all,  where  St.  Finnian  established 
his  great  school  in  the  6th  century ;  but  not  a 
vestige  now  remains  of  the  old  buildings. 


MEATH. 


-  SLANE  CASTLE.— This  luausioii  is  situated 
on  a  green  bimk  overlookiug  the  Boj'ue  Kivei-, 
about  seven  miles  from  Drogheda.  It  dates 
from  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  is  the  residence  of  the  Marquis  of  Couyng- 
ham.  It  M-as  a  noted  place  as  far  back  as  the 
time  of  Hugo  de  Lacy,  within  whose  "grant" 
it  came.  Close  bj'  it,  are  the  romantic  remains 
of  the  Hermitage  of  St.  Ere,  on  the  Hill  of 
Slane,  south  of  the  town  near  the  river,  in  the 
shade  of  a  grove  of  ancient  yew  trees.  St.  Ere 
was  the  first  bishop  of  Slane,  and  was  conse- 


crated by  St.  Patrick.  It  was  on  this  historic 
spot  that  St.  Patrick  first  lighted  the  paschal 
tire,  and  made  his  first  remarkable  conversions 
in  the  Island  of  which  he  became  the  apostle. 
A  fine  spring  of  water,  called  the  Well  of  St. 
Patrick,  is  situated  on  the  lower  walk,  near  the 
Hermitage,  and  is  much  resorted  to  by  the  de- 
vout. 

Qn  this  spot  also  are  the  ruins  of  an 
abbey  consisting  of  a  belfry  and  tower,  which 
form  one  of  the  most  picturesque  objects  in  the 
demesne  of  Slane  Castle. 


MAYO. 


NAME. — The  county  took  its  name  from  the 
little  village  of  Ma.vo  (near  Balla  in  the  southeast 
of  the  county),  -which  is  called  in  Gaelic  Magh-eo 
(pron.  Mayo),  the  plain  or  Held  of  the  yew  trees; 
magh,  a  plain ;  eo,  a  yew.  In  the  7th  century 
St.  Colman,  an  Irish  monk,  having  retired  from 
the  see  of  Lindisfarne,  erected  a  monastery  at 
the  spot  where  the  village  now  stands,  m  which 
he  settled  a  number  of  English  monks  he  had 
brought  over  with  him  ;  and  for  many  ages  after- 
ward it  was  much  resorted  to  by  monks  from 
England.  Hence  it  came  to  be  known  by  the 
name  of  Magheo-na-Saxau,  or  Mayo  of  the 
Saxons. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
the  boundary  east  of  Ballyhaunis  to  the  coast 
opposite  Eagle  Island  near  Erris  Head,  C6|  miles; 
breadth,  from  Killarj'  Harbor  to  Downpatrick 
Head,  54  miles;  area,  2,12G  square  miles;  popu- 
lation 245,212. 

SURFACE.— The  surface  of  Mayo  is  very 
much  mixed  and  varied.  There  is  a  tract  of 
level  land  north  of  Lough  Conn,  which  extends  6 
or  8  miles  west  from  Killala  Bay.  The  Mullet 
peninsula  and  a  considerable  breadth  of  coun- 
try east  of  Blacksod  Bay,  are  also  level.  The 
district  made  up  of  the  north  part  of  the  barony 
of  Erris  and  the  northwest  of  the  barony  of 
Tirawle.v,  is  an  elevated  moor,  relieved  by  a  few 
mountains ;  the  district  south  of  this — lying 
south  of  the  valley  of  the  Owenmore  Biver — from 
Lough  Conn  westward  to  the  western  extremit.v 
of  Achill  Island,  is  one  great  mass  of  mountains. 
The  peninsula  of  Murrisk  is  all  mountain,  except 
a  narrow  belt  of  level  land  along  the  coast  on  the 
northwest.  East  of  Clew  Bay  the  country  is 
level.  With  some  few  exceptions  the  rest  of  the 
county  is  level,  namely,  the  greatest  part  of  the 
baronies  of  Gallen,  Costello,  Clanmorris,  Carra, 
and  Kilmaine. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— Beginning  at 
the  southwest.  In  the  south  of  the  peninsula  of 
Murrisk,  Muilrea  (2,688),  the  highest  mountain 
in  Connaught,  rises  straight  over  Killarj'  Har- 


bor; further  east,  rising  also  over  the  same 
harbor,  is  Bengorm  (2,303),  and  a  mile  further 
inland,  Ben  Creggan  (2,283).  On  the  north  side 
of  the  same  peninsula  is  Croagh  Patrick  (2,510), 
rising  from  the  very  seashore,  a  beautiful  coni- 
cal mountain,  perfectly  uniform  in  shape  from 
whatsover  side  viewed,  and  commanding  from  its 
summit  one  of  the  finest  views  in  Ireland,  in- 
cluding the  whole  of  Clew  Bay  with  its  number- 
less islands.  This  mountain  was  the  scene  of 
some  interesting  episodes  in  the  life  of  St. 
Patrick;  and  it  is  celebrated  in  legend  as  the 
place  whence  the  saint  drove  all  the  demon- 
reptiles  of  Ireland  into  the  sea.  Between  its 
base  and  the  sea  are  the  interesting  ruins  of 
Murrisk  Abbe.v. 

The  Partry  Mountains  are  separated  from  the 
Murrisk  group  by  the  valley  of  the  Erriff  River. 
Of  this  range,  which  runs  from  southwest  to 
northeast.  Devil's  Mother  (2,131),  and  Maum- 
ti'asua  (2,207)  lie  on  the  boundary  with  Galway; 
and  futher  to  the  northeast  is  Bohaun  (1,294). 

The  vast  mountain  region  west  of  Lough  Conn 
begins  magnificently  with  Nephin  (2,646),  a  great 
detached  dome,  seen  in  its  full  height  fi'om  the 
shores  of  Lough  Conn.  A  little  further  west, 
separated  from  Nephin  b3'  a  deep  valley,  is 
Birreencorragh  (2,295);  and  passing  another 
valley  west  of  this  we  come  to  another  group, 
containing  Laght  Dauhybaun  (2369),  Nephgin 
Beg  (2,065),  Glennamorig  (2,067),  and  Bengorm 
(1,912). 

In  the  moory  region  north  of  the  Owenmore 
River  are  Slieve  Fyagh  (1,090),  and  Benmore 
(1,155).  In  Achill  Island,  Slievemore  (2,204), 
in  the  north,  rises  over  the  sea ;  and  in  the  west 
is  Croaghaun  (2,192),  which  exactly  resembles 
Slieve  League  in  Donegal,  as  it  presents  to  the 
sea  a  face  of  rock  the  whole  way  down  from  suna- 
mit  to  base — the  most  tremendous  precipice  in 
Ireland. 

COASTLINE.— From  Killala  Bay  west  to  Broad 
Haven  Bay  the  coast  is  the  abrupt  termination  of 
a  high  table  land  and  presents  to  the  sea  a  con- 


MAYO. 


tinued  succession  of  perpendicular  cliffs  broken 
and  pierced  by  fissures  in  an  extraordinary  way, 
some  of  the  grandest  sea  cliffs  in  Ireland.  All 
the  western  coast  is  broken  and  infinitely  varied ; 
that  of  the  Mullet  peninsula  and  round  a  great 
part  of  Clew  Bay  being  generally  flat;  while  the 
coasts  of  Achill  and  of  the  Merrisk  peninsula  are 
bold  and  rocky,  and  in  many  places  magnificent. 

HEADLANDS.— Beginning  at  Killala  Bay  and 
going  round  from  right  to  left :  Benwee  or  Kil- 
cummin  Head  marks  on  the  w-est  the  entrance  to 
Killala  Bay ;  Downpatrick  Head,  near  it,  is  a 
fine,  bold,  scarped  promontorj'.  Benwee  Head  is 
the  turning  point  of  the  coast  to  the  southwest; 
Erris  Head  is  the  northwest  extremity  of  the 
county;  Annagh  Head  lies  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Mullet  peninsula.  At  the  west  end  of  Achill 
Island  is  Achill  Head,  a  long  sharp  point  of  rock 
like  a  spur  projecting  from  Croaghaun  Mountain ; 
and  Emlagh  Point  is  the  northwest  extremity  of 
the  Murrisk  peninsula. 

ISLANDS. — The  islands  of  Mayo  are  very 
numerous,  and  many  of  the  mare  large  and  import- 
ant; all  the  larger  islands  are  inhabited.  Achill 
Island  is  the  largest  round  the  Irish  coast,  and 
is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a  narrow 
strait  running  north  and  south,  of  which  the 
north  half  is  called  Achill  Sound.  The  island  is 
shaped  somewhat  like  a  triangle,  measuring 
about  15  miles  along  the  base  from  Achill  Beg 
Island  to  Achill  Head,  and  containing  50  square 
miles.  There  is  much  bog  and  moor,  inter- 
spersed with  patches  of  arable  land ;  and  the  sur- 
face is  for  the  most  part  elevated,  especially  in 
the  north  and  west,  where  there  are  lofty  moun- 
tains; its  coasts  abound  in  great  sea  cliffs. 
Inishbiggle  lies  between  Achill  and  the  main- 
land; between  that  again  and  the  mainland  is 
Annagh  Island ;  and  immediately  beside  the 
southern  extremity  of  Achill  is  Achill  Beg.  To 
the  east  of  the  southern  end  of  Achill  is  the 
rugged  peninsula  called  Curraun,  which  is  very 
nearly  insulated  by  Bellacraher  Bay. 

Taking  first  the  islands  south  of  Achill:  Clare 
Island  stands  in  front  of  Clew  Bay,  3  miles  from 
Achill;  it  is  4|  miles  long  by  about  2  miles 
broad,  and  contains  6  square  miles.  It  rises 
1,520  feet  at  its  western  side,  and  presents  a  fine 
appearance  from  the  mainland,  looking  like  a 
gigantic  fortress  standing  up  out  of  the  sea.  Five 


miles  southwest  of  Clare  Island  is  Inishturk, 
which  is  2|  miles  long,  near  which  on  the  east  is 
the  little  island  of  Caher;  and  4  miles  southwest 
of  Inishturk  is  Inishbofin,  which  is  4  miles  long, 
and  contains  5  square  miles.  Beside  Inishbofin 
on  the  west  is  Inishshark,  a  mile  and  a-half  in 
length ;  and  near  Inishbofin  on  the  east  are  the 
two  little  islands  Inishlyon  and  Davillaun.  Out- 
side the  mouth  of  Killary  Harbor  is  the  small 
rocky  island  of  Inisdegil  More.  In  Clew  Bay, 
near  the  coast,  there  is  an  extraordinary  cluster 
of  islands,  almost  innumerable,  most  of  them 
low  and  grassy  or  sandy ;  of  which  the  most  im- 
portant are  Inishlyre  and  Island  More. 

North  of  Achill :  Duvillaun  More  lies  near  the 
south  point  of  the  Mullet  peninsula;  and  2  miles 
west  from  the  south  end  of  the  same  peninsula 
are  the  two  adjacent  islands  of  Inishkea  North 
and  Inishkea  South,  both  of  which  contain 
ecclesiastical  ruins,  the  remains  of  a  nunnery 
and  its  branches  established  there  in  the  primi- 
tive ages  of  the  church  by  the  virgin  saint  Kea, 
and  maintained  on  the  islands  for  many  ages 
afterward.  North  of  this,  and  about  a  mile  from 
the  shore  of  the  Mullet  peninsula,  is  the  little 
island  of  Inishglora,  containing  the  ruins  of  a 
monastery  founded  in  the  6th  century  in  honor 
of  "St.  Brendan  the  Navigator;"  it  was  formerly 
believed  that  human  bodies  buried  or  deposited 
on  this  island  never  corru])ted,  but  remained  so 
fresh  that  the  hair  and  nails  continued  to  grow 
for  years  after  death. 

The  long,  low  sandy  island  of  Bartragh,  in 
Killala  Bay,  was  the  scene  of  some  of  St.  Pat- 
rick's labors  in  Connaught.  The  peninsula  west 
and  north  of  Belmullet,  extending  from  Erris 
Head  in  the  north  to  Falhuore  in  the  south  is 
called  The  Mullet,  and  is  very  nearlj'  insulated, 
being  connected  with  the  mainland  by  only  a 
very  narrow  neck  at  Belmullet. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— Killala  Bay,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Moy  River,  lies  between  Mayo  and 
Sligo ;  off  which  on  the  west  is  the  small  bay  of 
Rathfran.  Proceeding  regularly  round  the  coast, 
we  come  first  to  Bunatrahir  Bay,  immediately 
west  of  Downpatrick  Head.  Broad  Haven  Bay 
strikes  deeply  between  Benwee  Head  and  Erris 
Head.  Blacksod  Bay,  a  capacious  inlet,  shel- 
tered on  the  outside  by  Achill  and  the  Mullet 
peninsula,  branches  inland  into  Trawmore  Bay, 


MAYO. 


Tullaghan  Bay,  Bellaciaghei*  Bay,  and  Acliill 
Sound.  Keel  Bay  indents  the  middle  of  the 
south  side  of  Achill  Island.  Clew  Bay  fringed 
on  the  east  with  a  complicated  cluster  of  islands, 
cuts  deeply  into  the  land,  is  guarded  hy  Clare 
Island  in  front,  and  is  confined  at  its  entrance, 
on  the  north  by  the  Currauu  i)en)nsula,  and  on 
the  south  by  the  peninsula  of  Murrisk,  all  moun- 
tainous ;  off  Clew  Bay  is  Westport  Bay  at  the 
southeast,  and  Newport  Bay  at  the  northeast. 
On  the  south  of  the  Murris  peninsula  is  Killary 
Harbor,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Erriff  Eiver,  which 
resembles  a  Norwegian  fiord,  being  long,  narrow, 
and  winding,  and  overtopped  by  towering  moun- 
tains. 

EIVEES.— The  Moy,  coming  from  Sligo,  en- 
ters Mayo  5  miles  northeast  of  Swineford,  makes 
a  semicircular  sweep  through  the  county,  and 
forms  the  boundary  between  Mayo  and  Sligo 
from  a  point  2|  miles  above  Ballina  down  to  the 
mouth.  From  the  Mayo  side  it  is  joined  (a  Jittle 
above  Foxford)  by  the  Gweestion  Eiver,  which 
is  formed  by  the  rivers  Glore  and  Pollagh.  At 
the  mouth  of  Killala  Bay,  the  Cloonaghmore 
Kiver  runs  into  the  little  bay  of  Eathfran.  The 
river  Deel  rises  in  Birreencorragh  Mountain,  and 
after  a  verj'  winding  course  enters  the  upper  or 
north  end  of  Lough  Conn.  The  Clydagh  enters 
Lough  Cullin  at  its  south  end;  and  the  overflow 
of  both  lakes  runs  from  Lough  Cullin  into  the 
Moy. 

West  of  Lough  Conn,  the  Crumpaun  Eiver 
rises  in  the  eastern  slopes  of  Birreencorragh,  and 
flows  into  Lough  Beltra  ;  issuing  from  which  it  is 
called  the  Newport  Eiver,  and  flows  into  New- 
port Bay.  In  the  southwest  of  the  county,  the 
Erriff — a  very  beautiful  stream— flows  through  a 
fine  valley  into  the  head  of  Killary  Harbor,  being 
joined  on  the  west  or  right  bank  l)y  the  Owen- 
more.  In  the  Murrisk  peninsula  are  the  Owen- 
wee,  running  into  "Westport  Bay  ;  and  the  Buno- 
wen  into  Clew  Bay.  The  Aille  rises  in  the 
Partry  Mountains,  near  the  soui-ce  of  the  Erriff, 
and  running  first  north  and  afterward  south,  it 
enters  the  head  of  Lough  Mask ;  at  the  turn  from 
north  to  south  it  flows  for  two  miles  under 
ground. 

In  the  south  the  Eobe,  flowing  in  a  very  wind- 
ing course  westward,  passes  l)y  Holly  mount  and 
Ballinrobe,  and  enters  the  east  side  of  Lough 


Mask;  near  which,  a  little  to  the  north,  the 
Manulla  flows  southward  into  Lough  Carra.  At 
the  extreme  southern  corner,  the  Black  Eiver 
flows  west  into  Lough  Corrib,  forming  the  boun- 
dary between  Mayo  and  Galway  for  about  4 
miles.  And  in  the  southeast  the  Dalgan  forms 
the  boundary  of  the  same  two  counties,  after 
which  it  enters  Galway.  In  the  east  of  the 
countj',  the  river  Lung,  running  in  a  genei'al 
direction  northeast,  sometimes  through  Eoscom- 
mon,  sometimes  through  Mayo,  and  sometimes 
on  the  boundary,  falls  near  Ballaghaderreen 
into  Lough  Garra. 

LAKES. — The  lakes  of  Maj-o  are  almost  in- 
numerable. Lough  Conn  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  finest  lakes  in  Ireland,  being  9  miles  long, 
with  an  average  breadth  of  about  2|  miles ;  area 
24^  square  miles;  at  its  lower  or  southern  ex- 
tremity is  Lough  Cullin,  an  expansion  in  imme- 
diate connection  with  it,  shaped  like  a  rectangle, 
2|  miles  long  and  2  miles  broad.  Lough  Conn 
drains  into  Lough  Cullin,  and  this  into  the  Moy 
(which  runs  close  by  on  the  east),  hy  a  river 
channel  half  a  mile  long. 

In  the  south,  the  beautiful  Lough  Carra  is  6 
miles  long  and  very  intricate  in  shape;  and 
south  of  this  are  Lough  Mask  and  Lough  Corrib, 
both  on  the  boundary  with  Galwaj'.  A  chain  of 
lakes  stretches  from  near  Westport  to  Castlebar ; 
the  chief  of  which  are  Islandeady  Lake,  1|  mile 
long;  and  Castlebar  Lake,  3  miles  long  and  very 
narrow.  Near  Newport,  north  of  these,  is  Beltra 
Lake,  a  fine  sheet  of  water,  2^  miles  long ;  and 
near  it  on  the  west  Lough  Feeagh,  with  which  is 
connected  Furnace  Lake  at  the  southern  end. 
Lough  Carrowmore,  4  miles  long,  lies  in  the 
northwest,  near  Belmullet.  On  the  eastern 
boundary  lies  Lough  Gara,  a  small  part  of  which 
belongs  to  this  county. 

In  the  south  of  the  Murrisk  peninsula  is  a 
chain  of  small  lakes,  viz.,  Glencullin  Lough, 
Lough  Doo,  and  Fin  Lough,  which  are  remarka- 
ble for  their  beautiful  scenerj'.  In  the  south- 
east, near  Ballyhaunis,  are  Mannin  Lake,  Island 
Lake,  Lough  Caheer,  and  Urlaur  Lake.  Scat- 
tered over  almost  every  part  of  the  county  are 
lakes  which  would  be  remarkaljle  in  other  coun- 
ties, but  which  are  too  numerous  to  mention 
here. 

TOWNS.— Ballina  (.5,700,  of  whom  1,442  are 


MAYO. 


in  that  part  of  the  town  lying  in  Sligo)  is  built 
on  both  sides  of.  the  Moy  the  eastern  or  Sligo 
suburb  being  named.  Arduaree.  The  other  towns 
on  the  Moy  and  its  tributaries  are;  Foxford 
(Gil),  on  the  main  stream  ;  Swineford  (1,657),  on 
a  small  tributary,  and  1^  miles  from  the  Moy 
itself;  and  higher  U{)  still  Charlestown  (778), 
on  another  tributary. 

The  following  towns  are  on  the  coast:  West- 
port  (14,469),  a  well  built  and  pretty  town  with 
a  good  trade;  it  stands  on  "Westport  Bay  just 
where  the  mountain  stream  the  Carrowbeg  which 
runs  through  the  middle  of  the  town  enters  the 
bay.  Three  miles  southeast  of  Westport  is  the 
hamlet  of  Aghagower,  where  St.  Patrick  during 
his  missionary  journey  through  Connaught, 
founded  a  church;  the  place  subsequently  grew 
to  be  an  important  religious  center,  and  it  now 
contains  the  venerable  ruins  of  a  round  tower 
and  of  an  abbey.  West  from  Westport  Louis- 
burgh  (546)  stands  on  theBuuowen  River,  half  a 
mile  from  the  shore.  In  the  extreme  northwest 
of  the  county,  Belmullet  (852),  a  neat  little  town 
standing  on  the  narrow  isthmus  connecting  the 
Mullet  peninsula  with  the  mainland,  is  the  capi- 
tal of  all  that  western,  district.  Killala  (700) 
stands  on  the  shore  of  Killala  Bay,  having  a 
round  tower.  Newport  (688),  on  Newport  Bay,  3 
miles,  north  of  Westport. 

Near  the  middle  of  the  county  is  Castlebar 
(3,855),  the  assize  town;  and  some  miles  to  the 
east  is  Kiltamagh  (935).  A  little  to  the  south  of 
both  of  these  is  Balla  (419),  now  an  unimportant 
village  but  once  a  place  of  ecclesiastical  emi- 
nence ;  St..  Mochua  founded  a  church  there  in  the 
7th  century ;  and  it  now  contains  the  ruins  of  a 
church  and  a;  round  tower.  Near  this,  on  the 
south,  is  the  hamlet  of  Mayo,  in  which  are  the 
ruins  of  an  abbey.  This  place  was  very  famous 
in  early  ages;  prince  Aldfrid,  afterward  king  of 
the  Northumbrian  Saxons,  was  educated  here 
in  the  7th  century  (among  his  countrymen,  the 
colony  of  Saxon  monks  established  by  St.  Col- 
man)  ;  and  thei-e  is  extant  a  poem  in  the  ancient 
Irish  language  in  praise  of  "Inisfail,"  or  Ire- 
land, said  to  have  been  composed  by  him. 

In  the  southern  projection  of  the  county  is  Bal- 
linrobe  (2,286),  on  the  river  Robe.  Southward 
from  Ballinrobe,  on  the  neck  of  land  between 
Lough  Corrib  and  Lough  Mask,  is  the  hamlet  of 


Cong  (277),  containing  the  beautiful  ruins  of  an 
abbey.  In  the  abbey  of  this  place  Roderick 
O'Conor,  the  last  native  king  of  Ireland,  spent 
the  last  15  years  of  his  life  in  religious  seclusion; 
died  1198.  Tlie  "Cross  of  Cong,"  the  most 
beautiful  work  of  ancient  Irish  art  in  existence, 
is  now  preserved  in  the  Royal  Irish  Academj'  in 
Dublin. 

In  the  southeast  are  Claremorris  (1,319);  and 
not  far  from  it  to  the  east,  Ballyhaunis  (722), 
near  the  eastern  boundary.  Near  the  extreme 
east  end  is  Ballaghaderreen  (1,598).  In  the 
northeast,  a  little  west  of  Ballina,  is  Crossmolina 
(765),  on  the  river  Deel,  near  the  shore  of  Lough 
Conn. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  present  barony  of  Erris  represents 
the  ancient  Irros  Domnann.  There  were  in  old 
times  two  districts  called  Umall,  or  as  they  are 
often  called  in  English,  The  Owles,  namely — 
Upper  Umall,  south  of  Clew  Bay,  now  called  the 
peninsula,  of  Murrisk  ;  and  Lower  Umall,  extend- 
ing along  the  north  side  of  Clew  Bay,  whose 
name  is  preserved  in  the  last  syllable  of  the 
barony  name,  Burrishoole.  The  Umalls  were 
the  patrimony  of  the  O'Malleys.  The  barony  of 
Tirawley  retains  its  ancient  name  and  position — 
the  land  (tir)  of  Awley,  who  was  first  cousin  to 
Owen  and  Conall  from  whom  Tirowen  and  Tir- 
connell  derived  their  names.  (See  Donegal  and 
Tyrone. ) 

The  ancient  territory  of  North  Hy  Fiachrach 
tor  Hy  Fiachrach  of  the  Moj't  lay  on  both  sides 
of  the  Moy,  including  the  barony  of  Tireragh  in 
Sligo,  and  all  the  north  of  Mayo,  viz.,  the  baro- 
nies of  Tirawley,  Erris,  and  Carra.  (See  Galway 
for  South  Hy  Fiachracht).  One  of  the  districts 
called  Conmacne  (see  Galway),  lay  in  the  south 
of  this  county,  viz.,  Commacne  Cuile  Toladh, 
occupying  what  is  now  called  the  barony  of 
Kilmaine. 

The  plain  lying  immediately  to  the  northeast 
of  Cong  is  the  ancient  Moytura  of  Cong,  or 
Southern  Moytura  (see  Sligo,  for  the  Northern 
Moytura)  where  was  fought  a  great  battle  cele- 
brated in  romance  and  legend,  in  which  the 
Dedannans  defeated  the  Firbolgs,  and  took  pos- 
session of  Ireland.  The  plain  is  to  this  day  full 
of  ancient  graves,  sepulchral  mounds,  and 
cromlechs. 


MOYNE  ABBEY,  MAYO. 


MONAGHAN. 


NAME. — The  town  of  Monagban  gives  name 
to  the  countj'.  The  Gaelic  foru)  of  the  name  is 
Muinechan,  a  diminutive  world  signifying  "little 
shrubbery,"  from  muine,  a  shrubbery,  with  the 
diminutive  affix  can. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
the  southeast  corner  near  Ballyhoe  Lake,  to  the 
northwest  corner  at  Favor  Eoyal,  38|  miles; 
breadth,  from  the  southwest  corner  near  Red- 
hill,  to  the  boundary  east  of  Milltown,  22  miles; 
area,  500  square  miles ;  population,  102,748. 

SURFACE. — A  part  of  the  northwestern  bor- 
der is  mountainous.  That  corner  of  the  county 
northeast  of  Castleblayney  is  covered  bj'  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  Fews  Mountains  from  Armagh. 
Nearly  all  the  rest  of  the  county  is  hilly,  and 
may  be  described  as  a  champaign  country, 
broken  up  by  a  continuous  succession  of  low 
hills,  in  some  few  places  subsiding  into  an  al- 
most uninterrupted  plain. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Slieve 
Beagh  range  runs  from  southwest  to  northeast, 
and  their  southeast  flank  extends  into  Monaghan, 
occupying  part  of  the  northwest  border  of  the 
county.  The  mountain  Slieve  Beagh  itself  lies 
in  the  adjacent  counties,  but  it  slopes  into  Mona- 
ghan. Eshbrack  (1,190)  stands  just  inside  the 
boundary  ;  and  a  mile  further  inward  is  Eshmore 
(1,103).  The  two  mountains  Essaglavane  (1,190) 
and  Essnaheery  (1,078),  slope  into  Monaghan, 
but  their  summits  stand  in  Tyrone.  All  the 
preceding  belong  to  the  Slieve  Beagh  range. 

Northeast  of  Castleblayney,  near  the  eastern 
boundary,  is  Mullyash  (1,034),  which  is  one  of 
the  Fews  range. 

RIVERS. — 'The  western  part  of  the  county  is 
drained  into  the  Erne  ;  in  this  part  the  chief  river 
is  the  Finn,  which  runs  southwest,  partly 
through  Monaghan,  partly  through  Fermanagh, 
and  partly  on  the  boundary,  and  joins  the  Erne 
near  the  head  of  Upper  Lough  Erne.  Some  of 
the  headwaters  of  the  Annalee  River,  Avhich  be- 
longs to  Cavan,  come  from  Monaghan ;  the 
Bunnoe,  for  instance  (see  Cavan),  rises  to  the 


east  of  Newbliss;  another  tributary,  the  Dromore 
River,  comes  from  the  cluster  of  lakes  near 
Rockcorry ;  and  a  third,  the  Annagh  River,  com- 
ing from  another  chain  of  lakes  near  Shercock, 
has  many  of  its  feeders  coming  from  the  interior 
of  Monaghan.  The  Blackwater  (flowing  by  Moy 
and  Charlemont  into  Lough  Neagh),  forms  the 
northeast  boundary  for  about  a  dozen  miles,  but 
never  enters  the  county;  near  Glasslough  it  re- 
ceives the  Mountain  Water,  which  runs  eastward 
from  the  Slieve  Beagh  Mountains. 

In  the  east,  the  County  Water,  flowing  south 
from  Tullynawood  Lake,  forms  the  eastern  boun- 
dary (between  Armagh  and  Monaghan)  for  6  or 
7  miles,  then  turning  westward  into  Monaghan, 
it  falls  into  Muckno  Lake.  In  the  southeast, 
the  Clarebane,  a  short  stream,  runs  from  Muckno 
Lake  to  Ross  Lake,  the  first  mile  being  through 
Monaghan,  and  the  next  half  mile^ — to  Ross  Lake 
— being  on  the  boundary  between  Monaghan  and 
Armagh ;  from  Ross  Lake,  again  runs  the  Fane, 
forming  the  boundary  between  Monaghan  and 
Armagh  for  the  first  4  miles  of  its  course;  next 
it  runs  through  Monaghan  for  another  4  miles, 
after  which  it  forms  for  a  mile  the  boundary  be- 
tween Monaghan  and  Louth,  and  then  enters 
Louth.  In  the  extreme  southeast,  the  Lagan 
River,  after  issuing  from  Ballyhoe  Lake,  runs 
northeast,  and  forms  the  boundary  between 
Monaghan  and  Louth  for  4  miles,  after  which  it 
enters  Louth ;  above  Ballyhoe  Lake  its  feeders 
come  from  the  three  adjacent  counties,  Mon- 
naghan,  Meath,  and  Cavan. 

LAKES. — The  lakes  of  Monaghan  are  very 
numerous.  Beginning  with  the  barony  of  Far- 
ney,  at  the  southern  extremity :  on  the  south 
boundary  is  Ballyhoe  Lake,  the  gTeater  part  of 
which  belongs  to  Meath;  near  it  isRahans  Lake, 
which  touches  Meath,  but  belongs  to  Monaghan ; 
beside  which  is  the  small  Descrat  Lake,  b'ing 
just  inside  the  boundary ;  and  northwest  of  this 
is  Greaghlone  Lake.  In  the  interior  of  this 
barony ;  the  beautiful  Lough  Fea,  Lough  Mon- 
alty,  and  Lough  Bougagh,  all  lie  near  Carrick- 


MONAGHAN. 


macross;  five  miles  north  of  which  is  Lough 
Nagaruaiuan. 

In  the  south  of  the  barony  of  Cremorne,  and 
neai'  the  boundary  of  the  barony  of  Farney,  a 
chain  of  lakes  stretches  across  the  county.  At 
the  east  is  the  tine  lake  of  Muckno,  containing 
600  acres,  with  beautiful  swelling  shores  and 
islets;  near  it  on  the  south  is  Boss  Lake,  the 
greater  part  of  which  belongs  to  Armagh.  West 
from  this  is  Lough  Egish,  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  in  length.  Still  further  west  is  Lough 
Morne,  Shantonagh  Lake,  and  Bellatrain  Lake ; 
and  near  the  western  border  is  Lough  Bawn, 
Lough  Derrygoouy,  and  two  sheets  of  water 
named  Black  Lough;  north  of  which  is  Lough 
Avaghon;  and  near  it,  on  the  boundary  with 
Cavau,  Baraghy  Lake. 

Northwest  of  these,  near  Eockcorry,  is  a  group 
of  lakes  close  together;  the  largest  is  Inner  Lake, 
which  is  wholly  in  Monaghan ;  beside  which  are 
Dromore  Lake  and  Drumloua  Lake,  both  on  the 
boundary  with  Cavan ;  and  near  them,  in  the 
east,  is  White  Lake,  a  mile  from  Rockcorry. 
Four  miles  west  of  Eockcorry  are  Annaghmakerig 
Lake  and  Drumgole  Lake;  and  southeast  of 
these,  near  the  village  of  Drum,  is  Long  Lake. 
In  the  western  corner  is  the  little  Laurel  Lake, 
and  near  it,  on  the  border  with  Cavan,  Drumcor 
Lake.  Beside  the  town  of  Ballybay  is  the  pretty 
Lough  Major;  two  miles  northeast  of  which  are 
the  two  lakes  of  Cortin  and  Cordoo,  beside  each 
other. 

Bound  the  town  of  Monaghan  are  a  number  of 
small  lakes;  among  which  are  those  of  Corna- 
glare  and  Knockaturly,  to  the  southwest  of  the 
town;  the  two  lakes  of  Mullaghinshigo,  to  the 
northwest  of  Monaghan,  beside  Tedavnet;  near 
which  is  Shee  Lake ;  and  east  of  these  is  Drum- 
caw  Lake.  Beside  Glaslough,  in  the  northeast, 
is  the  beautiful  lake  of  Glasslough,  which  gives 
name  to  the  village;  and  near  it  on  the  north- 
west is  Emj'  Lough.  On  the  northwest  boundary 
is  Lough  More;  southwest,  still  on  the  boundary, 
is  the  small  Loughnaheery,  at  the  base  of  the 
mountain  Essnaheery.  Near  the  western  mar- 
gin, at  the  base  of  the  Slieve  Beagh  Mountains, 
are  several  small  lakes,  among  which  are  Drum- 
loo  Lough  and  Kilmore  Lough. 

TOWNS.— Monaghan  (3,369),  the  assize  town, 
is  a  place  of  considerable  trade.    Clones  (2,216), 


near  the  western  boundarj-,  occupying  the  sum- 
mit of  one  of  those  round  hills  so  numerous  in 
that  district,  is  a  town  of  ecclesiastical  origin, 
and  of  great  antiquity,  containing  some  very 
ancient  church  ruins  and  a  round  tower,  and 
also  a  very  large  and  conspicuous  mound  or  fort. 
Four  miles  east  of  Clones  is  the  neat  village  of 
Newbliss  (404). 

Near  the  southern  extremity  is  Carrickmacross 
(2,002),  with  a  brewery  and  a  large  distillery ; 
containing  also  the  ruins  of  a  castle  said  to  have 
been  built  by  the  Earl  of  Essex.  Near  the  east- 
ern boundary,  beside  Muckno  Lake,  is  the  neat 
town  of  Castleblayney  (1,810);  and  near  the 
middle  of  tlie  county  is  Ballybay  (1,654),  in 
a  pleasant  valley,  beside  the  pretty  Lough 
Major. 

MINEEALS.— There  is  a  small  coal  field  south- 
west of  Carrickmacross,  a  portion  of  the  Ulster 
coal  district;  but  it  is  not  worked.  Near  the 
eastern  border  there  is  lead,  but  the  working  of 
the  mines  has  been  long  discontinued. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— In  ancient  times,  down  to  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  Monaghan  belonged  to  the  powerful 
family  of  Mac  Mahon. 

The  present  barony  of  Farney  represents  the 
old  territory  of  Fearnmhagh  or  the  Alder-plain; 
the  barony  of  Monaghan  is  the  ancient  Hy- 
Meith-Macha;  and  the  two  baronies  of  Cremorne 
and  Dartree  represent  the  ancient  Crioch- 
Mhughdhorna  and  Dartraighe. 

At  a  place  called  Agha-Lederg,  in  the  barony 
of  Farney,  a  great  battle  was  fought  a.d.  331, 
which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  the  palace 
of  Emania  (see  Armagh).  The  three  Callas, 
brothers,  sons  of  Ohy  Dovlen,  having  slain 
their  uncle  the  king  of  Ireland  (Fiacha  Sravtin- 
ne),  the  king's  son,  Muredagh  Tirech,  banished 
them  from  Ireland,  and  became  king  himself. 
Some  time  after  this  they  returned  and  became 
reconciled  to  their  cousin  the  king,  who  supplied 
them  with  an  army  to  make  conquests  for  them- 
selves. They  marched  to  Ulster,  and  aided  b3'  a 
contingent  from  Connaught,  encountered  the 
Ulster  king  at  Agha-Lederg;  the  battle  lasted 
for  seven  days,  and  resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the 
Ulstermen  and  the  death  of  their  king.  One  of 
the  three  brothers,  Colla  Menu,  was  slain  in  the 
battle.    The  two  surviving   brothers  then  de- 


MONAGHAN. 


stroyed  the  palace  of  Emania,  which  thencefor- 
•ward  ceased  to  be  the  residence  of  kings  of 
Ulster;  and  they  seized  on  a  large  part  of  Ulster, 


extending  east  as  far  as  the  Glenree  River  (flow- 
ing by  Newry;  see  Down),  which  was  from  that 
time  forth  called  the  kingdom  of  Oriel. 


MONAGHAN  CATHEDRAL.— The  county  of 
Monaghan,  derived  from  Muinchan — "the  dwell- 
ing of  the  monks,"  was  anciently  known  as  Mac 
Mahon's  country,  and  that  powerful  and  martial 
sept  retained  possession  of  the  territory  down  to 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  when  the  head  of  the  clan 
was  treacherously  taken  and  legally  murdered, 
and  the  land  converted  into  shire  ground. 
Monaghan  is  the  principal  town,  and  though  it 


possesses  few  relics  of  antiquity,  the  surround- 
ing district  has  its  full  share  of  temples,  raths 
and  towers.  It  is  the  residential  seat  of  the 
Bishop  of  Clogher;  and  its  cathedral,  erected 
during  the  incumbency  of  the  late  bishop  Don- 
nelly, is  one  of  the  most  imposing  of  modern 
ecclesiastical  structures  in  Ireland.  Clogher  is 
identical  with  the  Regia  of  Ptolemy,  and  was 
erected  into  a  bishopric  in  493  by  St.  Macartin. 


MONAGHAN  CATHEDRAL. 


OLD  CHAPEL,  MONAGHAN, 


E 


ENS. 


NAME.— See  Kings  County. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  east  and 
west,  along  the  southern  border,  34  miles; 
breadth  north  and  south,  29|  miles;  area  664 
square  miles;  population  73,124. 

SUEFACE. — The  northwest  of  the  county  is 
mountainous;  the  baronies  of  Cullenagh  and 
Stradbally  are  hilly;  as  is  also  the  barony  of 
Slievemargy.  All  the  rest  of  the  county — the 
middle,  northeast,  and  southwest — is  level,  some 
portions  extremely  flat. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Slieve 
.  Bloom  Mountains  run  on  the  borders  of  Kings 
County  and  Queens  County,  the  northeast  ex- 
tremity of  the  range,  lying  within  Queens 
County.  The  following  mountains  stand  ou  the 
boundary:  Arderin  (1,733),  southwest  of  it  Far- 
breague  (1,411),  and  northeast  Wolftrap  (1,584). 

The  northeast  end  of  the  range  is  very  broad, 
opening  out  like  a  fan.  The  eastern  wing  runs 
eastward  from  Wolftrap  Mountain,  consisting  of 
a  range  of  summits  called  the  Cones,  about  3 
miles  long ;  from  the  eastern  end  of  which  an- 
other range  called  the  Ridge  of  Capard  runs  for 
3  miles  to  the  northeast.  The  Cones  and  the 
Ridge  of  Capard  ai'e  really  one  curved  ridge, 
which  incloses  on  the  south  and  southeast  the 
fine  valley  of  the  Barrow.  The  chief  summits  of 
the  Cones  are  Barna  (1,661),  and  a  mile  east  of 
it  Baunreaghcong  (1,677),  this  last  marking  the 
intersection  of  the  Cones  and  the  Ridge  of 
Capard.  One  mile  southwest  of  Baunreaghcong 
is  Baunrush  (1,357).  At  Clarnahinch  Mountain, 
a  mile  northeast  of  Baunreaghcong,  the  Ridge  of 
Capard  rises  to  1,590  feet;  and  the  Ridge  ter- 
minates at  the  northeast  with  Antonian  (1,114). 

Over  the  north  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Barrow 
rises  Knockanastumba  (1,359);  and  west  of  this, 
and  separated  from  it  by  another  valley,  that  of 
the  Gorragh  River,  is  Knockachorra  (1,533). 
South  of  the  Ridge  of  Capard  is  Conlawn  Hill 
(1,005),  the  southern  outpost  of  that  extremity 
of  the  Slieve  Bloom  Range.  The  hills  running 
from  southwest  to  northeast  through  the  baronies 


of  Cullenagh  and  Stradbally  are  often  called  the 
Slieve  Lough  Hills,  and  also  the  Dysart  Hills. 
Between  Abbeyleix  and  Timahoe  the  Cullenagh 
Hills  rise  to  the  height  of  1,045  feet.  At  the 
southeast  extremity  of  the  county  the  Slieve- 
margy Hills  are  a  continuation  of  the  Castle- 
comer  Hills  in  Kilkenny.  Among  the  Slieve- 
margy Hills  are  elevations  of  1,102,  1,098,  1,090, 
and  1,044  feet. 

RIVERS.— At  the  northeast  end  of  the  Slieve 
Bloom  Mountains,  a  number  of  glens  open  out 
to  the  northeast,  all  drained  by  rivers,  '^f  which 
those  on  the  west  side  run  to  the  basin  of  the 
Shannon,  and  those  on  the  east  to  the  basin  of 
the  Barrow.  The  Barrow  itself  rises  in  one  of 
these— Glenbarrow — between  the  Ridge  of 
Capard  and  Knockanastumba  Mountain.  It 
flows  down  the  side  of  Barna,  the  highest  of  the 
Cones,  and  running  first  northward,  it  turns  to 
the  southeast,  and  first  touches  Kings  County  a 
mile  and  a  half  northeast  of  Mountmellick,  from 
which  point  to  Portarlington  (6  miles)  it  forms 
the  boundary  between  Kings  County  and 
Queens  Countj'.  Crossing  a  corner  of  Queens 
County  at  Portarlington,  it  again  forms  the 
boundary  of  the  same  two  counties  for  2|  miles; 
again  crosses  a  corner  of  Queens  County,  and 
then  runs  on  the  boundary  of  Queens  County 
and  Kildare  for  a  mile;  enters  Kildare,  and  soon 
returns  to  the  boundary,  on  which  it  runs  for  8 
miles;  next  enters  Kildare;  after  which  it  forms 
for  the  last  time  the  boundary  of  Queens  County, 
first  for  8  miles  with  Kildare  (beginning  a  mile 
below  Athy),  and  afterward  for  6  miles  with 
Carlow,  when  it  tinalb'  leaves  Queens  County  at 
Clogrennan. 

The  following  are  the  Queens  County  tribu- 
taries of  the  Barrow.  The  Glenlahan  River  rises 
in  Barna  Mountain,  and  flowing  in  the  same 
general  direction  as  the  Barrow,  joins  the  latter 
2  miles  east  of  Clonaslee.  The  Owenass  River, 
rising  in  Baunraghcong  Mountain,  flows  through 
Mountmellick  and  joins  the  Barrow  a  mile  below 
the  town,  being  itself  joined  2  miles  above  the 


QUEENS. 


towu  by  the  Blackwater  from  the  south.  The 
Triogue  rises  in  Culleuagh  Mouutaiu,  aud  dow- 
ing  north  through  Maryborough,  joins  the 
Barrow  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Owenass. 
The  Bauteogue  Hows  northeast  through  Timahoe 
and  Stradbalb',  and  joins  the  Barrow  5  miles 
above  Athy.  The  Douglas  runs  southeast,  aud 
falls  into  the  Barrow  3|  miles  above  Carlow, 
having  for  tributary  on  the  left  bank  the  Fuer. 
At  the  southern  extremity  of  the  county,  the 
Barrow  receives  the  Fushoge  River,  Howiug 
southward. 

The  Nore,  coming  from  Tipperarj',  first 
touches  Queens  County  near  Mouahincha  Bog ; 
next  forms  the  boundary  for  two  miles  be- 
tween Tipperary  aud  Queens  County ;  after 
which  it  makes  a  semicircular  sweep  of  about  24 
miles  through  Queen's  County;  and  forming  2 
miles  of  the  boundary  between  Killkenny  aud 
Queens  County,  enters  Kilkenny  2  miles  above 
Ballyragget. 

The  Nore  has  several  important  tributaries, 
belonging  ■wholly  or  partly  to  Queens  County. 
First,  on  the  left  bank :  the  Delour,  flowing 
southward  from  the  southern  slopes  of  the 
Cones,  joins  the  Nore  near  the  village  of  Cool- 
rain;  receiving  as  tributaries  on  its  right  bank, 
the  Gorteen,  the  Killeeu,  and  the  Tonet,  all  flow- 
ing from  SJ' ive  Bloom.  The  Mountrath  River, 
rising  in  Bawnrush  Mountain,  flows  south 
through  Mountrath,  and  joins  the  Nore  2  miles 
below  the  town.  In  the  south,  the  Owenbeg, 
flowing  southwest,  enters  Kilkenny,  and  taking 
now  the  name  of  the  Owveg,  forms  the  boundary 
for  3  miles  between  Queens  County  and  Kil- 
kenny, as  far  as  its  mouth.  The  Clogh  Eiver 
rises  south  of  Lugacurren,  and  flowing  south- 
ward, soon  enters  Kilkenny  to  form  the  Dinin. 

On  the  right  bank,  the  Nore  receives  the  Gully 
River,  which  joins  a  mile  north  of  Durrow.  The 
Erkina  draws  its  headwater  from  Tipperary ;  but 
it  soon  crosses  the  boundary  into  Queens 
County,  and  flowing  east  by  Rathdowney  and 
Durrow,  joins  the  Barrow  |  mile  below  the  latter 
town.  Two  miles  above  Durrow  the  Erikana  is 
joined  by  the  Goul,  which  rises  in  Kilkenny. 

The  whole  of  the  Queens  County  is  drained 
into  the  Barrow  and  the  Nore — except  the  north- 
west corner.  There  the  Clodiagh,  rising  in  two 
glens    separated   by  Knockachorra  Mountain, 


flows  nearly  north,  aud  ultimately  joins  the 
Brusua,  in  the  Kings  County,  which  flows  to 
the  iShaunon. 

LAKES. — The  Queens  County  lakes  are  small 
and  unimportant.  On  the  northwest  boundary 
is  Annaghmore  Lake;  aud  near  the  eastern 
boundary  is  the  small  lake  of  Kelly ville;  Emo 
Lakes  lies  beside  Emo  Castle,  in  the  northeast; 
Grantstown  Lake  is  three  miles  east  of  Rath- 
downey; and  Ballytin  Lake  lies  beside  Eallyfin 
House,  5  miles  west  of  Maryborough. 

TOWNS.— Maryborough  (2,872),  the  assize 
town,  is  watered  by  the  little  river  Triogue.  In 
the  north  of  the  county,  Mouutmellick  (3,126), 
an  excellent  business  town,  stands  on  the 
Owenass  River,  a  mile  from  its  junction  with  the 
Barrow;  and  on  the  Barrow  itself,  on  the  ex- 
treme north  boundary,  is  Portarlington  (2,357), 
of  whom  842  are  in  that  part  of  the  town  which 
stands  in  the  Kings  County.  Toward  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county  on  the  Bauteogue,  is 
Stradbally  (1,254),  a  pretty  town,  partly  sur- 
rounded by  the  beautiful  demesne  of  Stradbally 
Hall. 

On  the  Mountrath  River,  two  miles  from  its 
junction  with  the  Nore,  is  Mountrath  (1,865); 
aud  half  a  mile  from  the  Nore  itself,  in  the  west 
of  the  county  is  Borris-in-Ossory  (518).  In  the 
south  of  the  county,  on  the  Erkina,  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  from  its  junction  with  the 
Nore,  is  Durrow  (738);  west  from  which  is  Rath- 
downey (1,109),  standing  less  than  half  a  mile 
from  the  Erkina  River.  Four  miles  northeast 
from  Durrow  is  Ballinakill  (630) ;  three  miles 
from  which  to  the  north-northwest  is  the  prettj- 
town  of  Abbeyleix  (1,103),  1|  mile  to  the  east  of 
the  Nore. 

MINERALS.— Tbe  southeast  of  the  county, 
including  the  Dj-sart  and  Slievemargy  Hills, 
belongs  to  the  great  Leinster  coal  field;  but  no 
coal  is  raised  in  the  disti-ict. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  ancient  territory  of  Leix  comprised 
all  the  southeast  of  Queens  Couuty — the  whole 
county  except  the  baronies  of  Tinnehinch  aud 
Portnahiuch  on  the  north,  and  the  baronies  of 
Upper  Woods,  Claudonagh,  and  Glarmallagh  in 
the  west.  It  was  the  inheritance  of  the 
O'Moores,  whose  chiei  lived  on  the  Rock  of 
Dunamase,  three  miles  east  of  Maryborough — a 


QUEEKS. 


rock  rising  precipitously  from  the  plain,  and 
still  containing  on  its  summit  the  ruins  of 
O  Moore's  Castle.  The  baronies  of  Portnahinch 
and  Tinuahinch  in  the  north  formed  part  of  the 
ancient  Offaly.  Portnahinch  barony  also  formed 
part  of  the  territory  of  Clanmaliere.  The  baro- 
nies of  Upper  Woods,  Clandonagh,  and  Clarmal- 
lagh,  formed  part  of  the  sub-kingdom  of 
Ossory. 


The  Dun  of  Clopook,  3  miles  south  of  Strad- 
bally,  is  a  high  rock,  with  an  immense  ancient 
dun  or  fort  occupying  the  whole  extent  of  its 
summit.  About  a  mile  south  from  this  is  an- 
other great  fort,  that  of  Lugacurren.  At  the 
village  of  Timahoe,  where  an  abbey  Avas  founded 
by  St.  Mochua  in  the  6th  century,  there  is  a 
very  beautiful  round  tower,  and  also  the  fine 
ruin  of  an  Elizabethan  castle. 


ROSCOMMON. 


NAME. — The  county  takes  name  from  the 
town.  In  the  beginning  of  the  8th  century,  St. 
Coman  founded  a  monastery  whei'e  the  town  now 
stands;  and  the  place  was  called  from  him  Ros- 
Comain,  Coman 's  "Wood. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
north  to  south,  59  miles;  breadth  from  Roosky 
to  the  western  corner,  west  of  Lough  Errit,  33| 
miles;  area,  949^  square  miles;  population,  132,- 
490. 

SURFACE:  HILLS.— Roscommon  is  on  the 
whole  a  level  county.  The  northern  end  near 
Lough  Allen  is  hilly,  rising  to  an  elevation  of 
1,377  fett  oh  the  boundary  with  Leitrim  at  the  ex- 
treme north  corner,  and  rising  to  1,081  feet  2 
miles  east  of  the  village  of  Ballyfarnan.  In  the 
northwest,  near  Boyle,  the  Curlieu  Hills  run 
on  the  boundarj'  between  Roscommon  and  Sligo 
from  southwest  to  northeast;  and  though  they 
are  not  more  than  863  feet  high,  the  range  is  very 
conspicuous,  both  for  its  fine  forms  and  outlines, 
and  because  it  commands  very  grand  views  from 
its  summit  level,  on  account  of  the  flatness  of  the 
country  at  both  sides.  In  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  southeast  of  Stokestown,  the  range 
of  heights  called  Slievebawn  runs  in  a  general 
direction  parallel  with  the  Shannon,  attaining  an 
elevation  of  857  feet  at  their  highest  point,  4 
miles  northwest  of  Lanesborough,  at  the  northern 
extremity  of  Lough  Ree.  Nearly  all  the  rest  of 
the  county  is  a  plain,  in  some  places  interrupted 
by  low  heights,  but  the  greater  part  flat,  with 
much  bog  and  marshy  meadow  land,  especially 
along  the  Suck  and  the  Shannon.  Some  of  the 
level  districts  of  Roscommon,  as,  for  instance, 
the  plain  laying  round  Tulsk  in  the  middle,  and 
the  district  between  Boyle  and  Elphin — com- 
monly called  the  Plains  of  Boyle — are  among  the 
finest  and  richest  grazing  lands  in  Ireland. 

RIVERS. — The  Shannon  and  its  expansions 
form  the  whole  of  the  eastern  boundary,  from 
Lough  Allen  in  the  north  to  Shannon  Bridge  in 


the  south;  and  into  the  Shannon,  the  whole 
county,  with  some  trifling  exceptions,  is  drained. 
The  Suck  rises  in  Mayo,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  boundary  with  Roscommon,  nearly  midway 
between  Ballyhaunis  and  Lough  OTlyn;  crosses 
the  boundary  into  Roscommon  and  falls  into 
Lough  O'Flyn;  issuing  from  which,  it  runs  by 
Castlereagh,  and  first  touches  Galway  near  Bally- 
moe;  from  which  point  to  where  it  joins  the 
Shannon  near  Shannon  Bridge  (about  56  miles, 
following  the  windings),  it  forms  the  boundary 
between  Galway  and  Roscommon,  except  at 
Athleague,  where  it  runs  for  9  miles  through 
Roscommon.  Beside  the  main  stream,  some  of 
its  head-feeders  come  also  from  Mayo. 

Near  Stokestown,  a  stream  called  the  Scramoge 
flows  to  the  northeast  into  the  Shannon. 

At  the  northern  extremity  of  the  county  the 
Arigua,  flowing  southeast  from  Sligo  and  Leitrim, 
forms  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile  the  boundary 
between  Sligo  and  Roscommon;  flows  for  the 
rest  of  its  course  (about  6  miles)  through  Ros- 
common, and  joins  the  Shannon  just  where  the 
latter  issues  from  Lough  Allen.  The  Feorish, 
coming  from  Sligo,  and  passing  by  Ballyfarnan, 
crosses  the  north  extremity  of  Roscommon,  and 
falls  into  the  Shannon  two  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Arigna.  The  river  Breedoge,  in 
the  northwest  of  the  county,  issuing  from  Lough 
Bally,  falls  into  Lough  Gara;  and  the  Lung 
River,  belonging  •  chiefly  to  Mayo,  forms  the 
boundary  between  Ma.vo  and  Roscommon  in 
three  several  places,  and  falls  into  Lough  Gara 
at  its  western  corner.  The  Boyle  River,  a  very 
full  and  very  beautiful  stream,  issues  from 
Lough  Gara,  and  flowing  eastward  by  Boyle, 
through  the  "Plains  of  Boyle,"  enters  Lough 
Key;  from  which  it  again  issues,  and  expanding 
into  Oakport  Lake,  enters  the  Shannon.  A  few 
of  the  very  small  head-streams  that  fall  into 
Lough  Arrow,  send  their  waters  from  that  lake 
northward  to  Sligo  Bay;  and  this  small  district 


Y.  LoTuiitudeVcDt  H" of  Ca^awuh.^  SO' 


ROSCOMMON. 


is  the  only  part  of  Eoscommon  not  belonging  to 
the  basin  of  the  Shannon. 

LAKES. — The  lakes  of  Eoscommon  are  quite 
as  numerous  as  those  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
ties. The  expansions  of  the  Shannon  that  touch 
Eoscommon  are  Lough  Allen,  Lough  Boderg, 
Lough  Bofin,  Lough  Forbes,  and  Lough  Eee. 
In  the  extreme  north  are  Lough  Skean  and 
Lough  Meelagh,  the  former  on  the  boundary 
with  Sligo.  Lough  Arrow  and  Lough  Gara 
barely  touch  Eoscommon  at  the  northwestern 
boundary,  but  belong  almost  wholly  to  Sligo. 
The  great  lake  feature  of  this  district  is  Lough 
Key,  one  of  the  finest  lakes  in  Ireland,  about  2| 
miles  in  length  and  the  same  in  breadth,  con- 
taining 3|  square  miles;  the  beautiful  demesne 
of  Eockingham  is  on  its  southern  shore;  and  it 
contains  a  number  of  lovely  wooded  islands;  on 
two  of  which  are  ecclesiastical  ruins,  and  on  a 
third  the  old  castle  of  the  Mac  Dermotts,  the 
ancient  proprietors  of  the  surrounding  district. 
Southeast  of  Lough  Key  is  Oakport  Lake,  an 
expansion  of  the  river  Boyle.  A  little  south  of 
Lough  Key  are  the  two  small  lakes  of  Cavetown 
and  Clogher;  and  southeast  of  these  are  Corbally 
and  Canbo  Lakes;  west  of  which,  near  French- 
park,  is  Lough  Bally. 

In  the  western  corner  of  the  county  are  Loughs 
Errit,  Cloonagh  and  Cloouacolly,  beside  each 
other;  east  of  which  is  Lough  Glinn  (which 
gives  name  to  the  Village  beside  it),  with  finely 
wooded  shores,  an  oasis  in  the  midst  of  a  bare 
bleak  district.  South  of  these,  near  the  village 
of  Ballinlough,  is  Lough  O'Flyn,  which  is  a  mile 
and  three-quarters  in  length.  A  little  south  of 
Elphin  are  a  number  of  small  lakes,  the  chief  of 
which  ai'e  Lough  Clooncullaun  and  Lough  An- 
naghmore;  between  which  and  the  Shannon  is 
another  group,  the  chief  being  Lough  Nablahy 
and  Kilglass  Lake,  this  last  2  miles  long.  Be- 
tween the  two  last  a  narrow  arm  of  Lough 
Boderg  stretches  westward  for  4  miles.  Imme- 
diately southwest  of  Stokestown  are  three  lakes 
close  together,  Cloonfree  Lake,  Ardakillen  Lake, 
and  Fin  Lough  between  them. 

In  the  barony  of  Athlone,  in  the  south  of  the 
county,  are  Lough  Funshiuagh  (2  miles  long) ; 
near  which  to  the  west  are  Lough  Groan  and 
Lough  Cuilleenirwan ;  and  a  little  further  south, 
Corkip  Lake. 


TOWNS.— Eoscommon  (2,117),  the  assize 
town,  with  its  fine  old  abbey,  founded  in  the 
13th  century  by  Felim  O'Connor,  prince  of  Con- 
naught  (son  of  Cahal  of  the  Eed  Hand),  and  still 
containing  the  tomb  of  the  founder;  the  town 
contains  also  the  ruins  of  a  beautiful  Anglo- 
Norman  castle  built  in  the  same  century.  Boyle 
(2,994),  in  the  north  of  the  county,  in  a  pretty 
situation  on  the  Boyle  Eiver,  is  a  neat  and  pros- 
perous town,  with  an  abbey  ruin,  one  of  the  best 
preserved  and  most  interesting  in  Ireland.  Cas- 
tlereagh  (1,229),  in  the  west,  stands  on  the  river 
Suck.  Elphin  (997),  toward  the  northeast  side 
of  the  county,  stands  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  dis- 
trict; and  six  miles  southeast  of  it  is  Stokestown 
(837)  a  well-built  town,  situated  near  the  north- 
ern slope  of  Slievebawn.  That  part  of  Athlone 
lying  west  of  the  Shannon,  in  this  county,  has  a 
population  of  3,683;  a  suburb  of  Ballinasloe  also 
lies  in  Eoscommon,  containing  a  population  of 
947 ;  and  a  part  of  Carrick-on-Shannon,  contain- 
ing 100  inhabitants,  also  belongs  to  this  county. 

MINEEALS.— That  part  of  the  north  end  of 
the  county  verging  on  Lough  Allen  belongs  to 
the  Connaught  coal  district;  and  along  the 
Arigna  Eiver  are  the  Arignairon  mines. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.—The  old  district  called  Moylurg,  of 
which  Mac  Dermott  was  chief,  extended  from  the 
Curlieu  Mountains  on  the  north,  to  near  Elphin 
on  the  south,  and  east  and  west  from  the  Shan- 
non to  Lough  Garra ;  this  district  is  now  known 
as  the  Plains  of  Boyle.  South  of  this,  and  con- 
terminous with  it,  la3'  Moy-Ai  or  Maghery- 
Connaught  (the  Plain  of  Connaught),  a  beauti- 
ful plain  extending  from  Elphin  to  the  town  of 
Eoscommon,  and  east  and  west  from  Stokestown 
to  Castlereagh.  The  ancient  territory  of  Hy 
Many  (for  which  see  Galway)  originally  included 
that  part  of  Eoscommon  lying  south  of  Lanes- 
borough  and  the  town  of  Eoscommon.  This 
same  part  of  Eoscommon  also  formed  one  of  the 
territories  called  Delvin,  of  which  there  were 
seven,  this  one  being  called  Delvin-Nuadat. 

That  part  of  Eoscommon  lying  between  Elphin 
and  the  Shannon,  and  extending  north  and  south 
from  Jamestown  on  the  Shannon  to  the  north 
part  of  Lough  Eee,  was  called  the  Three  Tuathas 
or  Three  Territories,  these  three  territories 
being  Kinel  Dofa,  which   lay  between  Slieve 


EOSCOMMON. 


Bawn  aud  the  Shauiion;  Corcacblann,  west  of 
Slieve  Bawn;  aud  Tir  Briuin  of  the  Shannon, 
■which  lay  north  of  the  two  others. 

At  Rathcroghan,  midway  between  Tulsk  and 
Belhiuagare,  are  situated  the  ruins  of  Croghan, 
the  ancient  palar  j  of  the  kings  of  Conuaught. 
It  was  erected  by  Ohy  Feleach,  kiug  of  Ireland 
in  the  lirst  century  of  the  Christian  era,  for  his 


daughter  Maive,  queen  of  Connaugbt  (see  Louth 
aud  Armagh);  and  it  is  almost  as  celebrated  in 
Irish  romantic  literature  as  the  palace  of  Emania. 
The  remains  consist  of  a  great  fort  now  called 
Rathcroghan,  containing  a  cave  in  Avhich  are 
some  remarkably-inscribed  stones;  this  rath 
being  surrounded  by  a  number  of  others,  form- 
ing quite  a  town  of  raths. 


ILLTJSTR^TIOIsrS. 


BOYLE  ABBEY.— The  Abbey  of  Boyle  was 
erected  on  the  bank  of  the  river  of  that  name  by 
O'Connor,  kiug  of  Connaught  in  1257.  Its  re- 
mains at  the  present  day  are  noble  and  imposing. 
It  was  destroyed  during  the  Elizabethan  wars 
with  the  northern  chieftains,  Tyrone  and  Tyr- 
connell,  early  in  the  IGth  century.  Within  its 
aisles  were  interred  many  noted  bishops  and 
chiefs,  and  close  by,  in  the  cemetery  of  Kilronan, 
is  buried  Carolan,  the  last  of  the  line  of  ancient 
Irish  bards,  who  died  in  1741.  The  county 
derives  its  name  from  St.  Coman,  who  founded 
it  in  550.  He  built  an  abbey,  which  was  super- 
seded by  the  splendid  structure  erected  on  the 
same  site  by  O'Connor.  About  the  time  the 
abbej'  was  erected  the  Anglo-Normans  under  Sir 
Robert  de  Ufford  built  a  castle  near  it,  the  re- 
mains of  which  still-  exist.  On  the  night  of 
August  12,  1599,  the  English  under  General  Clif- 
ford encamped  around  the  abbey,  and  in  the 
battle  of  the  Curlew  Mountains  three  days  later, 
Clifford,  many  of  his  officers,  and  1,500  soldiers 
were  slain  by  Red  Hugh  O'Donnell  and  the  rest 
put  to  ignominious  rout. 


ATHLONE  CASTLE.— Athlone  is  situated 
on  both  sides  of  the  Shannon,  where  the  river 
divides  the  counties  of  Westmeath  and  Roscom- 
mon. As  the  gateway  from  Leinster  to  Con- 
naught,  it  has  been  deemed  an  important 
strategic  point,  from  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion 
to  the  present  day.  The  castle,  once  a  gieeit 
stronghold,  was  built  in  the  time  of  King  John. 
Of  the  many  military  events  of  which  it  has  been 
the  center,  the  siege  by  General  Douglas  and  the 
defense  by  Colonel  Grace,  and  that  of  Ginkell, 
and  its  defense  by  St.  Ruth  are  the  most  men^ora- 
ble.  The  latter  was  lost  through  the  arrogant 
blindness  of  St.  Ruth,  the  French  commander  of 
the  Irish  troops.  But  no  nobler  instance  of 
heroism  is  recorded  in  the  military  annals  of  any 
race  or  nation  than  the  defense  of  the  Irish  gar- 
rison. Under  a  deadly  shower  of  grapeshot  and 
grenades  an  Irish  sergeant  and  ten  men  pro- 
ceeded to  tear  up  the  planking  of  the  bridge. 
All  were  killed.  A  second  party  rushed  into 
their  place  and  succeeded  in  accomplishing  their 
object.  All  perished  but  two,  who,  precipitated 
into  the  water,  swam  to  shore. 


SLIGO. 


NAME. — The  county  was  named  from  the 
town  of  Sligo,  which  itself  took  its  name  from 
the  river  Sligeach,  river  of  sligs  or  shells — 
shelly  river.  Thio  river  is  now  called  the 
Garrogue. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
the  river  Moy  to  the  Arigna  Eiver,  40|  miles; 
breadth  from  the  Lough  Gara  to  Donegal  Bay, 
38|  miles;  area,  721|  square  miles;  population, 
111,578. 

SUBFACE.— The  eastern  part  of  the  barony 
of  Carbury,  and  the  southern  shores  of  Lough 
Gill,  are  mountainous.  A  line  of  highlands  runs 
from  Ballysadare  Bay  southwest  toward  Foxfurd 
in  Mayo,  having  two  moderately  level  districts 
on  both  sides.  The  rest  of  the  country  is  level, 
interspersed  with  hilly  land. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Ox  Moun- 
tains begin  immediately  southwest  of  Bally- 
sadare, and  run  west-southwest  to  the  boundar3' 
of  Mayo,  where  they  are  continued  to  the  south- 
west by  the  Slieve  Gamph  range,  which  runs  first 
on  the  boundary  of  the  two  counties,  and  then 
into  Mayo.  The  Ox  Mountains  have  several 
summits  from  1,200  to  1,800  feet  high;  and 
Slieve  Gamph  attains  an  elevation  of  1,363  feet. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  barony  of  Carbury,  in 
the  north  of  tha  county,  is  a  mass  of  mountains. 
The  highest  is  Truskmore  (2,113)  near  the  boun- 
dary, whose  summit  is  in  Sligo,  but  a  part  of 
the  eastern  slope  is  in  Leitrim.  Far  more  strik- 
ing and  remarkable,  however,  through  not  so 
elevated,  is  Benbulbin  (1,722),  in  the  middle  of 
the  barony,  presenting  a  scarped  precipitious 
face  to  Sligo  Bay;  and  a  mile  and  a  half  south 
of  it  is  Kings  Mountain  (1,527).  Four  miles 
west  of  Sligo  town  is  the  remarkable  isolated 
flat-topped  hill  of  Knocknarea  (1,078),  rising 
with  a  scarped  rockj'  face  over  the  beautiful 
plain  that  lies  between  its  base  and  the  sea.  Ris- 
ing directly  over  the  south  shore  of  Lough  Gill 
are  the  two  hills,  Slish  (967),  and  Slievedaeane 
(900). 

In  the  east  of  the  barony  of  Tirerrill,  near  the 


boundary,  is  a  range  called  Bralieve,  running 
from  northwest  to  southeast,  and  rising  to  1,498 
feet  at  its  highest  point.  In  the  southeast,  near 
Ballinafad,  the  Curlieu  Hills  run  on  the  boun- 
dary with  Roscommon.  In  this  southeast  part 
of  the  county  the  most  remarkable  hill  is  Keish- 
corran  (1,183),  which  has  on  its  western  face  a 
precii^itous  escarpment  pierced  with  some  inter- 
esting caves.  Near  this  on  the  east  is  Carrowkee 
(1,062)  over  the  western  shore  of  Lough  Arrow. 

COAST  LINE. — The  coast  is  an  alternation  of 
low  sharp  rocks  and  flat  sandy  beaches,  relieved 
by  a  few  bold  headlands,  and  in  one  place  by 
the  grand  cliff  of  Knocknarea. 

HEADLANDS. — Lenadoon  Point  marks  the 
eastern  entrance  to  Killala  Bay ;  Aughirs  Point 
projects  north  into  Sligo  Baj';  Killaspug  Point 
is  the  extremity  of  the  peninsula  northeast  of 
Ballysadare  Bay;  Roskeeragh  Point  stands  forth 
at  the  extremity  of  the  peninsula  that  separates 
Donegal  Bay  from  Sligo  Bay ;  and  at  the  north 
extremity  of  the  county  is  another  Roskeeragh 
Point,  near  which  is  the  rockj^  projection  of 
Mullaghmore. 

ISLANDS. — Maguire's  Island  lies  beside  Kil- 
laspug Point;  Coney  Island,  about  a  mile  in 
length,  is  at  the  entrance  to  Cummeen  Strand; 
and  at  the  north  side  of  the  same  strand  is 
Oyster  Island,  with  a  lighthouse.  Just  outside 
Coney  Island  is  Black  Rock,  with  a  lighthouse; 
and  near  Roskeeragh  Point  is  a  rocky  cluster, 
one  of  which  is  called  Seal  Rocks.  Northeast  of 
this,  beside  the  coast  at  Cliffony,  are  Conor's 
Island  and  Dernish  Island.  But  the  most  re- 
markable island  belonging  to  Sligo  is  luishmur- 
ray,  in  Donegal  Bay,  a  mile  in  length  ;  containing 
the  ruins  of  the  ancient  monastery  of  St.  Lase- 
I'ian  or  Molaise  (prou.  Molasha);  the  few  inhabi- 
tants are  very  primitive,  and  have  many  curious 
customs. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— Killala  Bay  sepa- 
rates Sligo  from  Mayo.  Sligo  Bay  opens  east- 
ward, and  branches  into  three  inlets:  Bally- 
sadare Baj';  a  middle  branch  which  runs  up  to 


SLIGO. 


the  town  of  Sligro;  and  Drnra cliff  Bay,  all  very 
sandy. 

RIYERS. — The  Moy  rises  at  a  high  elevation 
among  the  Ox  Mounf^ains,  about  2  miles  east  of 
Lough  Easky ;  flows  first  southeast,  then  south- 
west, till  it  enters  Mayo ;  turning  northward,  it 
touches  Sligo  at  a  point  2^  miles  above  Balliua, 
from  which  point  to  its  mouth  it  forms  the 
boundary  between  Sligo  and  Mayo.  Its  chief 
Sligo  tributaries  are :  the  Mad  River  and  the 
Owenaher  from  the  Ox  Mountains;  the  Lough 
Talt  River  issuing  from  Lough  Talt  in  Slieve 
Gamph ;  and  on  the  south  bank,  the  Owengarve 
and  the  Mullaghanoe.  The  Leaffony  River  flows 
into  Killala  Bay.  The  Easky  River  is  a  moun- 
tain torrent  rising  in  Lough  Easky  high  up 
among  the  Ox  Mountains,  and  falling  into  the 
sea  near  the  village  of  Easky. 

The  Ballysadare  River  falls  into  the  head  of 
Balb'sadare  Bay  at  Ballysadare;  immediately 
below  the  village  it  tumbles  over  a  series  of 
shelving  rocks,  forming  one  of  the  finest  rapids 
in  L-elaud.  The  chief  tributaries  of  the  Bally- 
sadare River  are  :  the  Owenmore,  which  rises  in 
the  south  near  Lough  Gara;  the  Owenboy, 
which  rises  near  the  source  of  the  Moy,  takes 
the  name  of  Owenbeg  below  the  village  of  Col- 
looney,  and  joins  the  Owenmore  1^  miles  above 
Collooney;  and  the  Unshin  River  or  Arrow 
River,  which  issues  from  Lough  Arrow,  and 
flowing  northward  joins  the  Owenmore. 

In  the  southeast  of  the  county,  the  Feorish 
enters  Roscommon.  The'Bonet  River  forms  the 
boundary  between  Sligo  and  Leitrim  for  a  mile. 
The  Sligo  River  or  the  Garrogue,  issues  from 
Lough  Gill,  and  after  a  course  of  3  miles  falls 
into  Sligo  bay  at  Sligo  town.  North  of  Sligo 
town,  the  Drumcliff  River  flows  west  into  Drum- 
cliflE  Bay.  And  in  the  extreme  north  the  Duff 
forms  part  of  the  boundary  between  Leitrim  and 
Sligo,  and  falls  into  Donegal  Bay. 

LAKES. — Lough  Arrow,  in  the  southeast,  is 
t  miles  long,  contains  8  square  miles,  and  is 
itudded  with  a  number  of  beautiful  wooded 
islets;  Lough  Gara,  on  the  southern  border,  is  5 
miles  long,  and  contains  7  square  miles.  Lough 
Gill  is  .5|  miles  long  and  contains  5|  square 
miles;  its  shores  are  wooded,  and  at  the  south 
side  overhung  by  mountains ;  it  contains  several 
lovely  islands,  and  altogether  it  is  one  of  the 


most  beautiful  lakes  in  Ireland — almost  rivaling 
the  Lakes  of  Killarney. 

The  other  lakes  on  the  boundary  are,  north  of 
Lough  Gill,  Glencar  Lake,  chiefly  belonging  to 
Leitrim ;  in  the  northern  extremity,  Cloonty 
Lake  near  Cliffony;  and  the  southeast,  Skean 
Lake,  more  than  half  of  which  is  in  Roscommon. 

The  following  lakes  are  in  the  interior:  Lough 
Easky  at  an  elevation  of  607  feet  among  the  Ox 
Mountains;  it  is  more  than  a  mile  long,  and 
sends  forth  the  river  Easky  northward;  and  five 
miles  southwest  of  it,  in  Slieve  Gamph,  Lough 
Talt,  about  the  same  size.  Near  Ballymote  is 
Templehouse  Lake,  a  mile  and  a  half  long;  near 
the  south  end  of  which  is  Cloonacleigha  Lake. 
Two  miles  south  of  Collooney  is  Toberscanavan 
Lake ;  and  at  the  same  distance  northeast  of  Col- 
looney, is  Ballydawley  Lake. 

TOWNS.— Sligo  (10,808),  the  assize  town,  on 
the  Sligo  or  Garrogue  River,  with  good  trade 
and  commerce;  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  most 
picturesque  country ;  containing  the  beautiful 
ruin  of  Sligo  Abbey,  founded  in  1252.  Bally- 
mote (1,145)  in  the  southeast,  with  the  ruins  of 
a  castle  and  of  a  friary  near  it;  Tobercurry 
(1,081),  in  the  southwest.  Ardnaree,  the  Sligo 
suburb  of  Ballina,  has  1,442  inhabitants. 

MINERALS. — The  eastern  projection  of  the 
barony  of  Tirerrill,  approaching  Lough  Allen, 
belongs  to  the  Connaught  coalfield,  and  a  portion 
of  it  is  also  included  in  the  Arigna  iron  district. 
Lead  and  copper  mines  were  formerly  worked  in 
the  Ox  Mountains;  but  the  works  have  been  long 
since  discontinued. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  barony  of  Tireragh  formed  a  part 
of  the  territory  of  Hy  Fiachrach  of  the  Moy  (for 
which  see  Mayo).  The  following  baronies  repre- 
sent ancient  territories :  Carbury  (there  were 
several  other  Carburys  in  Ireland) ;  Leiny,  the 
ancient  Luighne;  Tirerrill,  the  ancient  Tir- 
Oililla;  Corran,  and  Coolavin,  the  principality  of 
Mac  Dermott.  Immediately  east  of  Lough 
Arrow,  in  the  parish  of  Kilmactranny,  is  the 
Northern  Moytura,  or  Moytura  of  the  Formori- 
aus,  where,  27  years  after  the  battle  of  the 
Southern  Moytura  (for  which  see  Mayo),  was 
fought  a  battle  between  the  Dedannans  and  the 
Formorians,  in  which  the  Formorians  were  de- 
feated and  slaughtered.    Like  the  Southern  Moy- 


SLIGO. 


tura,  the  plain  abounds  in  sepulchral  monuments 
to  this  day.  At  Drumcliff,  4  miles  north  of 
Sligo,  there  was  in  old  times  a  great  religious 


establishment;  and  there  still  remain  the  ruins 
of  a  round  tower  and  some  Celtic  crosses  in  a 
fair  state  of  preservation. 


ILLUSTRATIOISr. 


THE  CATHEDRAL.— The  town  of  Sligo  is 
the  residence  of  the  Catholic  bishop  of  the 
cathedral  city  of  Elphin,  which  is  some 
forty  miles  distant.  The  church  of  St.  John  in 
Sligo  is  called  a  cathedral,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  Bishop  resides  there.  It  is  a  handsome 
modern  edifice,  cruciform  in  structure,  with  a 
tall  massive  tower.  The  see  of  Elphin  is  one  of 
the  most  ancient  in  Ireland,  having  been  founded 
by  St.  Patrick,  about  the  year  450.    He  ap- 


pointed Assicus,  a  learned  and  pious  monk,  first 
bishop,  but  for  the  eight  succeeding  centuries 
no  regular  succession  of  prelates  is  mentioned. 
There  are  many  remains  in  Sligo  and  the  neigh- 
boring vicinity  of  the  ancient  religious  charac- 
ter of  the  county,  some  of  which  will  be  found  on 
another  page.  The  town  experienced  many 
vicissitudes  in  the  various  wars  since  the  Anglo- 
Norman  invasion,  and  suffered  much  for  its  de- 
votion to  Irish  liberty. 


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SLIGO  CATHEDRAL. 


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 D    '  [30^  E  

COUNTY  OF 

TIPPERARY 

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,  baronies  thus  ELIOGARTY 

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TIPPERARY. 


NAME. — The  county  took  its  name  from  the 
town  of  Tipperary,  and  this  from  a  once  celebrated 
■well,  situated  near  the  main  street  of  the  town, 
and  now  closed  up.  The  Gaelic  form  of  the 
name  is  Tiobraid-Arann  (pron.  Tubrid-Auran) 
the  well  of  Ara,  from  tiobraid,  a  well,  and  Ara 
(genitive,  Arann),  the  name  of  the  old  territory 
in  which  it  was  situated. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length,  from 
the  eastern  corner  of  the  Knockmealdown  Moun- 
tains near  the  village  of  Ballinamult,  to  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Little  Brosna  Eiver  with  the  Shannon, 
66|  miles;  breadth,  from  the  western  boundary 
between  Emly,  and  Knocklong  to  the  eastern 
boundary  3  miles  east  of  Mullinahone,  43  miles ; 
area,  1,659  square  miles;  population,  199,612. 
For  legal  purposes  the  county  is  divided  into 
North  Riding  and  South  Eiding. 

SURFACE. — The  western  projection,  consist- 
ing of  the  barony  of  Owney  and  Arra,  the  south- 
western part  of  Upper  Ormond,  and  the  western 
part  of  the  two  baronies  of  Kilnamanagh,  are 
nearly  all  occupied  with  mountains.  The  greater 
part  of  the  barony  of  Ikerrin,  forming  the  north- 
east corner,  is  mountainous,  hilly,  or  upland. 
The  southwest  also  (namely,  the  baronj'  of  Iffa 
and  Off  a  West,  and  the  southern  part  of  the 
barony  of  Clanwilliam)  is  very  mountainous, 
being  occupied  by  two  great  ranges  (to  be 
noticed  presently  in  detail)  inclosing  a  fine 
valley.  The  barony  of  Slieveardagh  in  the  east 
is  hilly,  broken  up  by  the  inequalities  of  the 
Tipperary  coalfields ;  and  in  the  barony  of  Iffa 
and  Offa  East,  northeast  of  Clonmel,  there  is 
one  small  but  lofty  mountain  knot.  All  the  rest 
of  the  county  may  be  said  to  be  level,  inter- 
rupted by  occasional  detached  mountains  or 
hills;  and  in  several  places  broken  up  by  low 
ridges.  The  whole  of  the  middle  of  the  county 
is  occupied  by  the  magnificent  plain  traversed 
by  tne  Suir.  The  "Golden  Vale,"  containing 
the  finest  land  in  Ireland,  may  be  said  to  be 
a  branch  of  this  great  central  plain  ;  it  runs  west 
from  Fethard  into  Limerick,  confined  on  the 


borders  of  the  two  counties  hy  Slievenamuck  on 
the  south,  and  by  Slievefelim  on  the  north;  and 
from  this  it  sweeps  westward  to  Kilmallock  and 
Bruree. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  south- 
western extremity  of  Slieve  Bloom  just  touches 
Tipperary  at  Roscrea.  The  valley  in  which 
Roscrea  stands  separates  this  end  of  Slieve  Bloom 
from  another  range,  which  begins  immediately 
south  of  the  town  and  runs  southwest.  This  is 
the  Devil's  Bit  range,  which  culminates  in  the 
Devil's  Bit  (1,583),  3  miles  from  Templemore. 
This  mountain  has  a  singular  gap  in  its  contour 
(very  conspicuous  from  the  railway),  from  which 
it  was  formerly  called  Barnane-Ely,  i.e.,  the 
gapped  mountain  of  Ely  (the  old  territoi-y  in 
which  it  was  situated),  which  is  still  the  name 
of  the  parish.  The  other  chief  summits  are 
Kilduff  Mountain  (1,462),  Borrisnoe  (1,471),  and 
Benduff  (1,399),  all  near  Devil's  Bit  in  a  line  to 
the  northwest;  and  4  miles  southwest  of  Devil's 
Bit,  Knockanora  (1,429)  and  Latteragh  (1,257). 

Southwest  of  this  is  a  great  mountain  group 
consisting  of  several  minor  clusters  separated  by 
deep  valleys.  The  highest  summit  is  Kimalta  or 
Keeper  Hill  (2,278),  a  fine  mountain  dome, 
which  towers  so  conspicuously  over  the  sur- 
rounding hills  that  it  seems  almost  detached. 
Four  miles  southeast  of  Kimalta  is  Mauherslieve 
(1,783),  near  which  again  are  Knockteige  (1,312), 
and  Knocknasceggan  (1,296).  The  valley  of 
the  Bilboa  River  separates  these  from  a  sub-group 
to  the  southeast,  which  occupies  a  good  deal  of 
the  two  baronies  of  Kilnamanagh ;  the  chief 
summits  being  Knockalough  (1,407),  and  south 
of  it  Laghtseefin  (1,426).  The  Silvermine 
Mountain  (1,607),  running  from  west  to  east  4 
or  5  miles  in  length,  lie  north  of  Kimalta,  and 
are  separated  from  it  by  the  valley  of  the  Mul- 
kear  River.  To  the  mountain  group  noticed  in 
this  paragraph  belongs  Slievefelim,  lying  in 
Limerick. 

To  the  northwest  of  the  preceding,  in  the 
north  of  the  barony  of  Owney  and  Arra,  are  the 


TIPPERARY. 


Arra  Mountains  (1,517),  rising  over  the  southern 
end  of  Lough  Derg;  these  form  a  distinct  group, 
separated  from  the  Silverinine  and  Kimalta 
mountains  by  the  vallej-  of  the  Kiliuastulhi  River. 

Along  the  southern  border  of  the  county  the 
Knockmealdown  range  runs  east  and  west.  About 
half  the  range  belongs  to  Tippei'ary,  the  south- 
ern flank  lying  in  Waterford.  The  highest  sum- 
mit of  all,  Knockmealdown  or  Slievecua  (2,609), 
lies  on  the  boundary. 

The  Galty  Mountains  run  east  and  west;  they 
lie  north  of  the  Knockmealdown  Mountains,  from 
which  they  are  separated  by  a  line  valley  six  or 
eight  miles  wide :  the  eastern  half  of  the  range 
lies  in  Tipperary  and  the  western  half  in  Limer- 
ick. The  Galty  range  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Ire- 
land, for  its  altitude,  for  the  niagiiilicent  and 
massive  forms  of  its  individual  mountains,  and 
for  the  deep  valleys  that  pierce  the  heart  of  the 
range,  travei'sed  bj'  mountain  torrents,  and  over- 
hung by  tremendous  precipices.  Galtymore 
(3,015),  the  highest  of  the  whole  range,  lies  oji 
the  boundai-y  with  Limerick.  Slieveuamuck 
(1,215),  a  long  low  range,  runs  parallel  to  the 
Galtj's,  a  little  to  the  north  and  separated  from 
them  by  the  Glen  of  Aherlow. 

In  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county  the 
graad  mountain  mass  of  Slieveuaman  (2,364) 
rises  from  the  plain  quite  detached.  Several 
subsidiary  summits  lie  round  the  main  peak; 
chief  among  them  being  Carrickabrock  (1,859), 
Sheegouna  (1,822),  and  Kuockahunna  (1,654). 
Among  the  many  detached  hills  of  Tipperary, 
one  of  the  most  conspicuous  is  Knockshigowna 
(701)  in  the  north,  5  miles  northeast  of  Cloghjor- 
dan,  standing  in  a  plain  quite  detached,  and 
well  known  for  its  fairy  legends. 

RIVERS. — The  Shannon  and  Lough  Derg 
form  the  northwestern  boundary,  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Bi'osna  downward  to  a  point  a  mile  above 
O'Brien's  Bridge.  The  following  are  the  tribu- 
taries of  the  Shannon  belonging  wholly  or  partly 
to  Tipperary.  In  the  extreme  north,  the  Little 
Brosna,  coming  from  the  southeast,  runs  on  the 
boundary  between  Tipperary  and  Kings  County 
for  the  last  13  miles  of  its  course.  Its  chief 
headwater  is  the  Bunow,  which  rises  in  Kings 
County  northeast  of  Roscrea  (though  some  of  its 
head  streams  come  from  Queens  County),  crosses 
the  corner  of  Tipperary  by  Roscrea,  and  leaving  i 


Tipperary  for  Kings  County,  takes  the  name  of 
Little  Brosna.  The  Ballyfinboy  River  rises  near 
Money  gall,  and  flowing  northwest,  forms  the 
boundary  for  a  mile  and  a  half  between  Tipper- 
ary and  Kings  Couutj'  above  Cloghjordan,  and 
passing  by  Cloghjordan  anA  Borrisokane,  falls 
into  Lough  Derg  at  Drominagh.  The  Nenagh 
River,  drawing  some  of  its  headwaters  from  the 
Devil's  Bit,  and  some  from  the  Kimalta  Moun- 
tains, runs  northwest  by  Nenagh,  and  falls  into 
Lough  Derg.  The  Nenagh  River  is  joined  on 
the  right  bank,  a  mile  below  Nenagh,  by  the 
Ollatrim  and  the  Ballintotty  Rivers,  which  unite 
their  waters  before  the  junction  (the  Ollatrim 
forming  for  2  miles  of  its  course  the  boundary 
between  Kings  County  and  Tipperary).  The 
Newtown  River  rises  in  the  Arra  Mountains,  and 
falls  into  Lough  Derg  at  Youghal,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Nenagh  River.  The  Kilmastulla 
River  flows  west  by  the  northern  base  of  the 
Silvermine  Mountains,  and  enters  the  Shannon 
near  Birdhill.  The  Newport  River  flows  south- 
west by  Newport  and  enters  Limerick,  its  chief 
headwater  being  the  Mulkear,  which  flows 
through  the  deep  glen  between  the  Kimalta  and 
Silvermine  Mountains  (this  Mulkear  finding  its 
way  ultimately  hy  the  Newport  River  to  the 
Limerick  Mulkear).  The  Clare  River,  running 
west  through  the  glen  that  separates  Slievefelim 
from  Kimalta,  forms  the  boundary  for  some 
miles  with  Limerick,  and  enters  Limerick  (tak- 
ing now  the  name  of  Anuagh)  to  join  the  New- 
port River.  The  Bilboa  River  and  its  three 
tributaries — -the  Gortuageragh,  the  Cahernahal- 
lia,  and  the  Dead  River — all  rise  in  Tipperary, 
and  flow  into  Limerick  to  the  Mulkear.  Some 
of  the  headwaters  of  the  Limerick  River,  the 
Camoge,  come  from  that  part  of  Tipperary  lying 
round  Emly. 

The  Nore  takes  its  riso  in  the  northern  ex- 
tremitj'  of  the  Devil's  Bit  Mountains,  about  2 
miles  east-northeast  of  Moneygall,  and  flowing 
east-northeast  for  9|  miles  through  Tipperary,  it 
forms  the  boundary  with  Queens  County  for  2 
miles  further,  and  then  enters  Queens  County. 
Some  of  the  head  rivulets  of  the  Erikna  rise  in- 
side the  boundary,  or  run  on  it,  east  of  Temple 
more,  and  flow  immediatley  into  Queens  County. 
The  Kings  River  rises  by  several  headwaters  in 
Tipperary,  the  chief  of  them  having  its  source  in 


TIPPERARY. 


the  parish  of  Buolick,  northwest  of  the  village  of 
Ballingarry,  and  flowing  first  southward  and 
then  eastward,  enters  Kilkenny  3  miles  above 
Callan.  The  Mimster  River,  flowing  south, 
forms  the  boundary  for  about  8  miles  between 
Tipperary  and  Kilkenny,  and  then  enters  Kil- 
kenny to  join  the  Kings  River. 

The  Suir  rises  at  the  eastern  base  of  Benduff 
Mountain,  one  of  the  Devil's  Bit  range,  2  miles 
southeast  of  Moneygall,  the  source  being  about 
2  miles  southwest  of  the  source  of  the  Nore,  and 
flowing  first  eastward  for  5  miles,  it  turns 
abruptly  south.  It  runs  ir(,a  direction  generally 
south  for  about  55  miles  (following  the  larger 
windings),  when  it  touches  Waterford  at  a  point 
9  miles  in  direct  line  southeast  of  Caher — the 
direction  of  the  river  from  Caher  to  this  point 
being  southeast.  It  then  turns  abruptly  north, 
and  continuing  in  this  direction  for  5  miles,  it 
turns  east;  and  from  the  point  where  it  first 
touches  Waterord  down  to  a  mile  and  a  half  be- 
low Carrick-on-Suir  (24  miles)  it  forms  the 
boundary  between  Tipperary  and  Waterford. 

The  following  are  the  Tipperary  tributaries  of 
the  Suir,  beginning  on  the  north:  Taking  first 
the  left  or  eastern  bank — the  Drish  joins  a  mile 
below  Tliurles;  one  of  its  headwaters  is  the 
Black  River,  and  some  others  of  its  head  rivulets 
come  from  Kilkenny.  The  Anner  comes  south- 
ward from  near  Kill.enaule,  and  joins  the  Suir  2 
miles  below  Clonmel;  it  is  joined  on  its  right 
bank  by  the  Honor,  the  Clashawley  (flowing  by 
Fethard),  and  the  Moyle.  The  Lingaun  rises  to 
the  east  of  Slievenaman,  and  flowing  eastward, 
touches  Kilkenny ;  then  turning  south  it  forms 
the  boundary  between  Tipperary  and  Kilkenny 
to  where  it  falls  into  the  Suir  (a  mile  and  a  half 
below  Carrick-on-Suir),  a  distance  of  7  miles. 

On  the  right  bank  the  Suir  receives  the  follow- 
ing— the  Clodiagh  rises  among  the  hills  east  of 
Mauherslieve,  and  joins  3  miles  below  Holycross; 
it  is  itself  joined  bj'  the  Cromoge  and  the  Owen- 
beg  on  opposite  banks.  The  Multeen  falls  into 
the  Suir  a  mile  and  a  half  above  Golden,  receiv- 
ing from  the  north,  a  little  above  its  mouth,  a 
tributary'  also  called  Multeen.  The  Ara,  flowing 
through  the  town  of  Tipperary,  falls  into  the 
Suir  2  miles  above  Caher;  it  is  joined  by  the 
Aherlow  River,  which  comes  from  Limerick, 
enters  Tipperary  at  Galbally,  and  flows  eastward 


through  the  Vale  of  Aherlow,  one  of  the  finest 
glens  in  Ireland,  with  the  Galtys  towering  over 
it  on  the  south,  and  Slievenamuck  on  the  north. 
Two  miles  above  Ardfinnan  the  Suir  receives  the 
Thonoge,  which  rises  in  the  Galty  glens;  and  3 
miles  below  Ardfinnans,  the  Tar,  which  runs 
eastward  through  Clogheen  along  the  northern 
base  of  the  Knockmealdown  Mountains,  and  is 
the  principal  stream  that  drains  the  valley  be- 
tween these  mountains  and  the  Galtys;  the  Tar 
itself  having  for  headwater  tributaries  the  Duag 
from  Knockmealdown,  and  the  Burncourt  River 
from  the  Galtys. 

The  headwater  of  the  Funshion,  which  rises 
in  Galtymore,  forms  the  boundary  between  Tip- 
perary and  Limerick  for  5  or  6  miles,  after  which 
it  turns  west  and  leaves  Tipperary,  and  ultimately 
joins  the  Blackwater. 

LAKES. — A  portion  of  Lough  Derg  belongs 
to  Tipperary ;  all  the  other  lakes  of  the  count3' 
are  small  and  unimportant.  Near  the  summit  of  ^ 
Galtymore,  at  its  northern  side,  are  two  very 
remarkable  mountain  pools,  overtopped  by 
precipices.  Lough  Curra  and  Lough  Diheen ; 
and  a  little  east  of  these  are  Borheen  Lough  and 
Lough  Muskry,  also  on  the  north  slopes  of  the 
Galtys.  Baylough,  another  remarkable  moun- 
tain tarn,  lies  above  Clogheen,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  pass  that  crosses  Knockmealdown. 

TOWNS.— Clonmel  (9,325,  of  whom  52  are  in 
the  county  Waterford),  on  the  Suir,  the  chief 
town  of  the  county,  and  the  assize  town  of  the 
South  Riding;  it  is  one  of  the  most  important 
of  the  inland  towns  of  Ireland,  and  has  great 
trade;  beautifully  situated,  with  the  outskirts  of 
the  Cummeragh  Mountains  rising  directly  over 
it  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  The  following 
towns  are  also  on  the  Suir :  Carrick-on-Suir 
(6,583,  of  whom  1,166  are  in  Carrickbeg,  a 
suburb  lying  at  the  south  side  of  the  river,  in 
the  county  Waterford),  below  Clonmel,  in  the 
southeastern  corner  of  the  county.  Ascending 
the  river  from  Clonmel  we  pass  the  village  of 
Ardfinnan  (376),  with  its  fine  castle  ruin  perched 
on  the  summit  of  a  rock,  and  come  to  Caher 
(2,469),  a  very  pretty  town,  in  a  beautiful  situa- 
tion, under  the  eastern  abutment  of  the  Galtys, 
with  a  fine  castle  ruin  on  a  rock  in  the  middle  of 
the  river.  Passing  the  village  of  Golden  (380), 
with  the  beautiful  old  abbey  of  Athassel  a  mile 


TIPPERARY. 


and  a  half  south  of  it,  just  beside  the  river ;  aud 
the  village  of  Hob-cross,  where  is  one  of  the 
finest  ecclesiastical  ruins  in  Ireland,  that  of  an 
abbey  built  in  the  12th  century;  we  come  to 
Thurles  (4,850),  a  flourishing  town,  with  several 
ecclesiastical  and  castle  ruins;  and  lastly,  Tem- 
plemore  (2,800),  near  the  eastern  base  of  the 
Dev'l's  Bit  Mountain. 

Thw  following  towns  are  on  tributaries  of 
the  Suir:  Fethard  (1,92G),  lying  8  miles  north 
of  Cloumel,  and  near  the  western  base  of  Slieve- 
naman,  is  watered  by  the  Clashawley  River,  and 
has  some  fine  monastic  ruins.  Mulliuahone  is 
neai"  the  Auuer  River,  not  far  from  the  eastern 
boundary.  Borrisoleigh  (788),  lying  southwest 
of  Templemore,  is  on  the  little  river  Cromoge. 
In  the  southwest  of  the  county,  is  Tipjierary 
(7,274),  on  the  Ara,  almost  at  the  base  of  Slieve- 
namuck  Mountain.  In  the  valley  between  the 
Galty  aud  Kuockmealdown  Mountains  are  Clog- 
heen  (1,209),  on  the  Tar;  and  Ballyporeen  (632), 
on  the  Duag,  the  headwater  of  the  Tar. 

On  the  streams  that  flow  to  the  Shannon  these 
towns  are  situated;  Roscrea  (2,801),  on  the 
Bunow;  Cloghjordan  (644)  and  Borrisokane 
693  ,  on  the  Ballyfinboy  River.  On  the  Nenagh 
River  is  Nenagh  (5,422),  the  assize  town  of  the 
North  Riding,  with  a  fine  castle  ruin;  a  very 
important  inland  town.  Southwest  of  this,  on 
the  Newport  River,  near  the  border  of  the 
county,  is  Newport,  or,  as  it  is  commonly  called, 
Newport-Tip  (938). 

The  following  towns  are  not  connected  with 
any  of  the  principal  rivers :  Cappagh  White 
(629),  north  of  the  town  of  Tipperary,  at  the 
base  of  a  hill.  Killenaule  (829),  north  of 
Fethard  prettily  situated  among  hills.  Lastly, 
Cashel  (3,961),  the  ancient  capital  of  Munster, 
but  now  a  faded  town,  in  the  rich  plain  of  the 
Golden  Vale.  Beside  the  town,  is  "The  Rock  of 
Cashel,"  a  singular  detached  limestone  rock  ris- 
ing abruptly  and  precipitously  from  the  plain. 
Its  flat  top  contains  about  3  acres,  and  a  great 
part  of  this  area  is  covered  by  the  most  interest- 
ing collection  of  ruins  in  the  kingdom,  clustered 
close  together;  of  which  the  chief  are  the  Cathe- 
dral, Cormac's  Chapel,  a  round  tower,  a  castle, 
and  several  residences  for  the  ecclesiastics.  The 
Rock  commands  a  splendid  view,  and  is  itself  a 
conspicuous  object  for  many  miles  round.  Near 


the  Rock,  just  outside  the  town,  are  the  ruins  of 
Hore  Abbey. 

MINERALS.— One  of  the  two  coal  fields  of 
Munster  lies  chiefly  in  Tipperary ;  it  extends  in 
length  about  20  miles  from  Freshford  in  Kilkenny 
to  near  Cashel,  and  is  about  6  miles  broad.  In 
the  Arra  Mountains,  which  rise  over  Lough 
Derg,  northeast  of  Killaloe,  are  the  slate  quarries 
that  supply  the  well-known  Killaloe  slates.  And 
the  Silvermine  Mountains,  a  little  to  the  south- 
east derived  their  name  from  their  mines  of  lead 
with  a  mixture  of  silver,  which  were  worked  in 
the  last  century. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— A  considerable  part  of  the  north  aud 
northwest  of  Tipperary  was  originally  included 
in  the  ancient  sub-kingdom  of  Thomoud  or 
North  Munster;  and  the  middle  and  southern 
part  in  the  sub-kingdom  of  Ormond  or  East 
Munster.  In  late  times  the  northern  end  of  the 
county  was  formed  into  two  baronies,  and  desig- 
nated Upper  and  Lower  Ormond  by  the  Earl 
of  Ormond  ;  but  the  name  was  wrongly  applied, 
as  what  is  now  called  the  barony  of  Lower 
Ormond,  and  a  good  part  of  Upper  Ormond,  con- 
stituted the  ancient  district  of  Muskerry-Tire, 
which  was  always  a  part  of  Thomond.  There 
were  two  other  Muskerrys  in  Tipperary,  viz., 
first;  Muskerry-Treherna,  now  the  barony  of 
Clanwilliam — also  called  •  Muskerry-Breogain, 
and  Muskerry-Quirk,  this  last  name  derived  from 
the  family  of  O'Quirk,  the  ancient  proprietors; 
the  little  mountain  tarn.  Lough  Muskry,  in  the 
Galtys,  still  preserves  the  name  of  this  territory'. 
Secondly,  Muskerry  West-of-Fevin,  so  called  as 
lying  west  of  Moj'-Fevin.  Fevin  or  Moy-Fevin 
was  the  name  of  the  plain  south  of  Slievenaman, 
now  called  by  the  barony  name  Iffa  aud  Offa 
East. 

The  Galty  Mountains  were  anciently  called 
Crotta-Cliach  or  Slieve-Crot  or  Slieve-Grod, 
which  name  is  still  preserved  in  that  of  the  old 
Castle  of  Dungrod,  in  the  Glen  of  Aherlow,  near 
Galbally. 

Beside  Cashel  there  were  ancieutlj'  three 
royal  residences  in  Tipperary.  One  was  Caher, 
the  old  name  of  which  was  Caher-Dun-Isga ;  the 
present  castle,  on  the  rock  in  the  Suir,  occupies 
the  site  of  an  old  circular  stone  fort  or  caher, 
which  was  destroyed  in  the  3d  century;  and 


TIPPEKARY. 


that  caher  was  erected  on  the  site  of  a  still  older 
dun  or  earthen  fort.  The  second  was  Dun-Crot, 
which  is  now  marked  hy  the  old  castle  of  Dun- 
grod  (mentioned  above),  a  comparatively  modern 
edifice,  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  dun.  The 
third  was  Knockgraffon,  about  3  miles  north  of 


Caher,  which  was  the  residence  of  Fiacha  Mul- 
lehan,  king  of  Munster  in  the  3d  century.  The 
remains  of  this  old  palace  are  still  standing,  con- 
sisting of  a  very  fine  high  mound ;  it  is  cele- 
brated in  legend,  and  the  surrounding  parish 
still  retains  its  name — Knockgraffon. 


EOCK  OF  CASHEL.— It  has  been  truly  said 
that  all  the  ecclesiastical  ruins  not  onlj'  of  Tip- 
perary  but  of  all  Ireland  sink  into  insignificance 
compared  with  those  that  crown  the  far-famed 
"Kock  of  Cashel. "  Massive  and  colossal  in 
aspect  it  towers  above  the  level  plain  of  the 
"Golden  Vale,"  and  presents  an  inposing appear- 
ance from  all  sides.  For  more  than  a  thousand 
years  Cashel  was  the  seat  of  the  kings  of  Munster, 
and  its  history,  as  Sir  Walter  Scott  remarks, 
"such  as  Ireland  may  be  proud  of."  A  synod 
was  held  there  in  the  middle  of  the  5th  century  by 
St.  Patrick,  St.  Ailbe  and  St.  Declan,  when  King 
Aengus  commemorated  his  conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity by  erecting  a  church  on  the  rock.  The 
ruins  consist  of  a  cathedral  founded  in  the  11th 
century,  a  round  tower  90  feet  high  and  51:  feet 
in  circumference,  Cormac's  Chapel,  named  after 
the  Bishop-king,  a  hall  for  the  vicar's  choral, 
built  in  1421,  and  an  Episcopal  palace. 

HOLY  CROSS  ABBEY.— This  monastic  ruin 
is  considered  to  rank  in  popular  esteem  as  one  of 
the  first,  if  not  the  very  first,  in  Ireland.  It  is 
situated  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Suir  about 
seven  miles  north  of  Cashel.  It  was  founded  in 
1182  by  Donald  O'Brien,  king  of  Limerick,  for 
the  Cistercian  monks;  but  is  said  to  owe  its 
origin  and  name  to  the  possession  of  piece  of 
the  True  Cross,  presented  in  1110  by  Pope  Pas- 
cal II.  to  Murrough  O'Brien,  monarch  of  Ire- 
land. It  was  set  in  gold  and  precious  stones, 
and  is  said  to  be  still  in  the  possession  of  the 
Catholic  authorities  of  the  place.  The  Abbey  is 
appropriately  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  with 
nave,  chancel  and  transept,  and  a  lofty,  square 
belfry  at  the  intersection  of  the  cross.  In  both 
transepts  are  two  distinct  chapels  beautifully 
groined.  It  was  endowed  with  special  privi- 
leges, and  the  abbot  was  a  peer  of  parliment  with 
the  title  of  Earl  of  the  Holy  Cross. 


THURLES  CATHEDRAL.  — The  town  of 
Thurles,  is  situated  on  the  river  Suir,  and  con- 
tains a  population  of  about  5,000.  The  sur- 
rounding country  is  very  fertile  and  attractive. 
It  has  many  historic  memories  and  ancient  re- 
mains. It  was  the  scene  of  a  great  victory  by 
the  Irish  over  the  Danes  in  the  10th  century, 
and  witnessed  the  defect  of  Strongbow  by 
O'Brien,  Prince  of  Thomond.  A  monastery  of 
Carmelites  were  established  there  in  1300. 
In  1850  a  synod  was  held  in  Thurles  under 
the  presidency  of  Cardinal  Cullen,  at  which 
the  Queen's  Colleges  wei'e  condemned  and  the 
foundation  of  a  Catholic  university  recom- 
mended. The  Archbishop  of  Cashel  resides  in 
Thurles,  and  many  modern  ecclesiastical  estab- 
lishments lend  it  an  interest  for  Catholics. 
Among  these  are  the  Catholic  Cathedral,  a  mag- 
nificent edifice  capable  of  holding  7,000  persons, 
and  the  provincial  college  of  St.  Patrick,  erected 
in  1836. 

NENAGH  TOWNHALL  AND  CASTLE. 
— Nenagh  is  the  second  largest  town  in  the 
county  of  Tipperary,  and  does  a  thriving  trade. 
The  town  was  at  once  time  a  stronghold  of  the 
Butlers.  It  possesses  few  antiquities,  the 
"Nenagh  Round,"  the  circular  keep  of  the  castle 
of  the  Butlers,  and  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
notable  structures  of  its  kind  in  the  island, 
being,  perhaps,  the  most  interesting  feature. 
It  was  built  in  the  time  of  King  John.  Between 
it  and  the  courthouse  stands  the  townhall,  a 
modern  structure  of  handsome  design.  Nenagh 
was  converted  into  an  assize  town  some  years 
ago,  previous  to  which  a  summons  to  court  in- 
volved a  journey  of  nearly  140  miles.  The  name 
is  derived  from  the  Irish  word  N'Aenach,  signi- 
fying The  Fair,  and  even  at  the  present  day  it  is 
the  seat  of  one  of  the  largest  yearly  "fairs"  in 
the  south  of  Ireland. 


iMWiliV'rriiii^VMfififriyfr^''^'^ 


ST  Patrick's. THURLES.9  w.L.. 


ST.  PATRICK'S  THURLES,  TIPPERARY. 


TYRONE. 


NAME. — The  Gaelic  form  of  the  name  is  Tir- 
Eogliain  (prou.  Tir-Owen),  signify iug  the  land 
or  territory  (tir)  of  Eogbau  or  Owen.  This 
Owen  was  son  of  king  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hos- 
tages, and  brother  of  Conall,  who  gave  name  to 
Tirconuell  (see  Donegal). 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Blackwater  at  Lough  Neagh  to 
the  western  point  near  Carrickaduff  hill,  55 
miles;  breadth  from  the  southern  corner,  south- 
east of  Fivemiletown,  to  the  northeastern  corner 
near  Meenard  Mountain,  37^  miles;  area,  1,260 
square  miles;  population,  197,719. 

SURFACE. — -AH  the  northern  border  is  a  con- 
tinued succession  of  mountains,  some  of  them 
very  lofty.  The  ■western  angle  is  occupied  by 
mountains,  a  continuation  of  the  alpine  region 
of  Donegal.  The  southern  angle,  south  of 
Clogher,  is  also  mountainous  and  upland;  and 
there  is  a  small  mountain  knot  southeast  of  New- 
town Stewart,  in  the  barony  of  Upper  Strabane. 
That  portion  of  the  county  bordering  on  Lough 
Neagh  is  a  flat,  meadowy  district,  interspersed 
with  bogs.  All  the  rest  of  the  county  is  an  end- 
less succession  of  gentle  hills,  fruitful  valleys, 
pretty  glens,  and  small  plains,  with  a  good  deal 
of  dreary  moorland  in  the  northern  half,  but  in- 
terspersed, especially  in  the  south,  with  much 
beauty  and  softness  of  landscape.  On  the  whole 
Tyrone  is  a  hilly  county. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— Along  the 
northern  and  northeastern  margin  are  the  follow- 
ing mountains,  beginning  on  the  west:  Slieve- 
kii-k  (1,219),  on  the  boundary  with  Londonderry, 
a  little  east  of  the  Foyle.  The  Sperrin  Moun- 
tains begin  about  6  miles  northeast  of  Newtown 
Stewart,  and  run  east-northeast,  partly  in 
Tyrone,  partly  on  the  boundary,  and  partly  in 
Londonderry.  The  first  summits  of  any  conse- 
quence at  the  end  nearest  to  Newtown  Stewart 
are  Crockrour  (1,200),  Craignagapple  (1,082), 
and  Balix  Hill  (1,383),  all  near  one  another. 
"West  of  Craignagapple,  and  immediatel.v  over 
Strabane,  rises  the  detached  hill  of  Knockavoe 
(972).  East  of  all  these  is  Mullaghclogha 
(2,088),  northwest  of  which  is  Tornoge  (923). 


Then  follow  Dart  (2,040),  Sawel  (2,240),  Mee- 
nard (2,0G1),  and  Oughtniore  (1,878),  all  on  the 
boundarj',  which  have  been  mentioned  in  Lon- 
donderry. 

South  and  southeast  of  these,  at  the  other  side 
of  the  valley  of  the  Glenelly  River,  are  the  Muu- 
terlony  Mountains,  of  which  the  chief  summits 
are  Craignamaddy  (1,264),  Muuterlouj^  or  Mul- 
laghbolig  Mountain  (1,456),  and  Carnanellj' 
(1,851).  Mullaghturk  (1,353)  is  on  the  boun- 
dary; and  with  another  valley  intervening 
Beleevnamore  (1,257).  In  the  immediate  vicin- 
ity of  Newtown  Stewart  are  the  two  hills,  Bessy 
Bell  (1,367)  and  Mary  Gray  (828);  and  six  miles 
southeast  of  the  town,  and  about  the  same  dis- 
tance northeast  of  Omagh,  is  the  conspicuous 
hill  of  Mullagcarn  (1,787). 

In  the  southern  end  Slieve  Beagh  stands  at 
the  junction  of  the  three  counties,  Tyrone, 
Monaghan,  and  Fermanagh;  one  of  its  peaks, 
1,221  feet  high,  is  in  Tyrone;  but  its  highest 
summit — 1,255  feet — is  in  Fermanagh.  A  range 
of  upland  runs  between  Ballygawley  and  Omagh, 
locally  called  the  Starbog  hills;  the  highest  sum- 
mit is  Sleivemore  (1,033),  3  miles  northwest  of 
Ballygawley.  Three  miles  north  of  Fivemile- 
town is  Ballyness  Mountain  (958).  West  of 
these  Brocker  Mountain  (1,046)  stands  on  the 
boundary. 

In  the  western  extremity  of  the  county — the 
barony  of  West  Omagh-Cross  Hill  (1,024) 
stands  .iust  inside  the  boundary;  south  of  this  is 
Sturrin  (814),  near  which  to  the  southeast,  besidt^ 
the  boundary,  is  an  elevation  of  1,059  feet.  In 
the  extreme  south  of  the  barony  is  Dooish 
(1,119),  and  beside  it  Tappaghan  (1,112)  which 
stands  on  the  boundary,  its  summit  being  in 
Tyrone. 

RIVERS. — The  Finn,  and  its  continuation  the 
Foyle,  run  on  the  northwestern  boundary  for  16 
miles,  separating  Tyrone  from  Donegal.  The 
Foyle  is  formed  liy  the  confluence  of  the  Finn 
and  the  Mourne  at  Lifford.  Below  Strabane  the 
Fo.yle  is  joined  by  the  Burn  Dennet  and  Gleu- 
mornan  streams,  belonging  to  Tyrone. 

The  Mourne  is  formed  by  the  confluence  of  a 


TYRONE. 


number  of  important  tributaries,  of  which  the 
Derg,  the  Strule,  and  the  Owenkillew,  are  the 
principah  The  Derg  flows  from  Lough  Derg  in 
Donegal,  and  joins  the  main  stream  2|  miles  be- 
low Newtown  Stawart ;  receiving  as  tributaries 
the  Mourne  Beg,  which  flows  from  Lough 
Mourne  in  Donegal  (and  runs  for  5  miles  of  its 
course  on  the  boundary  between  Tyrone  and 
Donegal),  and  the  Glendergan  River  which  flows 
through  a  fine  mountain  valley.  The  Strule  and 
the  Owenkillew  join  at  Newtown  Stewart.  The 
Strule  is  formed  by  the  Faii-y  Water  from  the 
west,  the  Drumragh  and  its  tributary  the  Owen- 
reagh  from  the  south,  and  the  Camoweu  with  its 
affluent  the  Cloghfin  from  the  east.  And  the 
Owenkillew,  draining  the  valley  south  of  the 
Munterlony  Mountains,  has  as  tributaries,  the 
Glenelly  River,  which  drains  the  long  valley  be- 
tween the  Sperrin  and  Munterlony  Mountains, 
the  Glenlark,  the  Coneyglen,  the  Broughderg, 
and  the  Owenreagh. 

In  the  southeast  tlie  Blackwater  rises  among 
the  hills  a  little  north  of  Fivemiletown ;  flows 
across  the  southern  extremity  of  the  county  for 
about  15  miles,  after  which  it  forms  the  boun- 
dary of  Tyrone  (with  Monaghan  and  Armagh)  to 
its  mouth  at  the  southwestern  corner  of  Lough 
Neagh,  a  further  distance- of  about  34  miles  (not 
following  the  smaller  windings).  Its  Tyrone 
tributaries  are  the  Torrent,  the  Oona  Water,  the 
Bally gawley  Water,  and  the  Fury  River. 

The  Ballinderry  River  rises  a  little  northwest 
of  Pomeroy,  flows  eastward  by  Cookstown,  and 
for  nearly  all  the  rest  of  its  course  runs  on  the 
boundary  between  Tyrone  and  Londonderry,  till 
it  falls  into  Lough  Neagh.  It  receives  as  tributary 
from  the  northwest,  the  Lissan  Water,  which 
flows  from  Lough  Fea,  runs  for  some  distance  on 
the  boundarj',  and  then  enters  Londonderry'. 

In  the  southwest  the  district  round  Trillick  is 
drained  into  Lough  Erne  by  the  Bellauamallard 
River,  which  belongs  in  the  lower  part  of  its 
course  to  Fermanagh ;  and  the  Fermanagh 
streams,  the  Tempo  River  the  Many  Burns,  and 
the  Colebrook,  draw  their  headwaters  from 
Tyrone. 

LAKES. — Lough    Neagh  forms  part  of  the  ; 
eastern  boundary  from  the  mouth  of  the  Black- 
water  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ballinderry  River. 
There  are  no  other  large  lakes  in  Tyrone ;  but 


there  are  many  very  small  ones.  On  the  north- 
eastern border  is  Lough  Fea,  about  a  mile  in 
length.  Northwest  of  Pomeroy  are  Lough 
Fingrean  and  Loughmacrory,  near  each  other. 
Surrounded  by  the  demesne  of  Baron's  Court, 
near  Newtown  Stewart,  are  three  long  narrow 
lakes.  Lough  Catherine,  a  mile  in  length,  and 
two  smaller  ones.  Lough  Fanny  and  Lough 
Mary;  west  of  which  is  the  small  Maghera 
Lough.  East  of  Strabane,  under  Craignagapple 
hill,  is  Moor  Lough,  from  which  issues  the  Glen- 
mornan  River. 

TOWNS.— Dangannon  (4,084),  in  the  east  of 
the  county,  an  excellent  business  town,  was  in 
old  times  the  chief  seat  of  the  O'Neills.  The 
following  are  on  the  tributaries  of  the  Foyle ; 
Strabane  (4,190)  stands  on  the  Mourne,  and  3 
miles  south  is  Seein,  or  Sion  Mills  (1,077), 
Southeast  of  this,  just  below  the  confluence  of 
the  Strule  and  the  Owennkillew,  is  Newtown 
Stewart  (1,079).  Still  further  southeast,  near 
the  middle  of  the  county,  is  Omagh  (.4126),  the 
assize  town,  on  a  hill,  at  the  base  of  which  is 
the  confluence  of  the  Camowen  and  Drumragh 
rivers.  South  of  Omagh,  on  the  Drumragh 
River,  is  Fintona  (1,468);  west  of  Avhich,  near 
but  not  on  one  of  the  head  streams  of  the  Owen- 
reagh, is  Dromore  (625).  West  of  Newtown 
Stewart,  on  the  river  Derg,  is  Castlederg  (756) 
with  the  striking  ruin  of  the  castle  that  gave  the 
town  its  name. 

Near  the  Ballinderry  River,  in  the  east,  is 
Cookstown  (3,870),  near  the  boundai'y  of  the 
county.  Southwest  of  Cookstown,  on  one  of  the 
head  streams  of  the  Ballinderry  River,  is  Pomeroy 
(438). 

The  following  are  on  the  Blackwater  and  its 
tributaries  in  the  southeast:  Moy  (579),  on  the 
Blackwater  itself  really  forms  one  town  with 
Charlemont,  at  the  Armagh  side  of  the  river. 
Higher  up  on  the  Blackvater,  at  the  extreme 
southeastern  angle  of  the  county,  is  Caledon 
(562),  a  very  pretty  village,  in  the  midst  of  a 
beautiful,  well-cultivated  country.  Northwest  of 
this  is  Aughnacloy  (1,333),  within  half  a  mile  of 
the  Blackwater.  Northwest  of  Aughnacloy,  on 
;  the  Ballygawley  Water,  is  the  neat  and  prosper- 
ous village  of  Ballygawley  (446).  Four  miles 
northeast  of  Dungannon,  near  the  Torrent  River, 
is  Coal  Island  (677);  near  which  on  the  uoi'th, 


TYRONE. 


but  unconnected  with  any  of  the  Blackwater 
tributaries,  is  the  stirring  little  town  of  Stewarts- 
town  (823).  In  the  extreme  south,  in  the  barony 
of  Glotfher,  beside  the  boundary,  is  Fivemile- 
town  (597);  near  which,  on  the  northeast,  is 
Clogher,  now  a  jioor  village,  but  once  a  place  of 
great  ecclesiastical  celebrity. 

MINEKALS. — North  of  Dungannon,  and 
around  the  village  of  Coal  Island,  is  a  coal  field. 


I  which,  though  small,  is  the  richest  in  Ireland. 
Along  the  shore  of  Lough  Neagh,  south  from 
Washing  Bay.,  is  found  lignite  or  wood  coal. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  ancient  principality  of  Tir-Owen, 
the  inheritance  of  the  O'Neills,  included  the 
whole  of  the  present  counties  of  Tyrone  and 
Londonderry,  and  the  two  baronies  of  Inishowen 
and  Kaphoe  in  Donegal. 


DUNGANNON.— Dungannon  (Geanan's  Fort) 
was  the  earliest  seat  of  the  0'Neills,aud  continued 
in  their  possession  down  to  the  year  1607.  The 
O'Neill  Castle  stood  upon  a  hill  crowning  the 
town,  but  was  destroyed  by  Gerald,  ninth  earl 
of  Kildare,  and  scarce  a  trace  of  it  left  remain- 
ing. From  the  warlike  tendencies  of  this  noble 
race  it  was  exposed  to  the  constant  vicissitudes 
of  war.  There  Shane,  or  John  the  Proud,  held 
sway  for  years,  and  was  virtually  ruler  of  Ulster. 


until  his  treacherous  assassination  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  English  lord  deputy ;  and  this  his- 
toric locality  was  the  scene  of  many  of  the  ex- 
ploits of  Hugh  O'Neil,  and  Sir  Phelim  the  leader 
of  the  great  insurrection  of  1041.  In  the  parish 
church  of  Dungannon  also  the  delegates  of  the 
Irish  volunteers  of  1782  met  and  issued  their 
declaration  that  only  the  king,  lords  and  com- 
mons of  Ireland  possessed  the  right  to  make  laws 
for  Ireland, 


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WATERFORD. 


NAME.— "Waterford,"  the  name  of  the  city 
(which  was  extended  to  the  county),  is  Danish; 
the  old  form  is  Vadre-fiord.  The  old  Gaelic 
name,  which  is  still  in  common  use,  is  Port- 
larga. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
the  western  point  near  Macollop  to  Cheek  Point, 
50|  miles ;  breadth  from  Clonmel  to  the  point  at 
Ballynacourty,  east  of  Duugarvan  Harbor,  20 
miles ;  breadth  from  Kuockmealdown  to  the 
southern  point  east  of  Youghal  Harbor,  22| 
miles;  area,  721  square  miles;  population 
112,768. 

SURFACE. — A  broad  district,  extending  east 
and  west,  from  near  Portlaw  in  the  east  to 
Macollop  in  the  west,  is  almost  uninterruptedly 
mountainous;  in  the  middle  this  mountain 
region  stretches  across  almost  the  entire  county 
from  Clonmel  to  Dungarvan.  That  large  part  of 
the  county  Ij-ing  south  and  east  of  this  highland 
tract  is  a  mixture  of  "gentle  hills  and  dales. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— On  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  western  projection  of  the 
county,  the  Knockmealdown  Mountains  run 
east  and  west  between  Tipperary  and  Waterford. 
The  highest  summit  in  the  whole  range,  Knock- 
mealdown Mountain  (2,609),  lies  on  the  boun- 
dary. Under  the  summit  of  this  mountain,  on 
the  west  side,  the  range  is  crossed  by  a  high 
pass  through  which  runs  the  mail-coach  road 
from  Lismore  to  Clogheen,  one  of  the  grandest 
mountain  roads  in  Ireland.  Immediately  south 
of  Clonmel  begin  the  Comeragh  Mountains,  ex- 
tending south-southeast ;  the  southwest  part  of 
the  group  is  commonly  called  the  Monavullagh 
Mountains.  KnockanafErin  (2,478)  lies  6  miles 
southeast  of  Clonmel ;  four  miles  southwest  from 
Coumshingaun  is  Seefin  (2,387). 

In  the  south  the  Drum  Hills  (993)  run  east- 
southeast  chiefly  through  the  barony  of  the 
Decies-Without-Drum. 

COAST  LINE.  — Generally  speaking,  the  coast 
of  Waterford  is  rocky,  inhospitable,  and  danger- 
ous.   Several  sandy  bays  and  stretches  of  sandy 


coast  interrupt  the  rocky  margin ;  but  the  coast 
is,  on  the  whole,  not  much  indented  by  bays  and 
harbors. 

HEADLANDS.— Cheek  Point  stands  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Barrow  and  Suir;  south  of 
which  is  Creaden  Head,  projecting  eastward  into 
Waterford  Harbor.  Swine's  Head  stands  oppo- 
site Hood  Head  on  the  Wexford  side,  both  mark- 
ing the  entrance  of  Waterford  Harbor.  Browns- 
town  Head  and  Great  Newtown  Head  are  at 
opposite  sides  of  the  entrance  to  Tramore  Bay ; 
and  in  the  bay  itself  is  Slate  Point,  a  long  sandy 
projection  dividing  the  outer  from  the  inner 
strand.  West  of  this  is  Dunabrattin  Head,  near 
Knockmahon.  Ballyvoyle  Head,  toward  Dun- 
garvan Harbor,  is  a  cliff  243  feet  high ;  and 
Helvick  Head,  at  the  south  side  of  the  entrance 
of  Dungarvan  Harbor,  is  231  feet  high.  South 
of  this  is  Mine  Head;  and  at  the  south  side  of 
Ardmore  Harbor  are  Ardmore  Head  and  Earn 
Head. 

ISLANDS. — Little  Island,  nearly  a  mile  in 
length  and  breadth,  lies  in  the  Suir  below  Water- 
ford. Sheep  Island,  Burke's  Island,  and  Green 
Island,  west  of  Tramore,  are  mere  sea  rocks. 

BAYS  AND  HAEBOES.— Waterford  Harbor 
separates  Waterford  from  Wexford.  Off  this  is 
Dunmore  Bay,  with  cliffs  pierced  by  numerous 
caves.  A  little  to  the  west  of  Waterford  Har- 
bor is  Tramore  Bay,  with  its  extensive  sandy 
beach.  Bunmahon  Bay  is  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Mahon  Eiver.  Dungarvan  Harbor  has  also  a 
very  extensive  area  of  sandy  strand.  Ardmore 
Bay  lies  outside  the  village  of  Ardmore ;  west  of 
which  is  Whiting  Bay.  Lastly,  Youghal  Har- 
bor, which  separates  Waterford  from  Cork,  is 
the  estuary  of  the  Blackwater  Eiver. 

RIVERS.— The  Blackwater  first  touches 
AVaterford  beside  Kilmurry  (in  Cork) ;  then 
separates  this  countj'  from  Cork  for  two  miles; 
next  flows  through  Waterford,  as  far  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Tourig  River,  14  miles;  and  from 
that  to  the  mouth,  3  miles  more,  it  separates 
Cork  from  Waterford.    From  the  place  where  it 


WATERFORD. 


enters  AYaterford  clown  to  Yougbal  it  exhibits  a 
continuous  succession  ot  the  finest  river  scenes 
in  Ireland. 

The  following  are  the  tributaries  of  the  Black- 
water,  belonging  wholly  or  partly  to  AYaterford  : 
On  the  right  bank ;  south  of  Lismore,  the 
Owbeg,  the  Bride  (rising  in  Cork),  the  Glen- 
dine,  and  the  Tourig  (rising  in  Cork).  On  the 
left  bank;  the  Gleniuore,  the  Oweunashad,  and 
the  Gleushelane  River,  come  southward  from  the 
Knockmealdown  Mountain;  the  Fiuisk  joins  at 
Affane,  drawing  some  of  its  headwaters  from 
Tipperary;  a  little  south  of  this  is  the  Goish  ; 
and  further  south  still  is  the  Lickey,  which  flows 
from  the  Drum  Hills. 

The  Suir  first  touches  Waterford  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Nier ;  and  from  that  point  to  its  mouth 
bounds  the  county,  except  for  4  miles  at  Water- ' 
ford  citj',  w'here  a  single  parish  of  Waterford 
county  lies  at  the  north  side  of  the  river.  The 
Waterford  tributaries  of  the  Suir  are  the  follow- 
ing. The  Nier  flows  west  through  the  fine  vallej' 
of  Glenahiry,  and  joins  the  Suir  at  Ballymakee. 
A  little  north  of  this  is  the  Russellstown  River. 

The  Glasha  flows  north  through  the  pretty 
Glenpatrick,  and  joins  nearly  opposite  Kilshee- 
lan.  The  Clodiagh  rises  chiefly  in  Knocka- 
uaiirin,  and  falls  into  the  Suir  1|  mile  below 
Portlaw ;  one  of  its  early  feeders,  the  Ire,  rises 
near  Coumshingaun,  within  2  miles  of  the 
source  of  the  Nier. 

A  number  of  small  rivers  flow  southward  into 
the  ocean.  The  Woodstown  River  is  a  little 
west  of  Tramore.  The  Mahon  River  rises  jiear 
the  sources  of  the  Nier  and  the  Ire,  and  falls 
into  the  sea  at  Buumahon.  The  Tay  rises  near 
the  sources  of  Nier,  the  Ire,  and  the  Mahon,  and 
falls  into  the  sea  near  Stradbally.  The  Dalligan 
is  west  of  Ballyvojdo  Head.  The  CoUigan  enters 
the  sea  at  Duugarvan ;  one  of  its  early  tribu- 
taries, the  Araghlin  rises  in  Seefin  Mountain. 
The  Brickey  falls  into  Diingarvan  Harbor. 

LAKES. — Bally  Lough,  about  half  a  mile 
long,  lies  between  Waterford  Harbor  and  Tra- 
more Bay;  Ballyscanlan  Lake,  near  Tramore,  is 
still  smaller.  The  lakes  of  the  Comeraghs  are  all 
small,  but  some  are  very  remarkable.  Coum- 
shingaun, one  of  the  grandest  mountain  lakes  in 
Ireland,  is  nearly  half  a  mile  in  length,  lies  in  a 
tremendous  chasm  on  the  side  of  the  highest 


part  of  the  Comeraghs,  with  a  wall  of  rock  rising 
over  it  at  one  side,  more  than  1,000  feet  high. 
Near  it  are  Crotty's  Lough,  the  two  Comeragh 
Loughs,  and  the  two  Coumstilloge  Loughs; 
Coumduala  Lough  is  on  the  side  of  Knockanaffrin. 

TOWNS.— Waterford  (22,457),  on  the  Suir, 
noted  for  its  splendid  quay.  The  other  towns 
on  the  Suir  and  its  ti'ibutaries  are  as  follows :  A 
portion  of  Clonmel,  containing  52  inhabitants, 
lies  on  the  Waterford  side  of  the  river.  Carrick- 
beg  (1,166)  is  the  Waterford  suburb  of  Carrick- 
on-Suir.  Passag.e  (688),  or  Passage  East,  is  in 
a  pretty  situation  on  the  shore,  where  Waterford 
Harbor  begins  to  open  out  with  a  ferry  across 
the  broad  river.  Lower  down  stands  the  village 
of  Dunmore  (345),  on  a  lovely  little  bay,  a  grow- 
ing watering  place.  Below  Carrick-on-Suir,  on 
the  Clodiagh  River,  is  Portlaw  (1,891),  noted 
for  its  cotton  factories,  but  now  less  prosperous 
than  formerly. 

The  following  towns  are  on  the  Blackwater. 
Lismore  (1,860),  situated  in  the  midst  of  splen- 
did and  beautiful  scenery,  with  Lismore  Castle 
beside  it,  on  the  top  of  a  cliff  over  the  Black- 
water.  The  town  dates  its  origin  from  a  monas- 
tery founded  there  in  the  6th  century  by  St. 
Carthach ;  and  it  became  one  of  Ireland's  most 
celebrated  religious  centers.  Cappoquin  (1,555) 
stands  at  the  angle  where  the  Blackwater  turns 
south,  and  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  base  of 
the  Knockmealdown  Mountains.  On  the  slope 
of  the  mountain  over  the  town  stands  the  Trap- 
pist  monastery  of  Mount  Melleray.  Near  the 
Bride,  6  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Black- 
water,  is  Tallow  (1,232). 

The  following  towns  are  on  the  southern  coast. 
Duugarvan  (6,306),  on  Dungarvan  Bay,  is  the 
second  town  of  the  county ;  situated  on  a  point 
of  land  jutting  out  into  the  bay  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  Colligau;  chief  business,  fishery. 
Tramore  (2,036),  on  Tramore  Bay,  is  the  best 
known  bathing  place  on  the  coast  between  Bray 
and  Youghal. 

Kilniacthomas  (585),  is  inland ;  situated  on 
the  sloping  sides  of  a  deep  glen  through  which 
flows  the  river  Mahon. 

MINERALS. — The  copper  mines  of  Knockma- 
hon,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Mahon,  were  long 
successfully  worked,  and  were  ver3'  productive; 
but  the  works  have  lately  been  discontinued. 


WATERFORD. 


ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— Waterford  formed  a  part  of  the  ancient 
sub-kingdom  of  Ormond.  The  country  of  the 
southern  Desi   anciently  included   nearlj'  the 


whole  county  of  Waterford,  as  it  extended  from 
Lismore  to  Creadan  Head,  and  from  the  Suir 
southward  to  the  sea;  its  name  is  now  preserved 
by  the  two  baronies  of  Decies  (see  Meath). 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


CURRAGHMORE.— This  manificent  demesne, 
situated  in  the  midst  of  woody  scenes,  and  wild 
and  varied  prospects  forming  delightful  combi- 
nations, embraces  nearly  five  thousand  acres  of 
ground,  and  is  the  seat  of  the  Poers,  or  Beres- 
fords,  marquises  of  Waterford.  The  mansion  is 
of  comparatively  modern  date  being  erected  in 
1700  on  the  site  of  an  ancient  castle  of  which 
some  portions  still  remain.  The  characteristic  of 
Curraghmoi'e,  says  Rev.  Mr.  Ryland,  in  his  his- 
tory of  the  county,  is  grandeur ;  not  that  arising 
from  the  costly  and  laborious  exertions  of  man, 
but  rather  the  magnificence  of  nature.  The 
beauty  of  the  situation  consists  in  the  lofty  hills, 
rich  vales  and  almost  impenetrable  woods,  which 
deceive  the  eye,  and  give  the  idea  of  almost 
boundless  magnitude.  The  variety  of  the  scenery 
is  calculated  to  please  in  the  highest  degree, 
and  to  gratify  every  taste;  from  the  lofty  moun- 
tain to  the  quiet  and  sequestered  walk  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  every  gradation  of  rural 
beauty  may  be  enjoyed. 

LISMORE     CASTLE.— Lismore— "the  great 


fort" — was  one  of  the  most  noted  seats  of  learning 
in  Ireland,  when  the  island  was  the  great  school 
for  all  Europe.  Over  4,000  students  thronged 
its  halls,  among  whom,  it  is  stated,  was  Alfred 
the  Great.  The  principal  feature  of  the  place 
to-day  is  the  castle,  which  stands  on  the  site  of  a 
famous  university.  It  owes  its  origin  to  Henry 
II.,  who  visited  Lismore  when  in  Ireland,  and 
was  impressed  with  the  strategic  value  of  the 
spot.  The  structure  was  erected  by  his  son 
King  John,  in  1185.  Four  years  later  it  was 
captured  and  destroyed  by  the  Irish,  who  slew 
the  garrison,  but  was  subsequently  rebuilt.  It 
has  been  the  scene  of  many  historic  events.  At 
the  eastern  end  is  the  tower  of  King  James,  so 
called  from  James  II.  having  rested  there  during 
the  War  of  the  Revolution;  and  to  the  rear  that 
of  King  John,  which  derives  its  name  from 
being  the  scene  of  the  first  English  Parliament 
held  in  Ireland  under  his  presidency.  The  cas- 
tle stands  on  the  bank  of  the  beautiful  Black- 
water,  and  is  at  present  owned  by  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire. 


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WESTMEATH. 


NAME.— See  Meath. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION  —Length  from 
Athlone  to  the  boundary  point  southeast  of  Clon- 
mellon,  miles ;  breadth  from  Finnea  to  Kin- 
negad,  26  miles;  breadth  from  the  river  Inny, 
near  Ballynacarrigy,  to  the  boundary  near 
Rahugh,  21  miles;  area,  708^  square  miles;  popu- 
lation 71,798. 

SURFACE. — Westmeath  contains  no  moun- 
tains. There  are  a  number  of  low  hills  in  the 
barony  of  Fore,  from  500  to  849  feet  high,  and  a 
few  in  the  adjoining  baronies  of  Corkaree  and 
Farbill.  The  rest  of  the  county- — ^that  is,  nearly 
the  whole  area — ^is  level,  broken  here  and  there 
by  low  swells  and  sandridges  or  eskers,  but  in 
general  very  flat,  with  a  good  deal  of  bog,  espe- 
cially in  the  south  and  east.  But  though  level, 
Westmeath  is  generally  very  pretty,  abounding 
in  lovely  quiet  landscapes. 

RIVERS. — The  Inny,  issuing  from  Lough 
Sheelin  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  county, 
forms  the  boundary  between  Westmeath  and 
Cavau,  during  its  short  run  of  a  mile  by  the  vil- 
lage of  Finnea,  from  Lough  Sheelin  to  Lough 
Kinale.  Issuing  from  Lough  Kiuale,  it  flows 
southward,  forming  the  boundary  between  West- 
meath and  Longford  for  6  miles,  and  then  enters 
Westmeath  beside  Camagh  Bridge ;  it  continues 
its  southern  course  to  Lough  Derravaragh,  which 
it  enters  at  its  northwestern  end ;  then  flows  out 
from  the  long  western  corner  of  the  lake,  and 
runs  southwest  into  Lough  Iron ;  issuing  from 
which  at  the  northwest  corner,  it  runs  west- 
wardly,  forms  for  5  miles  the  boundary  between 
Westmeath  and  Longford,  and  then  enters  Long- 
ford ;  having  again  run  on  the  boundary  of  West- 
meath and  Longford  for  a  mile,  it  finally  enters 
Longford,  and  ends  its  course  in  the  northeast- 
ern angle  of  Lough  Ree. 

The  following  are  the  Westmeath  tributaries 
of  the  Inny.  The  Glore  rises  in  Lough  Glore, 
near  Castlepollard,  and  flows  northwest;  the 
Gaine  flows  from  Lough  Drin  and  Brittas  Lake, 
seat  of  Lough  Owel,  and  enters  the  western  arm 
of  Lough  Derravaragh;  the  Riffey  comes  fromi 


Longford,  flows  southeast,  and  joins  the  Inny 
halfway  between  Lough  Derravaragh  and  Lough 
Iron;  the  Black  River  comes  from  Longford, 
flows  parallel  to  the  Riffey,  and  enters  Lough 
Iron;  the  Rath  River  rises  near  the  Hill  of 
Ushnagh  and  flowing  northwest,  enters  Long- 
ford; the  Tang  runs  on  the  boundary  of  West- 
meath and  Longford  for  3  miles,  and  then  joins 
the  Inny,  just  where  the  later  touches  West- 
meath for  the  last  time ;  the  chief  headwater  of 
the  Tang  is  the  Dungolmau  River. 

In  the  southwest  of  the  county,  the  Breensford 
River  runs  westward  from  Twy  Lough  to  Killi- 
nure  Lough;  and  the  Boor  River  runs  west  from 
near  Moate,  and  joins  the  Shannon  at  the  bound- 
ary of  Westmeath  and  Kings  Countj'. 

The  Brosna  rises  near  Mullingar,  flows  south- 
westward  through  the  town,  and  enters  Lough 
Ennell ;  issuing  from  which  at  the  southern  end, 
it  flows  southwestward  through  Kilbeggan,  a 
little  below  which  it  forms  the  boundary  between 
Westmeath  and  Kings  County;  then  crosses  a 
corner  of  Westmeath,  and  enters  Kings  County 
beside  Lismoyny.  The  Monaghanstown  River 
flows  southeast  and  enters  Lough  Ennell  near 
where  the  Brosna  issues  from  it.  West  of  this 
the  Gageborough  River  draws  its  headwaters 
from  Westmeath,  and  enters  Kings  County  at 
Horseleap  to  join  the  Brosna. 

All  the  rivers  of  the  east  and  southeast  flow  to 
the  Boyne.  These  are  as  follows :  The  Stones- 
town  River  draws  some  of  its  headwaters  from 
Meath,  near  Clonmellon,  flows  across  the  north- 
east corner  of  Westmeath,  and  again  enters 
Meath;  the  Dale  flows  southeastward,  and  form- 
ing for  a  short  distance  the  boundary  between 
Meath  and  Westmeath  a  little  east  of  Killucan, 
finally  enters  Meath;  the  Kinnegad  River  flows 
by  Kinnegad,  running  on  the  boundary  between 
Meath  and  Westmeath,  and  then  enters  Meath ; 
southwest  of  which,  the  Milltown  River  rises  in 
the  barony  of  Fartullagh,  and  leaves  Westmeath 
to  join  the  Yellow  River  before  its  confluence 
with  the  Boyne. 

Thus  the  eastern  edge  of  the  countj-  belongs 


WESTMEATH. 


to  the  basin  of  the  Boyne,  and  all  the  rest  to  the 
basin  of  the  Shannon. 

LAKES. — "SYestmeath  is  remarkable  for  its 
fine  lakes.  Lough  Eee  lies  on  the  western  border, 
of  which  Lough  Killinure  and  Coosan  Lake, 
which  lie  wholly  in  "Westmeatb,  are  only  branches. 

Lough  Shelieu  and  Lough  Kinale  on  the 
northern  border  belong  chiefly  to  other  counties, 
the  tirst  to  Cavau,  and  the  second  to  Longford. 
Near  these  on  the  east,  in  the  barony  of  Kil- 
kennj-*  "West,  are  the  small  lakes  of  Doouis,  Cree- 
gau,  Makeegan,  "Waterstowu,  Robin's  Lake,  and 
Twy  Lough.  Glen  Lough,  in  the  northwest, 
lies  on  the  boundary  with  Longford.  The  three 
small  lakes.  Lough  Naneagh,  White  Lough  and 
Lough  Bane,  in  the  northeast,  are  on  the  bound- 
ary with  Meath. 

Lough  Enuell  or  Belvidere  Lake,  southwest  of 
MuUingar,  is  5  miles  long  and  2  miles  broad. 
Lough  Owel,  northwest  of  Mullingar  is  4  miles 
long  and  2  miles  broad.  Lake  Derravaragh 
north  of  Lough  Owel,  is  9  miles  long,  and  very 
narrow  except  at  the  northwest  end,  where  it 
widens  to  3  miles;  at  the  southeast  end,  the 
prettj'  hill  of  Kuockeyon  rises  direct^'  over  the 
lake  to  a  height  of  707  feet.  Lough  Iron,  north- 
west of  Lough  Owel,  is  2|  miles  long  and  less 
than  half  a  mile  broad;  a  little  north  of  which  is 
the  small  Lough  Garr.  Two  or  three  miles 
northeast  of  Mullingar  is  a  group  of  small 
lakes.  Lough  Drin,  Brittas  Lough,  Slevius  Lake 
and  Lough  Sheever. 

ISLANDS.— The  following  Islands  of  Lough 
Eee  belong  to  "Westmeath  ;  on  most  of  them  there 
are  church  ruins.  Incbmore;  Nuns  Island; 
Inishturk;  Leveret  Island;  Hare  Island  in  the 
south,  on  which  St.  Kieran  erected  a  church  be- 
fore he  founded  Clonmacnoise,  and  which  now 
contains  the  ruin  of  a  church  dedicated  to  him; 
and  luchbofin,  on  which  St.  Kioc  erected  a 
church  in  the  6th  century,  and  which  still  con- 
tains some  ecclesiastical  ruins.  In  Lough  Ennel 
is  Great  Island,  and  near  it  Croincha  or  Cormo- 
rant Island,  on  which  Malachy,  king  of  Ireland, 
died  in  1022.  In  Lough  Owel  is  Church  Island, 
on  which  is  the  ruin  of  a  church. 

TOWNS.^ — ^Mulliiigar  (4,787),  the  assize  town, 
stands  on  the  Brosna  near  its  source,  in  the 
center  of  the  countj',  and  nearly  midway  be- 
tween Loughs  Ennel  and  Owel.    Lower  down  on 


the  Brosna,  in  the  extreme  south  of  the  county, 
is  Kilbeggan  (1,033).  Athlone  (6,755  of  whom 
3,683  are  in  that  part  of  the  town  belonging  to 
Roscommon),  built  on  both  sides  of  the  Shannon 
a  little  below  where  it  issues  from  Lough  Ree,  is 
the  most  considerable  town  between  Dublin  and 
Galway,  and  was  always  an  important  place  on 
account  of  commanding  a  pass  on  the  Shannon. 
In  this  southwestern  division  of  the  county,  near 
the  boundary  with  Kings  County,  is  Moate  or 
Moate-Granoge  (1,462),  beside  which  is  the  great 
Moat,  an  ancient  fortified  dun,  which  gave  name 
to  the  town.  In  the  north  of  the  county,  near 
Lough  Lene,  is  Castlepollard  (852);  and  beside 
the  southeast  boundary  is  Kinnegad  (424).  In 
the  northeast  is  the  village  of  Delvin  (276),  which 
retains  the  name  of  a  very  ancient  territory; 
near  which,  beside  the  boundary  with  Meath,  is 
Clonmellon  (456). 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  western  half  of  the  county  consti- 
tute the  ancient  district  of  South  Teffia,  sepa- 
rated from  North  Tefiia  (see  Longford)  by  the 
river  Inuy.  The  ancient  district  of  Kineleagh, 
possessed  by  the  family  of  MacGeoghegan,  in- 
cluded a  portion  of  the  south  of  Westmeath, 
nearly  coincident  with  the  present  barony  of 
Moycashel.  The  barony  of  Kilkenny  West  is 
coextensive  with  the  old  district  of  Curcne. 
One  of  the  ancient  districts  called  Delvin,  viz., 
Delvin-more  or  the  Great  Delvin,  was  in  West- 
meath, and  is  still  represented  by  the  present 
barony  of  Delvin  in  the  east  of  the  county. 
The  baronies  of  Farbill,  Corkaree  Moygoish,  and 
Brawney,  also  retain  the  names  of  old  historic 
districts. 

The  Hill  of  Ushnagh,  bet-ween  the  village  of 
Ballymore  and  Lough  Ennel,  was  constituted  a 
royal  residence  by  Tuathal  the  Acceptable,  king 
of  Ireland  in  the  first  century,  who  erected  a 
palace  on  it.  He  also  instituted  a  yearly  meet- 
ing to  be  held  on  the  hill  on  the  first  of  May  and 
the  succeeding  days,  at  which  games  were  cele- 
brated and  various  pagan  rites  were  performed. 
Before  this  king's  time  the  five  provinces  of  Ire- 
land met  at  the  Hill  of  Ushnagh,  and  the  point 
of  meeting  was  marked  by  a  stone  called  Aill-na- 
Mirenn,  or  the  stone  of  the  divisions;  this  stone 
still  remains  on  the  hill,  and  is  now  called  Cat- 
Ushnagh. 


COUNTY  OF 

WEXFORD 


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WEXFORD. 


NAME.— The  name  Wexford  is  Danish;  the 
old  form  is  Weis-tiord.  The  Gaelic  name  is 
Loch-Garman. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
Hook  Head  to  the  boundary  near  Coolgreany, 
55  miles;  breadth  from  New  Koss  to  Carnsore 
Point.,  29  miles ;  breadth  from  Mt.  Leinster  to  the 
coast  near  Blackwater,  23 miles;  area,  901  square 
miles;  population,  123,854. 

SURFACE. — The  northwest  margin  has  a 
grand  mountain  fringe.  On  the  northern  fron- 
tier, the  Wicklow  Mountains  subsiding  toward 
the  south,  send  spurs  and  offshoots  into  Wexford. 
A  series  of  high  lands  begin  a  little  southeast  of 
New  Ross  in  the  west,  and  run  northeast  toward 
Enniscorthy.  A  district  running  from  Croghan 
Kiusella  toward  the  southwest  to  Slieveboy  iti  all 
hilly.  The  southeast  angle  of  the  county, 
namely,  the  two  baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy, 
terminating  in  Carnsore  Point,  is  a  dead  level, 
guarded  on  the  northwest  by  a  small  mountain 
knot.  The  rest  of  the  county,  constituting  far 
the  greater  part,  is  a  plain,  diversified  by  ridges 
and  isolated  hills. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— Between  Wex- 
ford and  Carlow  run  the  ranges  of  Mount  Lein- 
ster (2,610)  and  Blackstairs  (2,409),  separated  by 
Scullogue  Gap,  which  have  been  described  in 
Carlow.  Black  Rock  Mountain  (1,972),  2  miles 
east  of  Mount  Leinster,  lies  wholly  in  Wexford. 
In  the  north  the  conspicuous  .Croghan  Kin  sella 
(1,987)  lies  on  the  boundary  with  Wicklow. 
Southwest  of  this  is  Annagh  Hill  (1,498) ;  and 
still  further  southwest  Slieveboy  (1,385) — Smiles 
north  of  Ferns — is  the  terminating  spur  of  these 
hills.  Tara  Hill  (826),  which  stands  quite  de- 
tached near  the  coast  3  miles  northeast  of  Gorey, 
is  very  conspicuous,  and  commands  a  fine  view. 
Forth  Mountain  (776),  a  long  ridgy  hill  begin- 
ning 2  miles  from  Wexford,  and  extending  about 
4  miles  toward  the  southwest,  is  a  sort  of  barrier 
separating  the  two  level  baronies  of  Forth  and 
Bargy  from  the  rest  of  the  county. 

COAST  LINE.— The  coast  is  low,  and  for  the 


n)ost  part  sandy,  interrupted  in  a  few  places  by 
fringes  of  rock;  it  is  unbroken  from  Kilmichael 
Point  to  the  Raven  Point;  but  from  this  to 
Waterford  Harbor  it  is  much  indented  by  inlets. 

HEADLANDS.— Kilmichael  Point  in  the 
north — only  slightly  projecting — marks  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Wexford  coast.  Roney  Point, 
Glascarrig  Point,  and  Cahore  Point  can  hardly 
be  called  headlands.  The  Raven  Point  and 
Rosslare  Point,  which  stand  at  opposite  sides  of 
the  entrance  to  Wexford  Harbor,  are  at  the  ex- 
tremities of  two  long  sandy  peninsulas.  Gree- 
nore  Point  is  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
open  Bay  of  Wexford ;  and  Carnsore  Point  marks 
the  sudden  and  final  turn  of  the  coast  to  the 
west.  West  of  this  is  Crossfarnoge  or  Forlorn 
Point.  Clammers  Point,  scarped  and  rockj',  but 
low,  and  Baginbun  Head,  are  at  the  opposite 
sides  of  the  entrance  of  Bannow  Bay.  Hook 
Head  is  the  end  of  the  long,  rock -fringed  penin- 
sula of  Hook,  which  defines  Waterford  Harbor 
on  the  east;  at  the  point  is  the  ancient  Tower  of 
Hook,  now  converted  into  a  lighthouse. 

ISLANDS. — In  Lady's  Island  Baj',  near  Carn- 
sore Point,  are  the  two  little  islets,  luish  and 
Lady's  Island,  the  latter  containing  the  ruins  of 
a  castle  built  by  one  of  the  Anglo-Norman  adven- 
turers. In  Tacumshin  inlet,  west  of  this,  is  the 
low  sandy  islet  of  Sigginstown.  Immediately 
south  of  Crossfarnoge  Point  are  the  Saltee 
Islands,  consisting  of  Great  Saltee,  a  little  more 
than  a  mile  in  length,  and  the  Little  Saltee, 
three-quarters  of  a  mile.  In  Ballyteige  Bay  are 
the  Keeragh  Islands,  a  rocky  reef,  low  and  dan- 
gerous. Bannow  Island,  a  mile  in  length,  lies 
just  inside  the  entrance  of  Bannow  Bay;  on  the 
mainland  shore  oi)p()site  it  is  the  old  buried  town 
of  Bannow,  which  has  been  quite  covered  up  by 
the  sand  within  the  last  200  years.  Five  miles 
east-southeast  of  Greenore  Point  is  the  Tuskar 
Rock,  a  well-known  dangerous  reef,  the  scene  of 
many  shipwrecks,  now  marked  by  a  lighthouse. 

BAYS  AND  HARBORS.— Wexford  Harbor, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Slaney,  is  large  and  shel- 


WEXFORD. 


tered,  but  shallow  and  saudy.  Outside  this,  be- 
tweeu  Rossliire  Point  aud  Greeuore  Point,  is 
"NVexford  Baj'.  The  remaining  inlets  are  all  on 
the  south  coast.  Lady's  Island  Lake  aud  Tacum- 
shiu  Lake  lie  near  Carnsore  Point.  Ballyteige 
Bay  is  broad  and  open.  Bannow  Bay  east  of  the 
peninsula  of  Hook  is  long,  narrow,  and  saudj-. 
"Waterford  Harbor  separates  Wexford  from 
AVaterford. 

RIVERS.— The  Barrow  first  touches  Wexford 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Pollmounty  River ;  aud  the 
western  boundary  is  formed  first  by  this  river 
and  afterward  hy  the  united  waters  of  the  Bar- 
row, the  Suir,  and  the  Nore ;  the  whole  distauce 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Pollmouutj-  River  to  Hook 
Head  is  about  31  miles.  The  following  are  the 
Wexford  tributaries  of  the  Barrow  and  the  Suir. 
One  of  the  head  streams  of  the  Mountain  River 
(which  joins  the  Barrow  near  Borris,  in  Carlow) 
rises  in  Wexford,  aud  ruus  into  Carlow  through 
Scullogue  Gap  (where  it  is  called  the  Aughna- 
brisky).  A  little  further  south  the  Drummin 
River  rises  in  Wexford,  but  soon  enters  Carlow. 
The  Pollmounty  River  joins  the  Barrow  5  miles 
in  a  straight  line  above  New  Ross,  forming  for 
the  last  mile  of  its  course  the  boundary  between 
Wexford  and  Carlow. 

The  Slaney,  from  the  point  where  it  fii'st 
touches  Wexford  to  Newtownbarry,  a  distance  of 
3  miles,  separates  Carlow  from  Wexford ;  it 
enters  Wexford  at  Newtownbarry,  and  flows 
through  this  county  for  the  rest  of  its  course  to 
Wexford  Harbor.  The  following  are  the  tribu- 
taries of  the  Slaney  belonging  wholly  or  partly 
to  Wexford.  On  the  right  or  western  bank,  the 
Clody  rises  in  Mount  Leinster,  and  joins  the 
Slaney  at  Newtownbarry.  South  of  this  is  the 
Glasha,  flowing  from  Black  Rock  Mountain. 
The  Urrin  rises  on  the  east  slope  of  Mt.  Leins- 
ter, flows  southeast,  and  joins  half  a  mile  below 
Enniscorthy.  The  Boro  rises  in  Blackstairs 
Mountain,  and  falls  into  the  Slaney  2|  miles 
below  Enniscorthy ;  it  has  for  tributaries  the 
Miltown  Stream  on  the  left  bank,  and  the 
Aughnaglaur  on  the  right  bank.  On  the  right 
bank  the  Slaney  is  joined  by  the  Derry  River, 
which,  coming  from  Wicklow,  forms  the  boun- 
dary between  W^exford  and  Wicklow  for  the  last 
3  miles  of  its  course,  and  joins  2  miles  in  a 
straight  line  above  Newtownbarry.    The  Bann 


rises  in  the  southei'n  slopes  of  Croghan  Kinsella, 
flows  south-southwest,  and  joins  4  miles  above 
Enniscorthy ;  about  the  middle  of  its  course  it  is 
itself  joined  on  the  right  bank  by  the  Lask. 
The  Sow  rises  near  Ballaghkeen,  and  falls  into 
Wexford  Harbor. 

The  following  rivers  fall  into  the  sea.  In  the 
north  the  Clonough  River.  The  Owenavorragh 
rises  near  Oulart,  flows  northward,  and  then 
turning  east,  enters  the  sea  east  of  Gorey.  The 
OwendufE  and  the  Corock  run  southward  into 
the  head  of  Bannow  Bay. 

TOWNS.— Wexford  (12,163),  the  assize  town, 
on  the  shore  of  W^exford  Harbor,  was  the  first 
place  of  any  consequence  taken  by  the  Anglo- 
Normans  in  the  reign  of  Henry  II.  Enniscorthy 
(5,GG6)  is  situated  on  the  slope  of  a  steep  hill 
which  rises  over  the  Slaney;  in  the  town  is  the 
ruin  of  a  very  fine  Anglo-Norman  castle,  origin- 
ally built  by  Raymond  le  Gros,  and  also  some 
abbey  ruins.  Higher  up  on  the  Slaney  is  the 
pretty  little  town  of  Newtownbarry  (960),  situ- 
ated in  a  wooded  vallej'  traversed  by  the  river. 
On  the  western  side  of  the  county  is  New  Ross 
(6,670,  of  whom  295  are  in  that  part  of  the 
town  belonging  to  Kilkenny),  in  a  beautiful 
situation  on  the  Barrow ;  it  is  the  second  town 
of  the  county,  and  has  considerable  trade  by  the 
Barrow.  The  village  of  Duncannon  (479)  is 
situated  on  the  shore  of  Waterford  Harbor;  and 
near  it,  on  a  rocky  headland  over  the  river,  is  a 
strong  military  fort  with  a  lighthouse.  In  the 
northeast  of  the  county,  three  miles  from  the  sea- 
shore, is  Gorey  (2,450).  Three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  the  shore  of  the  Bann  is  the  ancient 
episcopal  town  of  Ferns  (495),  which  derived 
its  origin  from  a  church  founded  there  in  the  6th 
century  by  the  celebrated  St.  Aidan,  or  Maidoc, 
its  first  bishop,  on  a  site  granted  to  him  by 
Branduif,  king  of  Leinster. 

MINERALS. — Copper  ore  is  found  at  Kerloge, 
a  little  south  of  the  town  of  Wexford;  and  lead 
ore  at  Caim,  northwest  of  Enniscorthj'.  Silver 
was  in  former  times  raised  at  Clonmines,  at  the 
head  of  Bannow  Bay,  and  the  ancient  mines  are 
still  to  be  seen. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  descendants  of  Enna  Kinsella, 
king  of  Leinster  in  the  4th  century,  were  called 
Hy  Kinsella,  and  gave   their  name  to  a  large 


WEXFORD. 


territory  in  Leinster,  which  included  a  great 
portion  of  Wexford;  the  name  of  this  old  dis- 
trict is  still  preserved  by  the  mountain  Croghan 
Kinsella.  The  southern  Hy  Felimy,  who  after 
the  10th   century   took  the   family   name  of 


O'Murcada  (now  Murphy),  were  seated  in  the 
present  barony  of  Ballaghkeen  (see  Carlow,  for 
the  northern  Hy  Felimy).  The  baronj-  of  Forth 
preserves  the  name  of  the  old  territory  of  Foth- 
arta,  for  wliich  see  Carlow. 


ILLTJSTE^TIO:iSrS, 


VINEGAR  HILL.— Overlooking  the  historic 
town  of  Enniscorthy  is  the  equally  historic  Vine- 
gar Hill,  an  elevation  about  400  feet  in  height. 
This  spot  is  chiefly  memorable  for  the  bloody 
conflicts  that  occurred  there  in  the  great  rebel- 
lion of  1798.  The  half-armed,  and.  poorly-led 
peasants  held  their  own  for  a  time  against  the 
fully  armed  20,000  troops  of  General  Lake,  but 
were  finally  overcome.  British  writers  attribute 
"atrocities"'  to  the  insurgents  during  the  time 
they  were  in  possession  of  Vinegar  Hill,  but  they 
neglect  to  state  that  any  acts  of  retaliation  that 
were  exercised  were  provoked  by  the  British 
soldiery,  who,  not  only  in  Wexford  but  else- 
where, gave  no  quarter;  and  perpetrated  on  non- 
combatants,  and  women  and  children,  cruelties 
and  infamies  from  which  even  Comauches  or 
Apaches  would  shrink.  Vinegar  Hill  will  al- 
ways remain  an  undying  monument  to  Irish 
valor  and  pati'iotism. 

ST.  PETER'S  CHAPEL  AND  COLLEGE. 
— Of    the    noteworthy   modern    buildings  of 


the  town  of  Wexford  the  most  prominent  are 
the  above  named,  which  present  an  imposing 
view  from  their  site  on  Summer  Hill.  The 
church  is  elegantly  finished  and  is  adorned  with 
beautiful  rose  windows,  and  the  college  occupies 
a  foremost  place  among  the  Catholic  institutions 
of  learning  ,  in  Ireland.  Wexford  is  a  place  of 
great  antiquity,  the  town  having  been  founded 
b3'  the  Danes  in  the  9th  century,  who  named  it 
Weisfiord  or  Washford  from  the  shallowness  of 
the  water  at  low  tide.  It  is  situated  on  the  river 
Slaney,  so  called  from  Slainge,  a  Firbolg  chief 
who  landed  there  about  1,300  years  before  the 
Christian  era.  The  town  has  xilayed  a  conspicu- 
ous part  in  Irish  history  from  the  landing  of  the 
Normans  in  the  12th  century  down  to  the  great 
Irish  Rebellion  of  1798.  Among  the  many 
memorable  incidents  of  its  history  is  the  brutal 
massacre  of  more  than  three  hundred  women  and 
children  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  in  the  market 
square  of  the  town  hy  the  Puritan  butcher, 
Cromwell. 


WICKLOW 


NAME. — The  old  form  of  the  name  is  Wykyn- 
glo  or  Wykinlo,  which  is  Dauish.  The  native 
Gaelic  name  is  Kilmantau,  the  church  of  St. 
Mantan,  one  of  St.  Patrick's  companions,  to 
whom  the  ancient  church  of  the  place  was 
dedicated. 

SIZE  AND  POPULATION.— Length  from 
Bray  to  the  southern  corner  near  ]3allingate 
House,  41  miles;  breadth  itom  Mizen  Head  to 
the  boundary  near  Duulavin,  31|  miles;  area, 
781|  square  miles;  population,  70,386. 

SUEFACE.— It  may  be  said  that  the  whole  of 
Wicklow  is  a  mass  of  mountains,  subsiding  into 
low  hills,  ridged  laud,  and  small  plains,  along 
the  seacoast  south  of  Bray  Head.  Wicklow 
contains  a  smaller  area  of  level  laud  than  any 
other  county  in  Ireland. 

MOUNTAINS  AND  HILLS.— The  Wicklow 
Mountains  do  not  run  in  chains,  but  are  thrown 
together  in  groups,  knots,  and  clusters;  or 
rather  the  whole  may  be  said  to  form  one.  great 
group;  and  in  many  places  the  mountain  masses 
are  intersected  in  a  very  remarkable  way  by  long 
ravines,  mostly  straight  with  very  abrupt  and 
often  precipitous  sides.  The  culminating  sum- 
mit of  the  whole  group  is  Lugnaquillia  (3,039), 
standing  a  little  to  the  southwest  of  the  center 
of  the  county,  a  great  flap-topped  mountain,  the 
highest  in  Leinster,  precipitous  on  some  of  its 
sides,  overlooking  the  Glen  of  Imaile  on  its 
western  side,  Glenmalur  on  the  northeast,  and 
the  Glen  of  Aghavannagh  on  the  south.  One 
mile  southwest  of  Lugnaquillia  is  Slievemaan 
(2,498),  beside  which,  a  mile  to  the  south,  is 
Lybagh  (2,053).  Four  miles  west  of  these  is 
the  fine  detached  mountain  of  Keadeen  (2,145), 
separated  from  the  preceding  by  Ballinabarny 
Gap. 

The  following  mountains  are  on  or  near  the 
north  margin.  Kippure  (2,473),  on  the  boun- 
dary of  Dublin  and  W'icklow,  overlooking  Glen- 
nasmoleon  the  north  or  Dublin  side,  Glencree  on 
the  east,  and  the  valley  of  the  infant  Liffey  on 
the  west.    On  the  boundary  also  are  Seelingan 


(2,364),  northwest  of  Kippure  (but  its  summit  is 
in  Wicklow),  and  east  of  Kippure  Prince  Will- 
iam's Seat  (1,825),  standing  on  the  north  side  of 
Glencree.  Along  the  south  side  of  Glencree  are 
Tondulf  North  (2,045)  andTonduff  South  (2,107), 
near  each  other,  and  Maulin  (1,869).  On  the 
south  side  of  these  again  winds  the  long  valley 
of  the  Dargle  Eiver;  this  valley  has  on  its 
south  side  these  remarkable  mountains:  War 
Hill  (2,250);  Douce  (2,384),  with  a  great  earn 
on  its  summit,  overtopping  all  the  mountains 
round  it;  Long  Hill  (1,073);  Great  Sugar  Loaf 
(1,659),  a  beautiful  detached  cone  command- 
ing from  its  summit  a  landscape  of  surpassing 
loveliness,  including  Bray  and  the  beautiful  line 
of  coast  toward  Dublin ;  beside  it  Little  Sugar 
Loaf  (1,12C).  The  last  spur  of  this  series  is  Bray 
Head  (793),  hanging  directly  over  the  sea.  The 
road  running  between  the  two  Sugar  Loaf 
Mountains  traverses,  about  a  mile  further  south, 
the  Glen  of  the  Downs,  a  deep  delile,  quite 
straight  and  a  mile  in  length,  with  its  sid'js  * 
luxuriantly  wooded. 

In  the  northwest  of  the  county  the  road  from 
Dublin  to  Blessington  and  Baltinglass  traverses 
a  long  valley,  overtopped  on  its  southeast  side 
by  a  number  of  lofty  mountains.  Beginning  at 
the  north :  Butter  Mountain  (1,469)  stands  near 
the  Dublin  boundary ;  and  near  it  on  the  west  is 
Dowry  (1,060).  Further  south  are  Sorrel  Hill 
(1,975)  and  Bulbaun  (1,190).  Southeast  of  these 
are  three  great  mountains  in  a  line,  forming  the 
highest  part  of  the  separating  ridge  between  the 
basins  of  the  Liffey  and  the  Avoca;  Gravale 
(2,352),  Duff  Hill  (2,364),  and  Mullaghcleevaun 
(2,783),  the  loftiest  of  all  the  mountains  in  this 
district.  A  little  west  of  Mullaghcleevaun  is 
Moanbane  (2,313) ;  and  further  west  Slievecorragh 
(1,379)  stands  over  the  village  of  Holywood;  a 
little  south  of  which  is  Slieve  Gadoe  or  Church 
Mountain  (1,791),  the  western  spur  of  the  ridge 
that  separates  the  basin  of  the  Kings  River  and 
the  Lilfey  from  the  basin  of  the  Slaney. 

Over  Glendalough,  in  the  center  of  the  county. 


WICKLOW. 


is  Lugduff,  towering  over  the  Upper  Lake,  Mul- 
lacor  (2,176) — (this  hitter  midway  between 
Glendalough  and  Gleumalur) — and  Derrybawn 
(1,567),  all  three  south  of  the  glen;  and  to  the 
east  is  Trooperstowu  Hill  (1,408),  standing 
neiirly  detached.  North  of  the  glen  is  Cama- 
derry  (2,296);  and  2  miles  north  from  this  is 
Tonlegee  (2,684).  The  road  running  westward 
from  the  valley  of  Glendasan  to  the  valley  of  the 
Kings  River  attains  its  summit  level  (1,569  feet) 
midway  between  these  two  mountains;  this  re- 
markable mountain  pass  is  called  Wicklow  Gap. 
In  the  south  of  the  county,  Croghan  Kinsella 
(1,987)  stands  on  the  boundary  between  Wick- 
low and  Wexford. 

COAST  LINE :  HEADLANDS :  BAYS  -AND 
HARBORS.— Except  at  Bray  Head  and  Wicklow 
Head  the  whole  coast  is  low,  with  a  fine  sandy 
strand  the  whole  way,  occasionally  interrupted 
b3'  a  low  projecting  spur  of  rock.  It  is  a  most 
inhospitable  coast,  containing  no  harbor  where 
vessels  might  shelter,  except  those  of  Wicklow 
and  Arklow,  which  can  scarcely  be  called  harbors 
at  all ;  what  is  called  Brittas  Bay  lies  north  of 
Mizen  Head.  At  Wicklow  there  is  a  long  narrow 
shallow  inlet  called  Broad  Lough,  separated 
from  the  open  sea  by  the  long  grassy  spit  of 
land  called  the  Murrow ;  but  it  is  useless  for 
navigation.  Bray  Head  is  a  fine  rocky  promon- 
tory rising  straight  from  the  sea  to  a  height  of 
793  feet;  and  Wicklow  Head,  another  rocky  pro- 
jection, is  268  feet  high.  Mizen  Head,  rocky 
but  low,  lies  south  of  this. 

RIVERS.— The  Avoca,  falling  into  the  sea  at 
Arklow,  drains  most  of  the  middle  and  east  of 
the  count.y,  and  is  the  most  important  river  of 
Wicklow.  The  Avoca  is  formed  by  the  junction 
of  the  Avoumore  and  Avonbeg;  and  the  point  of 
confluence  is  the  well-known  beautiful  spot,  the 
"Meeting  of  the  Waters."  Halfway  between 
this  and  Arklow  the  Avoca  is  joined  from  the 
west  by  an  important  tributary,  the  Aughrim 
River;  the  point  of  meeting  is  usually  called  the 
Wooden  Bridge,  and  often  the  "Second  Meeting 
of  the  Waters,"  and  it  vies  in  beauty  with  the 
principal  Meeting  4  miles  higher  up.  From  the 
principal  Meeting  down  to  Arklow  the  Avoca 
flows  between  high  wooded  banks,  presenting  a 
succession  of  lovely  quiet  landscapes ;  this  is  the 
beautiful  glen  so  well  known  as  the  "Vale  of 


Avoca.  "  The  three  main  branches  of  the  Avoca, 
the  Avonmore,  and  the  Avonbeg,  and  the  Augh- 
rim, have  a  number  of  smaller  affluents  which 
traverse  many  of  the  finest  glens  in  Wicklow. 
These  three  rivers,  with  their  affluents,  are  de- 
scribed in  detail  in  the  three  following  para- 
graphs. 

The  following  are  the  chief  headwaters  of  the 
Avonmore : 

The  Annamoe  River  rises  near  Sally  Gap, 
within  about  half  a  mile  of  the  source  of  the 
Liffey,  falls  into  Lough  Tay  in  the  valley  of 
Luggela,  and  two  miles  below  Lough  Tay  falls 
into  Lough  Dan ;  issuing  from  this,  it  flows 
southward  by  the  hamlets  of  Annamoe  and 
Laragh,  after  which  it  takes  the  name  of  Avon- 
more;  and  traversing  the  lovely  vale  of  Clara,  it 
passes  by  Rathdrum  to  the  Meeting  of  the 
Waters,  3  miles  below  the  town.  Between 
Lough  Tay  and  Lough  Dan,  the  Annamoe  River 
receives  the  Cloghoge  Brook,  rising  in  Gravale 
Mountain ;  and  into  Lough  Dan  falls  the  Incha- 
yore  River,  rising  in  Duff  Hill.  Three  fine  glens 
converge  on  the  village  of  Laragh ;  "first  Glen- 
macnass,  traversed  by  the  Glenmacnass  River, 
which  joins  the  Annamoe  River  beside  the  vil- 
lage; secondly,  the  vale  of  Glendasan,  through 
which  flows  the  Glendasan  River,  rising  in 
Lough  Nahanagan;  and  thirdly,  Glendalough, 
traversed  by  the  Glenealo  River;  these  two  last 
rivers  join  at  the  Seven  Churches,  and  the  united 
stream  falls  in  to  the  Annamoe  beside  Laragh. 

The  Avonbeg  rises  in  Table  Mountain  and  in 
the  Three  Lakes,  and  not  far  from  its  source 
forms  the  fine  Ess  waterfall,  on  the  side  of  Table 
Mountain  and  at  the  head  of  Glenmalur;  it  next 
traverses  Glenmalur,  one  of  the  grandest  moun- 
tain valleys  in  Ireland,  about  10  miles  long, 
straight  and  narrow,  and  walled  in  on  either  side 
by  rocky,  precipitous  barriers ;  after  which  it  joins 
the  Avonmore  a  little  beyond  the  mouth  of  the 
glen. 

The  Aughrim  River  is  formed  by  the  junction 
of  two  head  streams,  the  Derry  Water  and  the 
Ow;  which  latter  rises  in  Lugnaquillia  and 
traverses  the  Aghavaunagh  valley ;  the  two 
meeting  at  the  hamlet  of  Aughrim  ;  lower  down 
the  Aughrim  River  is  joined  by  the  Gold  Mines, 
from  the  northern  slope  of  the  mountain  Croghan 
Kinsella. 


WICKLOW. 


The  Vartry  rises  in  the  valley  at  tbe  eastern 
base  of  Douce  Mountain,  and  after  flowing  south- 
ward about  5  miles  is  caught  by  an  artificial 
embankment  at  the  hamlet  of  Eoundwood,  so  as 
to  form  a  reservoir,  which  supplies  the  city  of 
Dublin  with  water;  that  portion  of  the  river  that 
escapes  from  the  reservoir  traverses  the  Devil's 
Glen,  a  splendid  ravine,  narrow  and  winding, 
with  loftj'  precipitous  sides  well  wooded  to  the 
top;  after  which  it  falls  into  the  sea  inlet  of 
Broad  Lough,  beside  the  town  of  "Wicklow. 

The  Dargle  Kiver  rises  high  up  in  the  valley 
between  War  Hill  and  Tonduff,  and  after  run- 
ning east  about  2  miles,  tumbles  over  a  cliff  be- 
tween 200  and  300  feet  high,  forming  Powers- 
court  Waterfall,  the  finest  in  Wicklow;  then 
passing  through  the  beautiful  valley  of  Powers- 
court,  it  traverses  the  Dargle,  a  lovely  winding 
narrow  gorge,  clothed  with  oak  on  both  sides ; 
and  finally  falls  into  the  sea  at  Bray,  where  it  is 
called  the  Bray  Eiver;  it  forms  the  boundary 
with  Dublin  for  the  last  mile  and  a  half  of  its 
course.  Halfway  between  Powerscourt  Waterfall 
and  the  head  of  the  Dargle  glen,  the  Dargle  River 
is  joined  by  the  Glencree  River,  which  traverses 
the  wild  valley  of  Glencree,  about  5  miles  long, 
with  Kippure  towering  over  its  head,  and  walled 
in  by  the  TondufE  Mountains  and  Maulin  on  the 
south,  and  by  Prince  William's  Seat  on  the 
north.  At  the  head  of  this  valley,  near  Lough 
Bray,  is  the  well-known  Glencree  Reformatory, 
which  was  originally  a  military  barrack,  erected 
in  1799.  The  Cookstown  Eiver,  which  comes 
from  Dublin,  passes  by  Enniskerry,  and  joins 
the  Dargle  River  below  the  Dargle  Glen. 

The  Liffey  rises  in  the  glen  at  the  south  side 
of  Kippure,  13  miles  in  a  straight  line  from 
Dublin  city ;  flowing  at  first  westward,  and  re- 
ceiving from  the  south  a  number  of  its  early 
tributaries  from  the  three  mountains,  Gravale, 
Duff,  and  Mullaghcleevaun,  it  flows  by  Blessing- 
ton ;  then  forms  for  2  miles,  near  Ballymore  Eus- 
tace, the  boundary  between  Kildare  and  Wicklow  ; 
while  flowing  on  the  boundary  it  forms  the  fine 
waterfall  of  Pollaphuca;  and  half  a  mile  lower 
down  it  enters  Kildare.  A  little  below  Blessing- 
ton  the  Liffey  is  joined  by  the  Kings  River, 
which  rises  at  the  south  side  of  Mullaghcleevaun, 
and  which,  before  its  junction  with  the  Liffey, 
receives  the  Douglas  on  the  left  bank  and  the 


Cock  Brook  on  the  right.  At  Kilbride,  a  little 
above  Blessington,  the  Lift'ey  receives  from  the 
north  the  Brittas  River,  which  rises  in  Dublin. 

The  Slaney  rises  high  up  on  the  side  of 
Lugnaquillia,  and  flows  westward  through  the 
Glen  of  Lnaile,  one  of  the  grandest  valleys  of 
the  whole  county;  then  turning  south  near 
Stratford,  it  flows  by  Baltinglass,  and  3  miles 
further  south  enters  the  county  Carlow.  In  the 
Glen  of  Imaile  it  is  joined  by  the  Little  Slaney, 
which  also  rises  in  Lugnaquillia.  The  Derreen 
rises  in  the  mountains  of  Lybagh  and  Slievemaan, 
and  flowing  southwest  crosses  a  corner  of  Car- 
low,  then  forms  for  5  miles  the  boundary  be- 
tween Wicklow  and  Carlow,  when  it  finally 
enters  Carlow,  and  2  miles  lower  joins  the 
SlaneJ^  The  Derry  River  joins  the  Slaney  in 
the  county  Carlow,  near  Clonegall ;  it  comes 
from  Wicklow  (drawing  some  of  its  headwaters, 
however,  from  near  Hacketstown  in  Carlow), 
flows  by  Tinahely,  and  takes  the  several  names 
of  Greenisland  River,  the  Shillelagh  River,  and 
finally  the  Derry. 

On  the  east  coast,  south  of  Wicklow,  these  small 
rivers  fall  into  the  sea :  the  Three  Mile  Water ; 
the  Potter's  River,  into  Brittas  Bay;  and  the 
Redcross  River,  a  little  north  of  Arklow. 

LAKES. — On  the  Annamoe  Eiver  are  Lough 
Tav,  in  the  lovely  vale  of  Luggela,  and  Lough 
Dan,  2  miles  lower  down.  Southwest  of  these 
are  Lough  Ouler  and  Lough  Nahanagan.  In  the 
vale  of  Glendalough  are  Upper  Lake  and  Lower 
Lake;  the  former  a  mile  in  length,  and  over- 
hung by  precipices  that  rise  from  the  very 
water's  edge;  the  latter  very  small.  At  the  head 
of  Glencree  are  the  two  small  lakes  Lower 
Lough  Bray  and  Upper  Lough  Bray,  both  on  the 
side  of  Kippure;  the  former  a  v^ry  fine  mountain 
tarn,  black  as  ink,  and  overhung  by  gloomy 
precipices. 

TOWNS.  ^ — ^The  following  are  on  or  very  near 
the  coast:  Bray  (6,535,  of  whom  2,148  are  in 
that  part  of  the  town  lying  in  Dublin),  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Bray  River,  the  finest  and  the  most 
favored  watering  place  in  all  Ireland;  it  lies 
under  the  north  side  of  Bray  Head,  has  a  fine 
strand,  and  in  its  immediate  neighborhood  there 
IS  an  infinite  variety  of  the  loveliest  scenery. 
Wicklow  (3,391),  the  assize  town,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Vartry  Eiver,  lies  at  the  north  side 


WICKLOW. 


of  Wicklow  Head ;  this  is  also  frequented  as  a 
wateriug  place,  aud  like  Bray  it  has  lying  near 
it  several  beautiful  localities.  A  mile  aud  a  half 
inland  from  AVicklow  is  the  village  of  Rathnew 
(630).  Near  the  southern  extremity  of  the  coast, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Avoca,  is  Arklow  (J:,?"?),  in 
which  herring  fishing  is  carried  on  to  a  consid- 
erable extent. 

The  following  are  inland:  Baltinglass  (1,151), 
on  the  Slaney,  in  the  west  of  the  county,  near 
the  boundary  of  Kildare.  Eight  miles  north  of 
Baltinglass  is  Dunlavin  (615) ;  and  on  the 
Liffey,  in  the  northwest  of  the  county,  is  Bless- 
ington  (332),  both  of  these  also  near  the  Kildare 
boundary.  Rathdrum  (733)  stands  on  a  high 
ridge  over  the  Avonmore,  three  miles  above  the 
Meeting  of  the  Waters.  In  the  extreme  south, 
beside  the  boundary  of  Wexford,  is  Carnew 
(701);  near  which  on  the  north  are  the  villages 
of  Shillelagh  (194),  and  Tinahely  (458). 

MINERALS. — There  are  lead  mines  at  Luga- 
nure  (on  the  north  side  of  Camaderry  Mountain, 
between  Glendalough  and  Lough  Nahanagan) ; 
on  the  hillsides  at  the  head  of  Glenmalure;  and 
on  the  slope  of  the  hill  over  the  north  side  of  the 
head  of  Glendalough.  There  are  copper  mines  at 
Ballymurtagh  and  Ballygahan,  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Avoca,  as  you  go  from  the  Meeting  of  the 
Waters  down  to  the  Wooden  Bridge ;  aud  at 
Cronbane,  Tigroney,  and  Connoree,  on  the  left 
bank,  near  Castle  Howard.  Gold  has  been  found 
in  considerable  quantities  in  the  bed  of  the  Gold 
Mines  River,  flowing  down  the  north  slope  of 
Croghan  Kinsella  to  Wooden  Bridge. 

ANCIENT  DIVISIONS  AND  DESIGNA- 
TIONS.— The  old  territory  of  Cualann  or  Crich- 
Cualann  included  the  north  part  of  Wicklow  and 
the  south  part  of  the  county  Dublin;  from  this 
tei-ritory  the  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain  was  anciently 
called  Slieve  Cualann,  the  Mountain  of  Cualann. 
Glencullen,  in  the  Dublin  hills,  and  Cullenswood, 
at  the  south  of  the  city,  still  preserve  the  old 
name.  The  Glen  of  Imaile  preserves  the  name 
of  the  old  territor3'  of  Hy  Mail,  which  was  taken 
possession  of  by  the  O'Tooles  after  they  had 
been  driven  out  of  their  original  territory  in 
Kildare.  (See  Kildare. )  Hy  Mail  was  also  known 
by  the  name  of  Fortuatha.  The  district  possessed 
by  the  O 'Byrnes  after  they  had  been  driven  from 
Kildare  was  called  Crich  Brannach,  or  O'Byrne's 


Country;  it  was  situated  in  the  east  of  the 
county,  and  included  the  whole  of  the  barony  of 
Newcastle,  and  the  barony  of  Arklow  as  far 
south  as  the  Redcross  River.  A  sept  of  the 
O 'Byrnes  called  the  Gaval  Rannall  also  possessed 
the  territory  lying  round  Glenmalur.  This  ter- 
ritory was  from  them  called  Gaval-Rannall  or 
Ranelagh;  their  chief  had  his  residence  at  Bal- 
linacor  in  Glenmalur,  from  which  the  two  baro- 
nies of  Ballinacor  were  so  called.  The  old  name 
is  still  preserved  in  that  of  Ranelagh,  one  of  the 
south  suburbs  of  Dublin. 

The  valley  of  Glendalough  lies  about  eight 
miles  northwest  of  Rathdrum.  It  is  about  three 
miles  in  length,  surrounded  by  mountains  except 
at  the  east  side,  and  in  several  places  overhung 
by  precipices.  The  Glenealo  River,  tumbling 
down  a  steep  ravine  at  the  head,  traverses  the 
glen  and  expands  into  two  lakes,  from  which  the 
whole  valley  has  its  name — Glen-da-lough,  the 
glen  of  the  two  lakes.  The  Lugduff  Brook, 
which  falls  into  the  Upper  Lake  through  a  deep 
ravine  at  the  base  of  Lugduli  Mountain,  forms 
the  pretty  waterfall  of  Pollanass,  near  where  it 
enters  the  lake. 

Considered  merely  in  reference  to  the  beauty 
and  singularity  of  its  natural  features,  Glenda- 
lough is  the  gem  of  Wicklow;  but  the  natural 
attractions  are  infinitely  enhanced  by  the  his- 
toric associations  of  the  place,  and  bj'  the  in- 
teresting ecclesiastical  ruins  scattered  over  the 
lower  part  of  the  glen.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
6th  century,  St.  Kevin,  who,  like  St.  Columkille 
and  many  other  Irish  saints,  was  a  member  of  a 
princely  family,  founded  a  monastery  here,  which 
became  a  great  center  of  religion  and  learning. 
After  St.  Kevin's  death  the  reputation  of  the 
place  increased,  so  that  it  attracted  not  only  a 
large  number  of  ecclesiastics,  but  also  a  lay 
population;  and  a  town  grew  up,  some  remains 
of  which  are  still  to  be  seen  near  where  the  river 
emerges  from  the  Lower  Lake. 

The  ju-incipal  ruins  are  as  follows : 

A  Round  Tower,  110  feet  high,  wanting  the 
conical  cap,  erected  probably  in  the  7th  century. 
Our  Lady's  Church,  near  it,  which  contains  a 
beautiful  aud  characteristic  example  of  an 
ancient  Cyclopean  doorway  with  sloping  sides; 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  this  is  the  very 
church  ei'ected  by  St.  Kevin  when  he  had  come  to 


WICKLOW. 


settle  in  the  lower  part  of  the  valley.  Near 
these  two  stands  Cro-Kevin,  or  St.  Kevin's 
House  (popularly  called  "St.  Kevin's  Kitchen"), 
which  served  the  founder  both  as  a  residence  and 
and  as  an  oratory ;  it  has  a  small  round  tower 
belfry  on  one  gable.  Near  these  is  the  Cathedral, 
coeval  with  the  round  tower.  All  the  preced- 
ing are  inclosed  by  a  cashel,  or  stone  wall,  of 
which  there  are  still  sonae  portions  left,  and  the 
original  entrance  archway  remains  in  good 
preservation. 

A  little  lower  down,  on  the  same  bank  of  the 
river,  is  Trinity  Church ;  and  lower  still,  on  the 
opposite  bank,  the  Priory  of  St.  Saviour,  a  most 
interesting  ruin.    Higher  up  in  the  glen,  on  the 


south  side  of  the  Upper  Lake,  is  the  Reefert 
Church,  which  St.  Kevin  built  while  he  lived  at 
the  head  of  the  valley,  and  before  the  erection  of 
Our  Lady's  Church.  Higher  up  still,  in  an  al- 
most inaccessible  spot  on  the  shore  of  the  lake, 
under  the  great  precipice  of  Lugduff,  is  the  little 
church  called  Temple-na-Skellig,  of  which  only 
a  small  part  remains.  There  are  also  several 
stone  crosses  and  other  monuments  in  different 
parts  of  the  valley.  A  crevice  in  the  face  of  the 
perpendicular  cliff  over  the  Upper  Lake,  difficult 
of  access,  is  well  known  by  the  name  of  "St. 
Kevin's  Bed. " 

The  preceding  ruins  are  commonly  known  by 
name  of  "The  Seven  Churches  of  Glendaiough. " 


ILLXJSTR^TIOISrS. 


VALE  01'  AVOCA.— This  spot,  immortalized 
in  the  exquisite  lyric  of  Thomas  Moore,  presents 
a  combination  of  scenic  beauty  unsurpassed  in 
one  of  the  most  picturesque  localities  in  L-eland. 
It  is  a  scene  of  softness  and  tranquillity  rather 
than  of  sublimity  or  grandeur,  of  repose  and 
peace  rather  than  of  wildness  and  elevating  in- 
spiration. "The  Meeting  of  the  Waters"  is 
formed  by  the  junction  of  the  rivers  Avonmore 
and  Avonbeg — the  great  and  little  rivers — and 
under  the  name  of  the  Avoca  the  beautiful 
stream  pursues  its  course  through  the  vale  to 
Arklow,  some  eight  miles  distant,  and  thence  to 
the  sea.  "After  all,"  writes  a  traveler,  express- 
ing the  regret  that  every  tourist  feels,  after  en- 
joying this  enchanting  view  of  nature,  "the 
greatest  fault  of  the  Vale  of  Avoca  is  that  it  is  so 
short.  How  gladly  would  the  eye  feast  on  more 
of  those  beautiful  meadows,  those  bold  crags, 
those  ivy-mantled  oaks!"  The  serene  beauty  of 
the  place  has  been  somewhat  marred  by  the  in- 
troduction of  the  railway,  and  the  operations  of 
commerce. 

GLENDALOUGH.— Glendaiough,  or  the  Glen 
of  the  Two  Lakes,  embraces  a  valley  about  two 
and  a  half  miles  long  and  from  half  a  mile  to  a 
mile  in  breadth.  In  its  somber  solitude  St.  Kevin 
in  the  early  part  of  the  6th  century  built  an  abbey 
and  laid  the  foundation  of  his  monastic  estab- 
lishment, which  grew  until  it  became  a  crowded 
city,  a  school  of  learning,  and  the  abode  of  holy 


men,  an  asylum  for  the  poor,  a  refuge  for  the 
oppressed,  and  a  hospital  for  the  sick.  Here  the 
saint  lived  to  the  uncommon  age  of  120  years. 
Of  the  remains  of  the  ancient  city  and  its  sacred 
edifices  are  the  Eound  Tower,  the  Cathedral,  Our 
Lady's  Church,  and  St.  Kevin's  House  or 
Kitchen,  and  at  a  little  distance  Trinity  Church, 
St.  Saviour's,  the  Church  of  Rheafert,  and  St. 
Kevin's  Bed.  The  erection  of  the  cathedral  is 
attributed  to  Goban  Saer,  the  Celebrated  archi- 
tect of  the  7th  century.  Thomas  Moore,  with, 
perhaps,  an  undue  flavor  of  levity,  has  made  the 
legend  of  St.  Kevin  and  the  Lake  of  Glenda- 
iough the  subject  of  one  of  the  Irish  melodies. 

BRAY  HEAD.— Bray  Head,  a  magnificent 
promontory  rising  some  800  feet  above  the  shore 
of  the  Irish  Sea,  is  the  center  of  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  scenic  localities  in  Ireland.  A  wind- 
ing carriage  road  leads  to  its  summit,  from 
whence  the  eye  of  the  tourist  on  a  fine  daj'  is 
almost  dazzled  by  the  changing  panoramic  scene 
around  him.  Beneath  is  the  thriving  and  hand- 
some town  of  Bray,  much  frequented  as  a  water- 
ing place,  while  to  the  east  spreads  the  Irish  Sea, 
over  whose  waters  on  a  clear  day  may  be  dis- 
cerned the  outlines  of  the  "Welsh  Mountains;  to 
the  west  War  Hill  and  the  Douce,  and  the 
greater  and  lesser  Sugar  Loaf,  while  to  the  south 
lies  the  Glen  of  the  Downs,  which  combines  at 
once  the  beauties  of  a  glen  and  a  huge  ravine. 
The  O'Tooles  and  O 'Byrnes,  the  heroic  chiefs  of 


WICKLOW. 


the  district,  niaiutained  their  independence 
down  to  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

POWEliSCOUET  CASTLE  AND  TERllACE. 
— The  demesne  of  Powerscourt  for  beauty  and 
variety  of  scenery  is  unsurpassed  by  any  spot  in 
Ireland,  both  in  point  of  embellishment  of  nature 
and  art.  It  is  situated  on  the  Dargle,  a  charm- 
ing, limpid  stream,  that  Hows  through  the  far- 
famed  glen  of  that  name.  The  estate  contains 
1,400  acres,  and  the  castle  occui)ies  a  command- 
ing position  on  an  eminence  overlooking  the 


magnificent  wooded  valley  at  its  base,  and  afford- 
ing an  ample  view  of  the  various  attractive  fea- 
tures and  romantic  scenery  of  the  glen  and  the 
surrounding  country,  equallj-  rich  in  natural 
beauties.  A  splendid  terrace  leads  from  the 
stately  mansion  to  the  stream  below.  Powers- 
court  is  a  favorite  resort  of  tourists  and  pleasure 
parties.  Tinnehinch,  once  the  seat  of  the  patriot 
Grattan,  purchased  for  him  by  his  countrymen, 
at  a  cost  of  $250,000,  forms  a  part  of  this  beau- 
tiful landscape. 


I 


BISHOP  SHEEHAN,  WATERFORD  AND  LISMORE. 


( 


I  N  DEX, 


Note.— The  Utters  and  numbers  after  the  name  correspond  with  those  in  the  borders  of  the  Map,  and  indicate  the  square  in  which 

the  name  will  be  found. 


ABBERT. 


ARDPATRICK. 


Abbert  and  R., 
Abbeville, 
Abbeville  Ho., 
Abbeville  Ho., 
Abbey, 
Abbey,  The, 
Abbey  Cott., 
Abbey  I., 
Abbeydorney, 
Abbeyfeale, 
Abbeylara, 


Galway  E  2 
Cork  F  3 
Dublin  E  3 
Tipperary  B  1 
Tipperary  D  4 
Donegal  C  4 
Cairlow  C  2 
Kerry  B  3 
Kerry  C  1 
Limerick  B  3 
Longford  E  2 


Abbeyleix,  Sta.  and  Ho., Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Abbeylough  Br.,  Kildare  B  2 

Abbeyshrule,  Longford  D  3 

Abbeyside,  Waterford  D  3 

Abbeytown,  Mayo  D  1 

Abbeytown  Sta.,  Roscommon  D  4 

Abbeyview,  Down  E  3 

Abbeyview  Cott.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Abbeyville,  Sligo  F  3 

Abbey  Ville,  Wexford  B  4 

Abbey  Ville,  Limerick  E  2 

Abbotstown  Ho.,  Dublin  C  4 

Abington,  Limerick  G  2 

Abington  Ho.,  Cublin  F  6 

Acanon  L.,  Cavan  G  3 

Acartan  L.,  Donegal  C  2 

Acaun  Br.,  Carlow  D  1 

Achill  Island  aild  Hd.,  Mayo  A  2 

Achill  Sound,  Mayo  B  2 

Achillbeg  L,  Mayo  A  2 

Achonry  and  Ho.,  Sligo  E  3 

Aclare,  Sligo  C  3 

Aclare  Br.,  Carlow  C  2 

Aclare  Cott.,  Meath  E  1 

Aclare  Ho.,  Meath  E  2 

Acleery  L.,  Donegal  B  3 

Acrow  L.,  Clare  E  3 

Acton,  Armagh  D  3 

Acurry  L.,  Cavan  G  3 

Adamstown  &  Ch.,  Wexford  B  3 

Adamstown  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Adanny  L.,  Leitrim  B  1 
Adare  Sta.  &  Manor  Ho.,    Limerick  E  2 

Adeel  L.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Adelphi,  Clare  F  2 

Adoon  L.,  Leitrim  E  4 

Adrigole  Br.,  Cork  B  3 

Adrigole  Har.,  Cork  B  3 

Adrumkilla,  Galway  E  2 

Affane  Ho.,  Waterford  C  3 

Agangarrive  Hill,  Antrim  D  2 

Aganive  L.  Donegal  D  2 

Aganny  L.,  Leitrim  B  1 

Agar  Br.,  Kildare  B  2 

Agency,  The,  Armagh  D  3 

Aghaboe,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Aghabog  Ch.-,  Monaghan  B  3 

Aghabrack,  Tyrone  E  1 

Aghabulloge,  Cork  E  3 

Aghacashel  Ho.,  Leitrim  D  3 

Aghacashlaun  R.,  Leitrim  D  3 

Aghada,          _  Cork  G  3 

Aghade  Br.  and  T.odge,  Carlow  C  2 

Aghadoe,  Kerry  D  2 

Aghadoe  Ho.,  Cork  H  3 

Aghadolgan,  Antrim  D  5 

Aghadowey,  Londonderry  F  2 

Aghadowey  R.,  Londonderry  E  2 

AghaHc\vn,  Cork  C  4 

Aghafin  Ho.,  Monaghan  A  2 

Aghagallon,  Antrim  D  5 

Aghagoogy,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Aghagower,  Mayo  C  2 
Aghagreah,  Up.  and  Lo.,    Longford  D  2 

Aghalee,  Antrim  D  5 

Aghaloo  Ch  Tyrone  G  4 

AghamarU  Cas.,  Cork  F  3 

Aghamore,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Aghamore,  Mayo  E  2 

Aghamore,  Roscommon  E  3 

Aghamore  Ho.,  Leitrim  D  6 


Aghanloo, 
Aghanvilla, 
Agharra, 
Aghatruhan  Br., 
Aghavannagh  Barks., 
Aghavea  Ch., 
Aghavilly  Lo., 
Aghavrin, 
Aghaward, 
Aghaweel, 
Agher  L., 
Aghem, 
Agherpallis, 
Aghery  L., 
Aghinree  Br., 
Aghia, 
Aghlem  Bri., 
Aghline  Br., 


Londonderry  D  2 
King's  Co.  G  2 
Longford  D  3 
Wicklow  E  3 
Wicklow  C  3 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Down  B  5 
Cork  E  3 
Roscommon  E  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Donegal  C  2 
Cork  G  2 
Meath  D  4 
Down  C  3 
Carlow  D  2 
Donegal  C  3 
Donegal  C  4 
Carlow  B  3 


Aghmacart  Cas.  &  Pry.,  Queen's  Co.  B 
Aghmore,  Longford  E 

Aghnagarron,  Lo.  &  Up.,  Longford  D  2 
Aghnahoe  Ho.,  Tyrone  G  4 


Aghnamallaght, 
Aghnameadle  Cas., 
Aghnaskea  Bri., 
Aghory  Ho., 
Aghowle  Chy 
Agivey  and  K., 
Aglish, 
Aglish, 
Aglish, 
Aglish, 
Agnews  Hill, 
Ahabeg  Ho., 
Ahafona, 
Ahaphuca, 
Ahare  Ho., 
Ahamey  Ho., 
Ahascragh, 
Ahaun, 
Ahaunboy, 
Aherla, 
Aherlow  R., 
Ahnagurra  Ho., 
Ahoghill, 
Aille  R., 
Aille  R., 
Aillenasharragh, 
Air  Hill, 
Akeragh  L., 
Akiboon  L., 
Aleckafin  Bri., 
Aleck  More  L., 
Aliggan  L., 
Alina  L., 
Alistragh  Ho., 
Alia, 

AUaghaun  R., 
Allen  Dale, 
Allen,  Hill  of, 
Allen  Lough, 
Allenstown  Ho., 
Allick  L., 
Allow  River, 
AUua  Lake, 
Almondstown, 
Altaconey  R., 
Altadush, 
Allafort, 
Altahullion, 
Akamira  Ho., 
Altamullan, 
Altan  L., 
Alta  Villa, 
Aha  Villa, 
Altbeagh  Cott, 
Altidore  Ho., 
Altimont  Ho., 
Altmore 
Altmore  R., 
Altmover,  ■ 
Altnadua  Ho., 


Roscommon  D 
Tipperary  C 
Longford  B 
Armagh  D 
Wicklow  B 
Londonderry  F 
Clare  F 
Cork  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Waterford  B  3 
Antrim  F  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Kerry  C  1 
Limerick  G  3 
Wexford  E  1 
Queen's  Co.  C  4 
Galway  G  2 
Galway  F  2 
Cork  C  4 
Cork  E  3 
Tipperary  B 
Limerick  G 
Antrim  C 
Clare  D 
Mayo  C 
Clare  D 
Wicklow  D 
Kerry  C 
Donegal  D 
Kildare  B 
Donegal  B 
Galway  B 
Armagh  C 
Armagh  B 
Londonderry  B 
Limerick  B 
Wicklow  A 
Kildare  B 
I^eitrim  C 
Meath  C 
Mayo  D 
Cork  E 
Cork  D 
Louth  C 
Mayo  C 
Donegal  D  3 
Down  C  3 
Londonderry  C  3 
Cork  E  2 
Tyrone  B  2 
Donegal  C  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Cavan  F  3 
Wicklow  E  2 
Cariow  C  2 
Donegal  D  2 
Tyrone  G  3 
Londonderry  C  3 
Down  D  4 


Altnapaste, 
Altore  L., 
Aluirg  L., 
America, 
Amiens  Sta., 
Anagloy  Cross, 
Anal  la  L., 
Ananima  L., 
Anascaul, 
Anaserd, 
Anavema, 
Anderson's  Town, 
Anglesborough, 
Anglesey  Mt., 
Anketell  Grove, 
Anlore, 
Ann  Grove, 
Anna  L., 
Anna  Carter  Br., 
Annacarriga, 
Annacarty, 
Annaclone, 
Annacloy  and  R., 
Annacolty, 
Annadale, 
Annadale, 
Annadorn, 
AnnagarrifF  L., 
Annagassan, 
Annageeragh  R., 
Annagh, 
Annagh  Bog, 


Donegal  D  3 
Galway  E  2 
Donegal  C  2 
Galway  C  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Louth  A  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
Donegal  B  3 
Kerry  B  2 
Galway  A  2 
Louth  C  1 
Antrim  F  5 
Ximerick  H  8 
Louth  C  1 
Monaghan  C  2 
Monaghan  B  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Donegal  C  8 
Wicklow  D  2 
Clare  I  2 
Tipperary  B  3 
Down  B  4 
Down  E  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Down  D  2 
Leitrim  D  3 
Down  E  4 
Armagh  C  2 
Louth  C  2 
Clare  D  3 
Galway  F  2 
Kerry  D  2 


Annagh  Cas.  and  Ho.,       Tipperary  B  2 

Annagh  Hd.,  Mayo  A  1 

Annagh  Hill,  Wexford  D  1 

Annagh  Ho.,  West  Meath  A  3 

Annagh  Lodge,  Sligo  G  3 

Annagh  L.,  Cavan  D  2 

Annagh  L.,  Ixjngford  C  1 

Annagh  L.,  Mayo  B  2 

Annagh  R.,  Cavan  H  2 

Annagh  R.,  Clare  D  3 

Annagh  R.,  Limerick  G  1 

Annaghbane  Ho.,  Down  B  4 

Annaghbeg  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  2 

Annaghdown,  Galway  D  2 

Annaghearby  L.,  Leitrim  D  4 

Annaghlea  Ho.,  Cavan  G  2 
Annaghmakerig  Ho.  and  L.,  Monag.  B  3 

Annaghmore,  Roscommon  E  3 

Annaghmore,  Sligo  E  3 
Annaghmore  Ho.  &  L.,     King's  Co.  E  2 

Annaghmore  Sta^  Armagh  C  2 

Annaghs  Ho.  &  Cas.,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Annagola  BrL,  Armagh  A  3 

Annagor  Ho.,  Meath  F  2 

Annahilt,  Down  D  3 

Annakisha  Ho.,  Cork  F  2 

Annalee  R.,  Cavan  F  2 

Annalong  and  R.,  Down  D  6 

Annamoe,  King's  Co.  G  3 

Annamoe  and  R.,  Wicklow  D  2 

Annamoy  Ho.,  Armagh  B  2 

Annamult  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Annascaulty,  Kildare  C  2 

Annassellagh  Strm.,  Limerick  E  3 

Annaville,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Annefield,  Mayo  D  5 

Annegrove  Abbey,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Anner  R.,  Tipperary  D  4 

Annery  L.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Annesbrook,  Meath  C  1 

Annesbrook,  _  Meath  F  3 

Annes  Gift,  Tipperary  C  4 

Annes  Grove,  Cork  F  2 

Annestown,  Waterford  F  3 

Anneville  Cott.,  Queen's  Co.  F  3 

Anneville  Ho.,  West  Meath  E  3 

Annfield,  Kildare  B  4 

Annfield,  Tipperary  C  3 

Annfield  Ho.,  Kildare  C  3 

Annfield  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  4 


Ann  Grove, 
Annsborough, 
Annsborough  Ho., 
Annsborough  Ho., 
Anns  Fort, 
Annvale, 
Antonian, 


King's  Co.  C  4 
Down  D  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Cavan  H  2 
Armagh  B  3 
Queen's  Co.  C  2 


Antrim  Tn.,  Bay,  and  Sta.,    Antrim  D  4 

Antrim,  Lo.  Barony,  Antrim  E  3 

Antrim,  Up.  Barony,  Antrim  E  i 

Anure  L.,  Donegal  C  8 

Ara  Riv.,  Tipperary  B  4 

Arabella  Ho.,  Kerry  D  2 

Araglin  Cott,  Cork  G  2 

Araglin  R.,  'Waterford  A  2 

Araglin  R.,  Waterford  D  2 

Aran  I.,  Donegal  B  3 

Aran  Is.,  Galway  B  3 

Arboe,  Tyrone  I  3 

Arboe  Pt.,  Tyrone  K  S 

Arbourhill  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  1 

Arbutus  Lo.,  Down  D  5 

Archdeaconry  Ho.,  Meath  C  2 

Archersgrove  Hp.,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Archerstown  Ho.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Arch  Hall,  Meath  D  2 

Ard  Bay,  Galway  B  3 

Ardagh,  Donegal  E  3 

Ardagh  and  Sta.,  Limeric1<  C  3 

Ardagh,  Longford  C  3 

Ardagh  Barony,  Longford  D  2 

Ardagh  Ho.,  Longford  C  2 

Ardagheena,  Galway  E  2 

Ardakillin  L.,  Roscommon  D  8 

Ardamine  Ho.,  Wexford  E  2 

Ardamore,  Kerry  B  2 

Ardanairy,  Wicklow  E  3 

Ardara,  Donegal  B  3 

Ardarragh,  Down  B  4 

Ardbear  Bay,  Galway  A  2 

Aidboliss,  Louth  C  3 

Ardbraccan  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Ardcandrisk  Ho.,  Wexford  C  3 

Ardcarn  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  6 

Ardcath,  Meath  F  3 

Ardcrony  Ch.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Ardderry  L.,  Galway  C  2 
Ardee  Bar.,  Tn.,  and  Ho.,       Louth  A  2 

Ardelly  Pt.,  Mayo  A  1 

Arderee  Br.,  Sligo  E  8 

Arderin,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Ardess,  Fermanagh  E  1 

Ardfert  and  Abbey,  "       Kerry  C  2 

Ardfinnan,  Tipperary  C  4 

Ardgillan  Cas.,  Dublin  E  1 

Ardglass  and  Harbour,  Down  F  4 

Ardglass,  West  Meath  B  8 

Ardglass  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  2 

Ardgonnell  Bri.,  Armagh  A  8 

Ardgroom  Har.,  Cork  B  8 

Ardilea  Ho.,  Down  E  4 

Ardillaun,  Galway  D  2 

Ardinode  and  Ho.,  Kildare  D  8 

Ardkeen  Ch.,  Down  G  3 

Ardkeenagh,  Roscommon  D  3 

Ardmayle  Ch.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Ardmillan,  Down  E  8 
Ardmore,  Bay,  and  Hd.,    Waterford  C  4 

Ardmore  Pt.,  Armagh  D  1 

Ardmore  Pt.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Ardmulchan  Ho.,  Meath  D  2 

Ardnacrusha,  Clare  I  3 

Ardnaglug,  Roscommon  E  6 

Ardnagragh  Kerry  D  2 

Ardnamullan  Cas.,  Meath  B  4 

Ardnanure,  Roscommon  E  5 

Ardnaree,  Sligo  B  3 

/rdnargle,  iKJhdonderry  D  2 

Ardoginna  Ho.,  Waterford  C  4 

Ardough  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E  4 

Ardoyne  Ho.,  Up.  &  Wicklow  A  4 

Ardpatrick,  Limerick  F  2 


ARDPATRICK. 


INDEX.  J 


BALLYBROONT. 


Ardpalrick  Ho. 
Ardquin, 
Ardra  L., 

Ardrahan,  > 

Ardrass, 

Ardrea  L., 

Ardree  Ho., 

Ardress  Ho., 

Ardristan  Ho., 

Ardrum  Ho., 

Ards, 

Ards  Lower  Baronjr, 
Ards  Upper  Barony, 
Ardsallagh  Ho., 
Ardscull  Ho.  and  Moat, 
Ard  solus, 
Ardstraw,  / 
Ardtully  Ho., 
Ardvally, 
Ardvamy  Ho., 
Ardy, 

Argideen  R., 
Argory,  The, 
Arigna  Iron  WTcs., 
Arigna  R., 
Arklow  and  Hd., 
Arldow  Barony, 
Arklow  Hd., 
Arless, 
Arley  Cott., 
Armagh  Barony 


Louth  A 
Down  F 
Cavan  D 
Gal  way  E 
Kildare  D 
Sligo  F 
Kildare  B 
Armagh  C 
Carlow  C 
Cork  E 
Longford  B 
Down  F 
Down  G 
Waterford  B 
Kildare  B 
Clare  G 
Tyrone  D  2 
Kerry  D  3 
Sligo  B  3 
Fermanagh  E  1 


Donegal  E 
Cork  E 
Armagh  C 
Roscommon  E 
Roscommon  D 
Wicklow  E 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  E 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Cavan  F 


Armagh  B  3 


Armagh,  Tn.,  Pal,  &  Dny.,  Armagh  C 


Armaghtrague  Ho., 
Armoy, 

Armstrong  Cas,, 
Armstrong  Mt., 
Amestown  Ho., 
Amey  R.  and  Bri., 
Aroideen  River, 


Armagh  C 
Antrim  D 
King's  Co.  D 
Kildare  C 
Wexford  A 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Cork  E  4 


Arra  and  Owney  Barony,  Tipperary  A  2 
Arra  Mts., 
Arra  R. 


Arranhi/l  Ho., 
Arran  Islds.,. 
Arrigle  R., 
Arrow  Lough, 
Artaine, 
Arthurstown, 
Arthurstown  Ho., 
Articlave, 

Artramon  Ho.  and  Cas., 
Artrea, 
Artikelly, 
Artillery  Barks., 
Arts  Bri., 
Arundelmills,- 
Arvagh, 

Ashborough  Ho., 
Ashbourne, 
Ashbrooke, 
Ashbrook  Ho., 
Ashbrook  Ho., 
Ashbrooke, 
Ashfield, 
Ashfield, 
Ashfield, 
Ash  Field, 
Ashfield  Br., 
Ashfield  Hall, 
Ashfield  Ho., 
Ashfield  Ho., 
Ashford  Ho., 
Ashford, 
Ashford, 

Ashford  Old  Ho., 
Ashfort, 
Ash  fort  Ho., 
Ashgrove, 
AshgTOve, 
Ashgrove, 
Ashgrove  Ho., 
Ashgrove  Ho., 
Ashgrove  Ho., 
Ash  Hill  Towers, 
Ashlamaduff, 
Ashlane  Crots  Rds. 
Ash  Park, 
Ashleypark  Ho., 
Ashroe, 

Askanagap  Br., 
Askeaton  and  Sta., 
Assan  Bri., 
Astee, 
Atedaun  L., 
Athabatteen, 
Athassel  Aboey, 
Athboy, 
Athcame  Cas., 
Athdare  Cas.. 
Athea, 

Athenry  Barony  and  Tn 
Athgarret  Ho., 
Atilearvan  and  Lo., 
Athgo*  Cas., 
Athlacca, 
Alhleagn«, 


Tipperary  A  2 
Limerick  C  3 


Tipperary  B  1 
Galway  B  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Sligo  G  3 
Dublin  E  4 
Wexford  A  4 
Louth  A  2 
Londonderry  E  2 
Wexford  D  3 
Tyrone  H  3 
Londonderry  D  2 
Longford  C  2 
Kildare  B  1 
Cork  E  4 
Cavan  D  3 
Limerick  D  3 
Meath  F  3 
Londonderry  B  3 
Galway  F  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Fermanagh  F  2 
Down  B 
Meaih  C 
Monaghan  B 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Kildare  B 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Cavan  G 
Galway  E  3 
Galway  D  2 
LimericK  C  3 
Wicklow  E  2 
Roscommon  D  6 
Armagh  A  3 
Roscommon  E  2 
Cavan  E  2 
Cork  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  C  2 
Kildare  A  3 
Limerick  C  3 
Tipperary  B  4 
Lmierick  F  3 
Londonderry  E  3 
Carlow  B  1 
Tipperary  C 
Tipperary  B 
Limerick  G 
Wicklow  C 
Limerick  D 
Cavan  G 
Kerry  D  1 
Clare  F  2 
Cork  E 
Tipperary  B 
Meath  C 
Meath  F 
_  Louth  B 
Limerick  B 
,      Galway  E 
Kildare  D 
Kildare  C 
Dublin  A 
Limerick  F 
Roscommon  D 


Athlone,  Roscommon  &W.  Mea.  F5,  A  3 
Athlone  Barony,  Roscommon  D 

Athlumney  Ho.,  Meath  D 

Athnid,  Tipperary  C 

Athy,  Tn.,  Sta.,  &  Lodge,    Kildare  B 


Atkinstown, 
Atona  L., 
Atorick  L., 
Attanagh, 
Attyflin  Ho., 
Attymess, 
Aubane  Cottage, 
Auburn  Ho., 
Auburn  Ho., 
Auchnacloy, 
Audleys  Cas., 
Aughagault,  Big, 
Aughboy, 
Aughclare, 
Augher, 
Aughils, 
Aughinish  Bay, 
Aughinish  Isd., 
Aughinish  Pt., 
Aughnadoy, 
Aughnagappull  Br., 
Aughnaglaur  R., 
Aughrim, 

Aughrim,  Sta.  and  R., 
Aughris  and  Hd., 
Aughnis  Pt., 
Aughrusbeg  L., 
Auginish  Pt., 
Auna  L., 
Austin's  Ho., 
Avaghon  L., 
Avaghty, 
Aveh  L., 
Avonbeg  R., 
Avondale, 
Avon  Hill  Cott., 
Avonmore, 
A  von  more  R., 
Awaddy  L., 
Awbeg  River, 
Awboy  River, 
Ayle  Ho., 
Aylwardstown  Ho., 


Down  E 
Fermanagh  D 
Clare  I 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Limerick  E 
Mayo  D 
Cork  E 
Dublin  E 
West  Meath  A  3 
Tyrone  G  4 
Down  F  3 
Donegal  D 
Clare  I 
Wexford  A 
Tyrone  F 
Kerry  C 
Galway  D 
Limerick  C 
Clare  K 
Tyrone  G 
Wexford  B  3 
Wexford  B  8 
Galway  F  3 
Wicklow  D  3 
Sligo  D  2 
Galway  A  2 
Galway  A  2 
Clare  F  1 
Galway  B  2 
Wexford  E  1 
Monaghan  C  3 
Roscommon  D  4 
Donegal  D 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  D 
Leitrim  E 
Cork  F 
Cork  E 
Clare  H 


Kilkenny  D  4 


B 

Bachelors  Lo., 

Backstown, 
Badger  Hill  Ho., 
Badinaminton  Ho., 
Bagenals  Arms, 
Bagenalstown  and  Sta., 


Meath  D  2 
Wexford  D  1 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
King's  Co.  D  1 
Carlow  B  2 
Carlow  B  2 

Baggaghmalone  Ho.  &Ca.,  W.  Mea.  B  3 
Limerick  G  3 
Wexford  B  4 
Wicklow  D  2 
Dublin  G  4 
Cavan  H  3 
Cavan  G  3 
Dublin  F 
Dublin  F 
Sligo  F 
Dublin  C 
Wexford  C 
Louth  B 
Dublin  E 
Dublin  E 
Kilkenny  A 
Tyrone  E 
Mayo  D 
Louth  D 
Donegal  F 
Galway  G  3 
Roscommon  E  8 
Roscommon  E  4 
Sligo  F  1 
Leitnm  C  1 
Limerick  H  4 
Mayo  F 


Baggotstown  Ho., 
Baginbun  Hd., 
Bahana, 
Bailey  L.  Ho., 
Bailieborough, 
Bailieborough  Cas., 
Balbriggan, 
Baldoyle, 
Baldwin  Cas., 
Baldwinstown, 
Baldwinstown, 
Balgatheran, 
BalgriflSn, 
Balheary  Ho., 
Balief  Ho., 
Balix  Hill, 
Balla, 

Ballagan  Pt, 
Ballagh, 
Ballagh, 
Ballagh, 
Ballagh, 
Ballagh, 
Ballagh  R., 
Ballaghaderg  Br., 
Ballaghadereen, 

Ballaghkeen  Bry.  and  Ch.,  Wexford  D  3 


Ballaghmoon  Br., 
Ballaghtallion  Cott., 
Ballaghurt, 

Ballakelly  Cross  Roads, 

Ballallog, 

Ballard  B., 

Ballard  Ho., 

Balh.rd  Pk., 

Balk-^y  Ho., 

Bailee, 

Balleeghan  Abbey, 
Balleer, 
Balleevy  Ho., 
Balleighteragh  Ho., 
Ballcny, 
Calleven  Ho., 
Balleybofcy, 
Balleycngland  Ho., 
Balleyvafley  Mt., 
Ballickmoyler, 


Kildare  B  4 
Meath  C  3 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Louth  A  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Clare  C  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Wicklow  D  3 
Wicklow  C  3 
Down  F  4 
Donegal  E  8 
Armagh  C  3 
Down  B  4 
Waterford  D  3 
Antrim  D  2 
Kilkenny  1!  .'^ 
Donegal  D  3 
Limerick  D  2 
Down  B  6 
Queen's  Co.  E  8 


Ballicossidy  L,, 
Ballin  L., 
Ballina  and  Sta., 
Ballina, 
Ballina, 
Ballina  Br., 
Ballina  R., 
Ballinabarney  Ho., 
Ballinabarney  Gap  &  Br., 
Ballinaclash, 
Ballinacor, 
Ballinacor  Ho., 
Ballinacor  Ho., 
Ballinacor  N.  Barony, 
Ballinacor  S.  Barony, 
Ballinacostello, 
Ballinacrow, 
Ballinadee, 
Ballinafad, 
Ballinafad, 
Ballinafad  Ha, 
Ballinagar, 
Ballinageeragh, 
Ballinagore, 
Ballinakill, 
Ballinalack, 
Baliinalea, 
Ballinalee, 
Ballinamara  Ch., 
Ballinameen, 
Ballinamona  Ho., 
Ballinamore, 
Ballinamore, 
Ballinamuck, 
Ballinapark, 
Ballinaphul, 
Ballinascarty, 
Ballinascomey  Ho., 
Ballinasilloge, 
Ballinaskea  Ho., 
Balllnasloe  and  Sta., 
Ballinastadd  Ho., 
Ballinastraw  Ho., 
Ballinclare  Ho., 
Ballinclashet, 
Ballinclay  Ho., 
Ballinclea  Ho., 
BallincoUig, 
Ballincolloo  Ho., 
Ballincor  Ho., 
Ballincrea, 
Ballincurra  Ho., 
Ballincurragh  Ho., 
Ballincurrig, 
Ballincurry, 
Ballindaggan, 
Ballindagny, 
Ballinderry, 
Ballinderry, 
Ballinderry, 
Ballinderry, 
Ballinderry  Ho., 
Ballinderry  Ho., 
Ballinderry  L., 
Ballinderry  R., 
Ballinderry,  Upper, 
Ballindine, 
Ballindoolm  Ho., 
Ballindooly, 
Ballindrait, 
Ballindrum  Ho., 
Ballinfrase  Ho., 
Ballingarry, 
Ballingarry, 
Ballingarry, 
Ballingarry  Ho., 
Ballingarteen, 


Fermanagh  E  2 
Mayo  C  2 
Kildare  B  1 
Mayo  D  1 
Tipperary  A  2 
Longford  B  3 
Armagh  C  4 
Kilkenny  E  4 
Wicklow  B  3 
Wicklow  D  3 
Wicklow  E  3 
Wicklow  C  3 
West  Meath  C  2 
Wicklow  C 
Wicklow  C 
Mayo  E 
Wicklow  B 
Cork  E 
Roscommon  E 
Sligo  F 
Mayo  D 
King's  Co.  F 
Monaghan  A 
Wicklow  D 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
West  Meath  D  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Longford  D  2 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Ro5Common  D  2 
Waterford  G  2 
Leitrim  E  8 
Mayo  D  2 
Longford  C  1 

Mayo  C 
Donegal  C 
Cork  E 
Dublin  C 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  E 
Galway  G 
Wexford  E 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  D 
Cork  F 
Wexford  D 
Wicklow  B 
Cork  F 
Limerick  G 
King  s  Co.  C 
Kilkenny  D 
West  Meath  C 
Kilkenny  D  5 
Cork  G  3 
Roscommon  D  3 
Wexford  C  2 
Longford  D  2 
Antrim  D  5 
Londonderry  F 
Tipperary  B 
Wicklow  D 
Kildare  B 
Meath  C 
West  Meath  B 
Tyrone  I 
Antrim  D 
Mayo  E 
Kildare  A 
Galway  D  8 
Donegal  E  3 
Kildare  B  8 
Queen's  Co.  B  4 
Limerick  D  8 
Tipperary  B  1 
Tipperary  D  3 
Wexford  D  1 
Cork  D 


Ballingate  Ho.,  Lo.  &  Up.,  Wicklow  B  4 


Ballinglen  Ho., 
Ballinglen  R., 
Ballingowan  Ho., 
Ballingrahe  and  Sta., 
Ballinguile, 
Ballinnassig  and  Sta., 
Ballinkeel  Ho., 
Ballinkillin, 
Ballinla, 
Ballinlaghta, 


Wicklow  C  4 
Mayo  C  1 
Waterford  B  8 
Limerick  D  2 
Wicklow  C  3 
Cork  F  3 
Wexford  D  8 
Carlow  B  8 
West  Meath  F  3 
Longford  D  2 


Ballinlaw  Cas.  and  Ferry,  Kjlkenny  D  5 


Ballinleeny, 
Ballinlena, 
Ballinleugn, 
Ballinlig, 
Ballinlough, 
Ballinlough  Cas., 
Ballinlough  Ho., 
Ballinlouty  Ho., 
Ballinlug, 
Ballinocrish, 
Ballinphuill, 
Ballinphull  and  Sta., 
Ballinrce  Ho., 
Ballinrees, 
Ballinroan  Ho., 
Ballinrobe, 
Ballinrostig, 


Limerick  E  8 
Mayo  D  1 
Meath  B  2 
Roscommon  D  4 
Roscommon  B  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
Longford  D  2 
Tipperary  C  3 
Galway  G  8 
Wexford  B  8 
Roscommon  C  8 
Galway  E  2 
Carlow  B  8 
Londonderry  E  2 
Wicklow  B  8 
Mayo  D  8 
Cork  G  I 
• 


Ballinruddery  Ho., 
Ballinrun  R., 
Ballinrush, 
Ballinskellig's  Bay, 
Ballinspitile, 
Ballintaggarl  Ho., 
Ballintaggart  Lo., 
Ballintate, 
Baljintemple, 
Ballinteraple, 
Ballintemple, 
Ballintemple  Ho., 
Ballintemple  Ho., 
Ballinter  Ho., 
Ballintober, 
Ballintober  and  Sta., 
Ballintober  Ho., 
Ballintober  Ho., 
Ballintober  N.  Bar., 
Ballintober  S  Bar., 
Ballintogher, 
Ballintombay, 
Ballintotty  R., 
Ballintoy, 
Ballintra, 

Ballintrane  Cross  Rds., 
Ballintubbert  Ho., 
Ballinturly, 
Ballinure, 
Ballinvauneen, 
Ballinvilla  Ho., 
Ballinvira  Ho., 
Ballinvirick  Ho., 
Ballinvonear  Ho., 
Ballisk, 

Ballitore  and  Hill, 
Ballivor, 
Ballobegan  Ho., 
Ballon, 
Balloo  Ho., 
Ballooly  Ho., 
Balloor, 
Balloor, 
Ballough, 
Balloughter, 
Balloughton  Ho., 
Ballsbridge, 
Balls  Grove, 
Bally  L., 
Bally  L., 

Ballyadam  Cross  Rds., 
Ballyadams  Bry.  &  Cas.; 
Ballyagran, 
Ballyallaban  Ho., 
Ballyallia  Ho., 
Ballyalloly  Ho.  and  L., 
Ballyanne  Ho., 
Ballyarthur, 
Ballyarvey, 
Ballyaughian  Ho., 
Ballybane, 
Ballybannon  R., 
Ballybar  Ho., 
Ballybarrack  Ho., 
Ballybay, 
Ballybay  and  Ho., 
Ballybay  R., 
Ballybeen  Ho 
Ballybeg, 
Ballybeg, 
Ballybeg  Ho., 
Ballybeg  Ho., 
Ballybeg  R., 
Ballybeg  Sta., 
Ballybeggan  Abbey, 
Ballybeggan  Cas., 
Ballybo, 
Ballyboden, 
Ballyboe, 
Ballybofey, 
Ballyboggan  Bri., 
Ballyboggan  Ho., 
Ballyboghil, 
Ballybogy, 
Ballybollen  Ho., 
Ballybomia, 
Ballyboughlin  Ho., 
Ballyboy, 
Ballyboy, 
Ballyboy, 
Ballyboy  Barony, 
Ballyboy  Ho., 
Ballybrack  Ho., 
Ballybrack  Sta., 
Ballybrada  Ho., 
Ballybreagh  Ho., 
Ballybrennan  Ho., 
Ballybrew, 
Ballybrick, 
Ballybrit, 
Ballybrilt  Barony, 
Ballybrittan, 
Ballybrittan  Cas., 
Ballybrittas, 
Ballybrood, 
Ballybroony  Ho., 


Kerry  D  1 
C-alway  G  3 
Cork  G  2 
Kerry  B  3 
Cork  F  4 
Armagh  C  2 
IGldare  C  3 
Armagh  C  3 
Cavan  E  3 
Cork  F  3 
King's  Co.  G  2 
Carlow  C  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Meath  E  3 
Roscommon  F  3 
Roscommon  C 
Limerick  C 
West  Meath  C 
Roscommon  E 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  F 
Wicklow  D 
Tipperary  B 
Antrim  C  1 
Donegal  C  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Roscommon  D  4 
Tipperary  D  3 
Wexford  A  4 
Mayo  E  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Cork  F 
Dublin  F 
Kildare  C 
Meath  C 
Down  G 
Carlow  C 
Down  E 
Down  C  8 
Donegal  E  2 
Leitrim  A  1 
Dublin  E  2 
Wexford  D  2 
Wexford  B  4 
Dublin  E  6 
Louth  B  3 
Roscommon  C  2 
Waterford  G  2 
Waterford  F  8 
,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Limerick  E  3 
Clare  F  1 
Clare  G  2 
Down  E  2 
Wexford  A  8 
Wicklow  D  4 
Antrim  D  8 
Down  C  4 
Cork  C  4 
Down  D  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Louth  B  2 
Roscommon  E  6 
Monaghan  C 
Armagh  D 
Down  E 
Carlow  B 
Sligo  E 
Meath  C 
Wicklow  C 
Sligo  C 
Meath  D  2 
Meath  B  4 
Kerry  D  2 
West  Meath  B  2 
Dublin  D  5 
Donegal  E  2 
Donegal  D 
Kildare  A 
Wexford  D 
Dublin  D 
Antrim  B 
Antrim  C 
West  Meath  B 
King's  Co.  E 
Donegal  B 
King's  Co.  D  8 
Tipperary  C  4 
King's  Co.  E  2 
Meath  C  8 
Carlow  B  8 
Dublin  F  e 
Tipperary  C  4 
Armagh  C  2 
Wexford  B  S 
Wicklow  D  1 
Down  C  4 
Galway  E  8 
King's  Co.  D  8 
King's  Co.  G  1 
King's  Co.  H  1 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Mayo  D  1 


BALLYBROPHT. 


INDEX. 


BALLTBAFTER. 


Ballybrophy  Ho.  &  Sta.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Ballybuclc,  Galway  E  2 

Ballybunion,  Kerry  C  1 

BaJlyburly  Ho.,  King's  Co.  H  1 

Ballycadden  Bri.,  Wexford  C  2 

Ballycanew,  Wexford  E  2 

Ballycannon  Ho.,  Clare  I  3 

Ballycanvan  Ho.,  Waterford  G  2 

Ballycapple,  Wicklow  D  4 

Ballycamey,  Wexford  C  2 

Ballycarra,  Mayo  t>  2 

Ballycarry  and  Sta.,  Antrim  G  i 

Ballycaseymore  Ho.,  Clare  G  3 

Ballycastfe,  Mayo  C  1 

Ballycastle  and  Bay,  Antrim  D  1 

Ballyclare,  Antrim  F  4 
Ballyclare  and  Doagh  Sta.,    Antrim  F  4 

Ballyclareen,  Monaghan  C  2 

Ballyclerahan,  Tipperary  D  4 

Ballyclery,  Galway  E  3 

Ballyclog,  Tyrone  I  3 

Ballyclogh,  Cork  E  2 

Ballyclogh  Ho.,  Limerick  C  2 

Ballyclogh  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

Ballyclogh  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Ballyclouh  Ho.  and  Cas.,  Cork  G  2 

Ballyclover  Ho.,  Antrim  E  4 

Ballycolla,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Ballycommon,  King's  Co.  F  2 

Ballyconneely  Bay,  Galway  A  2 

Ballyconnell  and  Cas.,  Cavan  D  2 

Ballyconnell,  Sligo  E  1 

Ballyconnell,  Wicklow  B  4 

Ballycoog  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ballyconra  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  2 

Ballycottin,  Bay,  and  L  ,  Cork  H  3 

Ballycourcy  Ho.,  Wexford  C  3 

Ballycowan  Barony,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Ballycronigan  Ho.,  Wexford  D  4 

Ballycross  Ho.,  Wexford  C  4 

Ballycuirke  L.,  Galway  D  2 

Ballycullane,  Wexford  A  4 

Ballycullane  Ho.,  Waterford  C  3 

Ballycullen  Ho.,  Limerick  G  2 

Ballyculter,  Down  F  3 

Ballycumber,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Ballycummin  Ho.,  Roscommon  E  2 

Ballycunneen  Ho.|  Clare  G  8 

Ballycurkeen  Ho.,  Tipperary  E  4 

Ballycurrin,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballycurrin  Ho.,  Mayo  D  3 

Ballycurry  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  2 

Ballydahin,  Cork  F  2 

Ballydarrog,  Londonderry  D  2 

Ballydarton  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballydavid  Hd.,  Kerry  A  2 

Ballydawley  L.,  Sligo  F  2 

Ballydehob,  Cork  C  4 

Ballydermot  Ho.,  King's  Co.  H  2 

Ballydevitt,  Londonderry  F  2 

Ballydine  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  4 

Ballydirity  Ho.,  Antrim  C  2 

Ballydonegan,  Londonderry  C  3 

BaJlydonegan  and  Bay,  Cork,  A  4 

Ballydonnell,  Louth  C  3 

Ballydonnell  Ho.,  Kilkenny  A  2 

Ballydoogan  Ho.,  Galway  F  3 

Ballydoolagh  L.,  Fermanagh  E  2 

Ballydraia,  Antrim  F  6 

Ballydrislane  Ho.,  Waterford  G  2 

Ballyduagh  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  4 

Ballydu5  Kerry  C  1 

Ballyduff;  Waterford  A  3 

Ballyduffand  Ho.,  Waterford  F  2 
Ballyduff  Abbey  &  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Ballyduff  Br.,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Ballyduff  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  3 

Ballyduff  Ho.,  Wexford  C  2 

Ballyduff  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  4 

Ballyduff  Ho.  and  Ch.,  Wexford  E  2 

Ballydugan,  Down  £  4 

Ballydugan  Ho.,  Down  A  3 

BallyeastOD,  Antrim  E  4 

Ballyederlan,  Donegal  B  4 

Ballyedmond  Ho.,  Cork  G  3 

Ballyegan  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  8 

Ballyegny  Ho.,  Limerick  C  2 

Ballyellin  Ho.,  Carlow  A  8 

Ballyellin  MUl,  Carlow  B  8 

Ballyellis,  Cork  F  2 

Ballyellis  Ho.,  Wexford  D  1 

Ballyfallon  Ho.,  Meath  C  3 

Ballyfaman,  Roscommon  D  1 

Ballyfeard,  Cork  F  8 

Ballyferis  Pt.,  Down  G  2 

Ballyfermot  and  Sta.,  Dublin  C  4 

Ballyferriter,  Kerry  A  2 

Ballyfin  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Ballyfinboy  R.,  Tipperary  B  1 

Ballyfirreen  Ho.,  Limerick  H  2 

Ballyfoyle  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  F  3 

Ballyfree  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ballygahan  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ballygall,  Galway  E  3 

Ballygalley  B.,  Antrim  F  3 

Ballygalley  Hd.,  Antrim  G  3 
8 


Ballygally  Ho., 
Ballygannon, 
Ballygar, 
Ballygarden, 
Ballygarret, 
Ballygarrett  Ho., 
Ballygarth  Cas., 


Waterford  A  3 
Wicklow  E  2 
Galway  G  2 
Rosco0imon  E  3 
Wexford  E  2 
Cork  F  2 
Meath  G  2 


Ballygawbey  and  Water,  Tyrone  F  4 

Ballygeehin  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Ballygibbon  Ho.,  Kildare  A  1 

Ballygiblin  Ho.,  Cork  E  2 

Ballygillaheen,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Ballyginiff,  Antrim  D  5 

Ballyglass,  Galway  F  1 

Ballyglass,  Galway  F  3 

Ballyglass,  Sligo  D  4 

Ballyglass  Big,  Roscommon  D  3 

Ballyglass  Ho.,  Roscommon  C  3 

Ballyglass  Ho.,  Sligo  F  2 

Ballygoghlan,  Limerick  A  2 

Ballygoran  Ho.,  Kildare  D  1 

Ballygorey,  Kilkenny  C  5 

Ballygowan,  Antrim  E  4 

Ballygowan,  Kilkenny  B  4 

Ballygowan  Sta.,  Down  E  2 

Ballygrady,  Cork  E  2 

Ballygriffin,  Cork  F  2 

BallygrifBn  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  4 

Ballygub,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Ballygunner  Cas.,  Waterford  G  2 

Ballynack,  Wexford  A  4 

Ballyhagan  Ho.,  Kildare  B  1 

Ballyhahill,    ,  Limerick  B  2 

Ballyhaise  and  Ho. ,  Cavan  F  2 

Ballyhalbert,  Down  G  3 

Ballyhale,  Galway  D  2 

Ballyhale.i  Kilkenny  C  4 

Baltyhall,  Galway  E  2 

Ballyhalwick  Ho..  Cork  D  3 

Ballyhamlet  Ho.,  Waterford  B  3 

Ballyhandy,  West  Meath  C  3 

Ballyhare,  Roscommgn  E  6 

Ballyhaunis,  Mayo  E  2 

Ballyhealy  Ho.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Ballyhealy  Ho.,  Wexford  C  4 

Ballyhean,  Mayo  C  2 

Ballyheelan,  Cavan  E  3 
Ballyheige,  Bay,  and  Cas.,      Kerry  C  1 

Ballyhenebery  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  4 

Ballyherly,  Down  F  3 

Ballyhighland,  Wexford  B  2 

Ballyhillin,  Donegal  E  1 

Ballyhire  Ho.,  Wexford  E  4 

Ballyhoe  Bri.,  Fermanagh  G  4 

Ballyhoe  Lough,  Meath  D  1 

Ballyholme  B.,  Down  F  1 

Ballyhook,  Wicklow  A  3 

Ballyhoolahan,  Cork  E  2 

Ballyhooly,  Cork  F  2 

Ballyhoorisky,  Donegal  D  2 

Ballyhornan,  Down  F  4 

Ballyhoura  Hills,  Limerick  G  4 

Ballyhowly  Ho.,  Mayo  E  2 

Ballyin  Ho.,  Waterford  B  3 

Ballyine  Ho.,  Carlow  B  3 

Ballyjamesduff,  Cavan  F  3 

Ballykealey  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 
Ballykean  Ho.  and  Cott.,    Wicklow  E  8 

Ballykeel,  Down  C  3 

Ballykeel  Ho.,  Clare  E  1 

Ballykeel  Ho.,  Down  D  5 

Ballykeenan  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballykeeran,  West  Meath  A  3 
Ballykelly,  Sta.,  &  R.,  Londonderry  C  2 

Ballykelly  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  4 

Ballykenny  I,.,  Donegal  F  1 

Ballykilbeg,  Down  E  4 

Ballykilcavan  Ho.,  Queen'x  Co.  E  2 

Ballykilty  Ho.,  Clare  G  3 

Ballykilty  Ho.,  Wexford  E  1 

Ballykisteen  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  3 

Ballyknock,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballyknock,  Longford  C  3 

Ballyknockan,  Wicklow  C  2 

Ballyknockane  Ho.,  Limerick  E  3 

Ballylaan,  Clare  D  2 

Ballylanders,  Limerick  G  3 

Ballylane  Ho.,  Wexford  A  8 

Bally  lane  L.,  Armagh  C  3 

Ballylaneen,  Waterford  E  2 

Ballylaur,  Sligo  D  8 

Ballylea  Lo.,  Tipperary  B  1 

Ballyleaan  Ho.,  Clare  F  8 

Ballyleakin  Ho.,  King's  Co  H  2 

Ballyleck  Ho.,  Monaghan  B  2 

Ballyleen  Lo.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballylegat  Ho.,  Waterford  F  2 

Ballylennon  Cross  RA,  Carlow  B  1 

Ballylessan,  i  Down  D  2 

Ballyliffin,  Donegal  E  2 

Ballylin  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  2 

Ballylin  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballylinch  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Ballyline  Ho.,  Clare  G  2 

Ballylintagh,  Londonderry  F  2 

Ballylintagh  Ho.,  Down  C  3 


Ballylion  Ho., 
Ballylongford, 
Ballyloo  Cas., 
Ballylooby, 
Ballylough  Cas., 
Ballyloughan  Cas., 
Ballylow  and  Bay, 
Ballylynan, 
Ballymabin  Cotl., 
Ballymacallion, 
Ballymacarret, 
Ballymacaw, 
Ballymacdermot, 
Ballymacegan  Ho., 


Wicklow  B  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Carlow  B  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
Antrim  C  1 
Carlow  B  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Waterford  G  3 
Londonderry  D  3 
Down  D  2 
Waterford  G  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Tipperary  B  1 


Ballymacgibbon  Hb.,  Mayo  D  3 

Ballymack  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  3 

Ballymackesy  Ho.,  Wexford  B  3 

Ballymackillagill,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Baliymackney,  Monaghan  D  4 

Ballymacoda,  Cork  H  3 

Ballymacoll  Ho.,  Meath  E  4 

Ballymacone  R.,  Armagh  C  3 

Ballymacreelly,  Down  E  3' 

Ballymadun,  Dublin  C  2 

Ballymagarry,  Antrim  B  1 

Ballymagarvey  Ho.,  Meath  F  3 

Ballymagauran,  Cavan  D  2 

Ballymaglassan  Ho.,  Meath  E  4 

Ballymagooly,  Cork  F  2 

Ballymagorry,  Tyrone  D  1 

Ballymahon,  Longford  C  3 

Ballymakeery,  Cork  D  3 

Ballymakellett,  Louth  C  1 

Ballymakenny,  Louth  B  3 

Ballymanus  Bri.,  Wicklow  C  3 

Ballymanus  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Ballymaquiff,  Galway  E  3 

Ballymartin,  Carlow  B  3 

Ballymartin,  Down  D  6 

Bally  mart  le  Ho.,  Cork  F  3 

Ballymartrim  Bri.,  Armagh  B  2 

Ballymascanlan  Ho.,  Louth  B  1 

Ballymastocker  Bay,  Donegal  E  2 

Ballymeelish  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Ballymeeny,  Sligo  C  2 

Ballymena,  Antrim  D  3 

Ballymenagh  Ho.,  Down  E  2 

Ballymichael,  Donegal  D  2 

Bally  mire  Ho.,  Wicklow  A  2 

Ballymoe  Barony,  Galway  F  2 

Ballymoe  Town,  Galway  F  1 

Ballymoe  Barony,  Roscommon  C  3 

Ballymogue  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballymoney,  Antrim  B  2 

Ballymoney,  Donegal  E  2 

Ballymoney,  Londonderry  C  3 

Ballymoney  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Ballymoney  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  4 

Ballymoney  R.,  Antrim  C  2 
Ballymoney  Cross  Rds.  and  Fishery, 

Wexford  E  1 

Ballymoon,  Cas.,  and  Ho.,     Carlow  B  2 

Ballymooney  Ho.,  King's  Co.  F  2 

Ballymoran  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  2 

Ballymore,  Longford  D  2 

Ballymore,  Roscommon  D  2 

Ballymore,  West  Meath  C  3 

Ballymore  Eustace,  Kildare  D  3 

Ballymore  Ho.,  Wexford  D  2 

Ballymore  L.,  Mayo  D  1 

Ballymore  Lowr.,  Donegal  D  2 

Ballymorran.  Down  F  3 

Ballymote  and  Sta.,  Sligo  E  3 

Ballymullcn  Ho.,  '  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Ballymulvey  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 

Ballymum,  Wexford  D  3 

Ballymurphy,  Carlow  B  3 

Ballymurphy  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballymurray,  Roscommon  E  6 

Ballymurry,  Galway  F  3 

Ballymurtaeh  Mines,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ballymyre  Ho.,  Armagh  C  3 

Ballynabama,  West  Meath  C  3 

Ballynabeama  Ho.,  Limerick  C  3 

Ballynabloun  Ho.,  Kerry  A  3 

Ballynabola,  Wexford  B  8 

Ballynaboley  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Ballynabrocky,  Wicklow  C  2 

Ballynacallagh,  Cork  A  4 

Ballynacally,  Clare  F  3 

Ballynacard  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  3 

Ballynacarrig  Br.,  King's  Co.  E  3 

Ballynacarrig  R.,  Queen's  Co.  B  1 

BalljTiacarriga,  Cork  E  8 

Ballynacarrigy,  West  Meath  C  2 

Ballynacarrow,  Sligo  E  8 

Ballynacarrow  Br.,  West  Mealh  C  2 

Ballynacarry,  Armagh  C  4 

Ballynaclogh,  Tipperary  B  2 

Ballynaclogh  R.,  Limerick  F  2 

Ballynaclouagh,  West  Mealh  D  2 

Ballynacooly  Cas.,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Ballynacorra,  Cork  G  3 

Ballynacourty  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballynacourty  Ho.,  Limerick  G  4 

Ballynacourty  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  4 


Ballynacourty  Ho., 
Ballynacree  Ho., 
Ballynadrinna  Ho., 
Ballynadrumny, 
Ballynafagh  Ho., 


Waterford  D  S 

Tipperary  A  4 

Meath  B  3 

Kildare  B  1 

Kildaie  C  2 


Ballynafauna  and  Sta.,  Cork  G  2 

Ballynagall,  Kerry  A  2 

Ballynagall,  West  Meath  D  2 

Ballynagall,  West  Meath  E  1 

Ballynagarbry,  West  Meath  B  3 

Ballynagarde  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

Ballynagard  Sta.,  Londonderry  B  2 

Ballynaglogh,  Sligo  E  3 

Ballynagore,  West  Meath  D  3 

Ballynagoshen  Ho.,  Longford  C  ? 

Ballynahallin  Ho.,  Wexford  C  2 

Ballynahatty,  Tyrone  D  3 

Ballynahinch  Down  D  3 

Ballynahinch,  Limerick  G  8 
Ballynahinch  Barony,  Cas.,  &  L., 

Galway  B  2 

Ballynahinch  Ho.,  Clare  H  2 

Ballynahinch  Inn,  Down  E  3 

Ballynahinch  R.,  Down  D  3 

Ballynahone  Beg,  Armagh  C  3 

Ballynahone  Ho.,  Armagh  C  2 
Ballynahown  and  Court,    W.  Mealh  A  3 

Ballynahown  Bri.,  Wexford  D  2 

Ballynakill,  Roscommon  C  3 

Ballynakill,  Roscommon  F  5 

Ballynakill  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Ballynakill  Ho.,  Kildare  C  1 

Ballynakill  Ho.,  Limerick  D  3 

BallynakiU'Ho.,  Limerick  E  2 

Ballynakill  Hr.  and  L.,  Galway  A  2 

Ballynakill  L.,  Galway  E  3 

Ballynamaddy,  Armagh  D  4 

Ballynameen,  Londonderry  E  3 

Ballynamona,  Cork  F  2 

Ballynamona,  Galway  G  2 

Ballynamona,  Longford  D  2 

Ballynamona,  Roscommon  E  3 

Ballynamona,  Roscomnlon  E  5 

Ballynamona,  Roscommon  F  3 

Ballynamona,  West  Meath  C  2 

Ballynamona  Ho.,  Limerick  D  3 
Ballynamona  Up.  St  Lr.,     Longford  D  2 

Ballynamony  Br.,  Kildare  B  4 

Ballynamore,  Londonderry  B  3 

Ballynamuck  Ho.,  Waterford  C  3 

Ballynamuddagh,  Wexford  D  3 
Ballynamuddagh  Ho.,    West  Meath  B  3 

Ballynamult,  Waterford  C  2 

Ballynaniy  Ho.,  Limerick  F  3 

Ballynaparka  Ho.,  Waterford  C  3 

Ballynaraha,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballynard  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  i 

Ballynascarty,  Cork  G  3 

Ballynascreen  Ch.,  Londonderry  D  4 

Ballynascreen  Ho.,  Londonderry  E  4 

Ballynash  Cas.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballynaskeagh,  Down  B  4 

Ballynastockan,  Wicklow  C  2 
Ballynastraw  Ho.  and  Cott.,  Wexford  C  1 

Ballynastuckaun,  Galway  E  2 

Ballynatona,  Wicklow  C  2 

Ballynatray  Ho.,  .  Waterford  B  3 

Ballynatlin  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  4 

Ballynavoriha,  Wicklow  B  4 

Ballyneal  Ho.,  Waterford  E  2 

Ballyncale,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballyneally  Ho.,  Limerick  E  3 

Ballynee,  Meaih  D  2 

Eallyneen,  Cork  E  3 

Ballyncely,  Limerick  F  2 

Ballyneety  Ho.,  Limerick  H  2 

Ballyness  Bay,  Donegal  C  2 

Ballyness  Mt.,  Tyrone  E  4 

Ballynestragh,  Wexford  E  1 

Ballynew,  Galway  C  3 

Ballynew,  Galway  G  3 

Ballynewry  Ho.,  Armagh  C  2 

Ballynicole,  Waterford  C  3 

Ballynoe,  Galway  G  3 

Ballynoe  Ho.,  Limerick  E  3 

Ballynolan  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballynultagh,  Wicklow  C  2 

Ballynunnery  Cas.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballynure,  Antrim  F  4 

Ballynure  Ho.,  Monaghan  A  2 

Ballynure  Road  Sta.,  Antrim  F  4 

Ballyorgan,  Limerick  G  4 

Ballyomey,  Wicklow  E  2 

Ballyoughteragh,  Kerry  A  2 

Ballyoumey,  Cork  D  3 

Ballypatrick,  Tipperary  D  4 

Ballyphilip,  Kilkenny  A  2 

Ballyphilip  Br.,  Waterford  F  2 

Ballyphilip  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  3 

Ballypierce  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Ballyporeen,  Tipperary  B  4 

Ballyquick  Cott.,  Tipperary  B  1 

Ballyquin  Ho.,  Clare  I  3 

Ballyquin  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballyquintin  Ft.,  Down  G  4 

Ballyrafter  Ho.,  Waterford  B  3 


BALLYRAGGAN. 


INDEX. 


BENITETTSBKIOGB. 


Ballyraggan  Ho., 
ISalljTasiget, 

ten  Ho., 
Ball)Ta!D«  Ho., 
Hailyrankin  Ho., 
Ballj-nshane, 
Kallyre, 


Kildare  C  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Wicklow  B  4 
Wick  low  D  4 
Wexford  C  2 
Londonderry  F  2 
Cork  G  S 


Ballyredjnond  Ho.,  Carlow  D  2 

Ball>Tihy  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Ballyrisode  Ho.,  Cork  B  4 

Ballyroan,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Ballyrw  Ho.,  Kildare  B  4 

BaU\Togan,  Londonderry  E  2 

BalljTogan  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

BalljTonan,  Londonderry  F  4 

Ballyroney,  Down  C  4 

BalljTush,  Monaghan  E  3 

Ballj-sadare  and  Bay,  Sligo  E  2 

Ballysadare  R.,  Sligo  F  2 

Pallysaegartmore  Ho.,      Waterford  B  3 

Ballysatlagh  Ho.,  Carlow  D  1 

BallysalUgh  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  2 

Ballj-sax  Lo.,  Kildare  C  3 

BallyscanlanL.,  Waterford  F  2 

Pall>'Scullion  Ch.,  Antrim  C  4 

BallyscuUion  Ho.,  Londonderry  F  4 

Ballyseedy,  Kerry  C  2 

Ball>-seskin  Ho.,  Wexford  C  4 

Ball>'shannon,  Donegal  C  4 

Ballyshannon  Ho.,  Kildare  B  3 

Ball>-shear,  King's  Co.  G  2 

Ballysheedy  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

Ballysheehan,  Tipperary  C  3 

Ballj-shiel  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Ballyshonog  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  4 

Ballysmuttan,  Wicklow  C  1 

Ball>-sop  Ho.,  Wexford  A  4 

Ballyspellun  Ho.,  Kilkenny  A  2 

Ball>-spurge,  Down  G  3 

Ballystanly  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  4 

BallysUen  Ho.,  Limerick  C  2 

Ballysteen  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballyursna,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ballytarsna  Cross  Rd*.,  Carlow  B  2 

Ballytarsna  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  8 

Ball>te!ge  Bay,  Wexford  B  4 

Ballyteige  Cas.,  Wexford  C  4 

Ballyteige  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ballytei^elea  Lock  aat]  Br.,   Carlow  B  3 

Ballytomll,  Tipperary  D  4 

Ballytrent  Ho.,  Wexford  D  4 

Ballytrim  Ho.,  Down  F  3 

Ballyturin  Ho.,  Galway  E  3 

Ballyvad  Cott.,  Waterford  F  2 

Ballyvahan,  Clare  E  1 

Ballyvaghan  B.,  Clare  E  1 

Ballyvaldon  Cross  Rds.,      Wexford  E  3 

Ballyvally  Ho.,  Clare  K  3 

Ballyvatten,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Ballyvelton  Ho.,  Londonderry  F  2 

Ballyvester  Ho.,  Down  F  2 

Ballyvolane  Ho.,  Cork  G  2 

Ballyvoy,  Antrim  E  1 

Ballj-voyle  Hd.,  Waterford  E  3 

Eallywalter,  Down  G  2 

Ballywalter  Ho.,  Cork  F  2 

Ballywalter  Ho.,  Wexford  E  2 

Ball)-ward  Ho.,  Wicklow  C  1 

Ball>-ward  L.,  Down  C  4 

Bally  water  Ho.,  Wexford  E  2 

Ballywillhill  Ho.,  Down  D  4 

Ballywilliam,  Limerick  D  2 

Ballywilliam  and  Sta.,  Wexford  A  3 

Ballywilliam  Ho.,  Down  F  2 

Ballywilliam  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  2 

Ballywillin  and  Sta.,  Longford  E  2 

liallywire  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  4 

Ballyworkan  Ho.,  Armagh  D  2 

Ballywully,  Roscommon  D  3 

Balmoral  Sta,,  Antrim  F  2 

Balnacart,  West  Meath  E  1 

Balralh,  Meath  C  2 

Balregan  Cas.,  Louth  B  1 

Balrickard,  Dublin  E  2 

Balfothery,  Dublin  E  1 

Balrothcry  East  Barony,  Dublin  E  2 

IJalrothery  West  Barony,       Dublin  C  2 

Balscaddao,  Dublin  E  1 

Balceagh,  L.ondonderry  D  2 

Baltimore  and  Bay,  Cork  C  i 

Baltinglais,  Wicklow  A  3 

Baluaua,  Louth  A  2 

Baltiaina  Ho.,  Meath  A  2 

Baltrasna  Ho.,  M<:ath  E  4 

Ballray,  Louth  C  3 

Baltyboys  Ha,  Wicklow  B  2 

BanaHa  and  Abbcjr,  Sligo  D  3 

Banagher,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Banagher,  Leitrim  B  2 

Bar.agher,  Londonderry  D  3 

BanUidge/  Down  B  3 

Bajidon,  Cork  E  3 

Bandon  R.  Cork  D  3 

Bane  L.,  Meath  A  2 

Bane  L.,  WeK  Meath  D  1 

Bapemore  Ho.,  Kerry  D  1 


Bangor, 

Bangor  and  Cat., 
Bangor  B., 
Bann  Bri., 
Bann  R., 
Bann  R., 
Bann  R.  soure*, 
Bann  R., 
Bannagh  R., 
Bannow  Bay, 
Bannow  I., 
Bannow  L., 
Bannow  L., 
Banse, 
Bansha, 

Banteer  and  St»., 
Bantis  Ho., 
Bantry, 


Mayo  B  1 

Down  F  2 

Down  E  1 

Wexford  C  2 

Antrim  B  3 

Armagh  D  2 

Down  C  4 

Wexford  C  2 

Fermanagh  D  1 

Wexford  B  4 

Wexford  B  4 

Longford  B  3 

Longford  B  3 

Kilkenny  B  3 

Tipperarj'  B  4 

Cork  E  2 

Tipperary  B  2 

Wexford  B  3 


Bantry  Barony  and  Vil.,  Cork  C  3 

Bantry  Bay  and  L.  Ho.,  Cork  B  4 

Baraghy  L.,            '  Cavan  H  2 

Barbavilla,  West  Meath  E  2 

Earberstown  Cott.,  Kildare  D  2 

Bardinch  R.,  Cork  D  3 

Bargy  Barony,  Wexford  C  4 

Bargy  Cas.,  ■  Wexford  D  4 

Barley  Cove,  Cork  B  4 

Barleyhill  Ho.,  Mayo  D  2 

Barmeath,  Louth  B  3 

Barmona,  Carlow  B  3 

liarn,  The,  Queen's  Co.  F  4 

Barn  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  4 

Bam  Str.,  Longford  B  2 

Bama,  Galway  D  3 

Barna,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Bama,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Barnaboy  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  2 

Barnacurra,  Cork  D  2 

Bamacurra,  Galway  F  2 

Bamaderg  Cas. ,  Galway  E  2 

Bamadown  Ho.,  Wexford  D  1 

Barnadown  Ho.,  Wexford  E  2 

Barnagh  Barony,  Donegal  B  3 

Barnagh  Hill,  Limerick  B  3 

Barnagh  Hill,  Limerick  C  3 

Bamagrotty,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Bamagrow  L.,  Cavan  G  2 

Barnahowna,  Galway  C  2 

Barnakyle  Riv.,  Limerick  E  2 

Barnane,  Tipperary  C  2 

Barnard  Castle,  Cork  E  3 

Bamathason:^  Kilkenny  B  4 

Bamattin,  Louth  B  3 

Barnavave,  Louth  C  1 

Bames  Top,  Londonderry  D  3 

Barnesfnore  Gap,  Donegal  D  3 

Barnhill  Ho.,  Kildare  B  4 

Barntick  Ho.,  Clare  G  3 

Barntown  Ho.,  Wexford  C  3 

Bar  Hall,  Down  G  3 

Barons  Court,  Tyrone  D  2 

Baronstown  Ha,  West  Meath  C  2 

Barra  L.,  Donegal  C  3 

Barrabehy,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Barrack,  Longford  C  2 

Barrack,  Monaghan  B  1 

Barrack  Street,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Barrack  Village,  Carlow  B  3 

Barrack  Village,  .  Kilkenny  C  2 

Barrack  Village,  Waterford  C  2 

Barrack  Village,  Wexford  A  3 

Barracurragh,  Tipperary  C  3 

Barradaw,  Cork  G  2 

Barraderry  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  3 

Barraduff,  Kerry  D  2 

Barragh  Ch.,  Carlow  C  2 

Barraghcore  Ho.,  Kilkenny  E  3 

Barranatraw,  Kerry  B  8 

Barranagh,  Mayo  A  1 

Barranny,  Galway  D  2 

Bar»atogher,  Sligo  C  3 

Barravally,  Kilkenny  B  4 

Barren's  Rks.,  Wexford  D  6 

Barretstown  Ho.|  Kildare  C  2 

Barretts  Barony,  _  Cork  F  2 

Barrigone,       _  Limerick  C  2 

Barrington's  Bri.,  Limerick  G  2 

Barristown,  Waterford  G  2 

Barrogstown  Ho.,  Kildare  D  1 

Barronstown,  Wexford  B  3 

Earjow  Harb,  Kerry  C  2 

Barrow  Ho.,  The,  Queen's  Co.  C  1 
Barrow  K. ,  source  of^     Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Barrow  R.,  mouth  of,  Wexford  A  4 

Barrowbank  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  8 

Barrowford  Ho.,  Kildare  B  3 

Barry,  Longford  C  3 

Barry  L.,  Fermanagh  E  8 

Barrykilla,  Cork  G  8 

Barrymore  Barony,  Cork  G  2 
Barryroe  and  Ibane  Barony,      Cork  E  4 

Barry's  Hd.,  Cork  F  8 

Barr/s  Pt.,  Cork  F  4 

Barrysiown  Ho.,  Wexford  B  4 

Bartlcmy,  Cork  G  2 

Bartleys  Grove.  Monaglian  C  8 


Bartragh  L,  Mayo  D  1 

Bartramstown  Ho.,  Meath  F  3 

Bartraw,  Mayo  B  2 

Baskin  Ho.,  West  Meath  B  3 

Batterstown  and  Sta.,  Meath  E  4 

Battle  Bridge,  Roscommon  E  1 

Battlefield  Ho.,  Sligo  F  3 

Battleford  Bri.,        ,  Armagh  B  2 

Battlemount  no.,    '  Kildare  B  3 

Baunboy,  Kilkenny  D  3 

Baunmore,  Galway  F  3 

Baunmore  Ho.,  Kilkenny  A  2 
Baunreaghcong  Mt.,      Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Baunskeha,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Bauntia,  Galway  G  3 

Baunyknav,  Galway  F  3 

Bauraneag,  Limerick  C  2 

Baurcaragh  R.,  Kerry  D  3 

Baurscoob,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Baurtregaum,  Kerry  C  2 

Bauteogue  R.,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Bawn,  King's  Co.  G  2 

Bawn  Hill,  Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Bawn  Ho.,  Longford  C  2 

Bawn  L.,  Monaghan^  C  3 

Bawnboy  and  Ho,,  Cavan  D  2 

Bawnduff,  Kerry  B  3 

BawnduffR.,  Mayo  B  1 

Bawnmore  Ho.,  Wexford  A  3 

Bawnrush,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Bayswell  Ho.,  Kilkenny  A  2 

Baytown  Park,  Meath  E  4 

Bayview,  Waterford  C  4 

Beaconstown,  Kildare  B  4 

Beagh,  Galway  E  2 

Beagh  Cas.,  Limerick  D  2 

Beagh  L.,  Donegal  D  2 

Beagh  R.,  Galway  E  3 

Beagmore  I,.,  Longford  C  1 

Beakstown  Cott.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Beal  Pt.,  Kerry  D  1 

Bealaclugga,  Clare  F  1 

Bealaha,  Clare  C  3 

Bealanabrack  R.,  Galway  C  2 

Bealanageary,  Cork  D  3 

Bcalin,  West  Meath  B  3 

Bealock,  Cork  D  3 

Beanfield  Ho.,  Wexford  C  1 

Bear  Barony,  Cork  B  3 

Bear  Haven  and  I.,  Cork  B  4 

Beardiville,  Antrim  B  1 

Bearforest  Ho.,        _  Cork  F  2 

Bearhaven  Copper  Mines,  Cork  A  4 

Bearstown,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Beau  Ho.,  Dublin  F  2 

Beaufort  Ho.,  Kerry  D  2 

Beauliea  Ho.,  Louth  C  3 

Beaupark  Sta.,  Meath  E  2 

Beckfield  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Bective  Sta.,  Bri.,  and  Ho.,    Meath  D  3 

Bedford  Ho.,  Kerry  D  1 

Beechabbey,  Roscommon  E  2 

Beech  Grove,  Kildare  C  1 

Beech  Gr„  Monaghan  C  2 

Beech  Km  Ho.,  Armagh  B  3 

Beech  Mount,  Wicklow  D  3 

Beechmount,  Limerick  D  2 

Beechmount,  Wicklow  B  4 

Beechmount  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  3 

Beechpark  Ho.,  Clare  F  3 

Beechwood,  Roscommon  E  4 

Beechwood,  Tipperary  B  2 

Beechwood  Ho.,  'Dublin  F  3 

Beehive,  Cavan  G  3 

Beennaman,  Kerry  B  2 

Beenoskee,  ,      Kerry  B  2 

Beesbrack,  Monaghan  B  2 

Beg  L.,  Kildare  B  2 

Beg  Lough,  lx)ndonderry  G  4 

Beggars  End,  Kildare  D  2 

Beghagh  Bri.,  Longford  B  2 

Begrath,  Louth  B  8 

Behagh,  Clare  F  1 

Beehamore  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Behanagh,  Limerick  H  4 

Beilanode,  Monaghan  B  2 

Bekan,  Mayo  E  2 

Belalt,  Donegal  D  4 
Belan  Ho.,  Lo.,  tuid  Cott.,    Kildare  B  4 

Belcamp  Park,  Dublin  E  4 

Belcoo,  Fermanagh  C  8 

Belderg  Harb.,  Mayo  C  1 

Beleek  and  Sta.,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Beleeynamore  Mtn.,  I'yrone  G  2 

Belfast,  Antrim  F  5 

Belfast  Lough,  Antrim  G  4 

Belfast  Lower  Barony,  Antrim  F  4 

Belfast  Upper  Barony,  Antrim  E  5 

Bclfrim  Cas.,  Tyrone  E  2 

Belgard  Cas.,  Dublin  C  6 

Bclgooly,  Cork  F  3 

Bclhuvel  and  L.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Bcligny  Lower,  Donegal  C  2 

Bella,  Roscommon  C  2 

Bellacorick  Br.,  Mayo  C  1 

bcllacragher  Bay,  Mayo  B  2 


Belladrihid, 
Bellaheady  Bri., 
Bellahy, 
Bellahy, 
Bellair  Ho., 
Bellamont  Ho., 
Bellanacargy, 
Bellanagarfc, 


Sligo  F  2 

Cavan  D  2 

Mayo  E  2 

Sligo  D  4 

King's  Co.  B  1 

Cavan  G  2 

Cavan  F  2 

Roscommon  C  2 


Bellanamallard  &  Sta.,     Fermanagh  E  2 

Bellanamean  R.,  Sligo  C  3 

Bellananaghj  Cavan  E  3 

Bellantra  Bri.,  Leitrim  C  3 

Bellarush  Br.,  Sligo  F  3 

Bellanascarrow,  Sligo  F  3 

Bellanavoran  Br.,  Meath  D  1 
Bellarena  and  Sta.,       Londonderry  D  2 

Bellatrain,  Monaghan  C  3 

Bellaugh,  Roscommon  E  6 

Bellavally  Gap,  Cavan  C  2 

Bellavary,  Mayo  D  2 

Bellebrook,  Kildare  E  1 

Belleek,  Armagh  D  3 

Belleek,  Donegal  C  4 

Belleek  Ab.  and  Cas.,  Mayo  D  1 

Bellefield,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Belle  Grove,  Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Belleisle,  Fermanagh  E  3 

Belle  Isle,  Donegal  C  4 

Belle  Isle,  Tipperary  B  1 

Belleville,  Galway  E  2 

Belle  Vue,  Monaghan  D  4 

Bellevue,  Waterford  B  3 

Bellevue,  Wexford  C  3 

Bellevue,  Wicklow  E  2 

Bellevue  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  1 

Bellevue  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Bellgrove  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  4 

Bellgrove  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Bellia,  Clare  B  2 

Belline  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Bellisland  L.,  Galway  E  2 

Bellisle,  Down  C  3 

Bellmount,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Bellmount,  Queen's  Co.  C  4 

Bellmount,  West  Meath  D  3 

Bellmount,  Wicklow  B  4 

Bellmount  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  2 

BellmuUet,  Mayo  A  1 

Bellpark  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  8 

Bellurgan  Sta.,  Louth  C  1 

Bellview,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Bellville,  Limerick  D  8 

Bellville  Park,  Waterford  C  3 

Belmont,  Down  D  2 

Belmont,  Galway  E  2 

Belmont  Ho.,  Wexford  C  8 

Belmore  Mtn.,  Fermanagh  D  3 

Belmount  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Belmount  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  2 

Belraugh,  LoDdonderry  E  2 

Belshade  L.,  Donegal  C  3 

Beltany  Lower,  Donegal  C  2 

Beltoy,  Antrim  G  4 

Beltra  L.,  Mayo  C  2 

Beltrim  Cas.,  '       Tyrone  E  2 

Belturbet,  Cavan  E  2 

Belvidere,  West  Meath  D  8 

Belvidere  Ho.,  Cork  G  2 

Belview,  Armagh  C  2 

Belview,  Fermanagh  E  3 

Belview,  Galway  G  8 

Belview,  Louth  C  3 

Belview,  Meath  B  2 

Belview  Ho.-,  Kildare  A  8 

Belview  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  5 

Belview  Ho.,  King's  Co.  E  1 

Belville,  Mayo  C  1 

BelviUe,  West  Meath  B  3 

Belvoir,  Down  D  2 

Belvoir  Ho.,  Clare  H  3 

Belvue,  West  Meath  F  2 

Benady  Glen,  Londonderry  D  3 

Benagh  Lo.,  Down  B  4 

Benalbit,  West  Meath  D  3 

Benbaun,  Galw.iy  B  2 

Benbo,  Leitrim  B  2 

Benbrack,  Cavan  B  2 

Benbradagh,  Londonderry  D  3 

Benbulbin,  Sligo  F  1 

Benburb,  Tyrone  H  4 

Bencor,  '     Galway  B  2 

Ben  Creggan,  Mayo  B  3 

Bencroy,  Leitrim  D  3 

Benduflf,  Tipperary  C  2 

Benettstown  Ho;,  Wexford  D  4 

Bengore  Hd.,  Antrim  C  1 

Bengorm,  Mayo  B  2 

Bengorm,  Mayo  B  3 

Bcnhcad,  Meath  G  3 

Ben  Howth,  Dublin  G  4 

Bcnison  L.,  West  Meath  E  2 

Benmore  Mt.  and  Hd.,  Mayo  C  1 

Benmore  or  Fair  Hd.,  Antrim  E  1 

Ben  Neagh  Ho.,  Antrim  D  5 
Bennekerry  Lo.  and  Ho.,       Carlow  B  2 

Bennettsbridge,  Kilkenny  C  8 


BEMBAW. 


INDEX. 


BDLBIN. 


Benraw,  Down  C  4 

BentlyCott.,  Wexford  D  3 

Eenvardin  Ho.,  Antrim  B  2 

Benville  Ho.,  Wexford  C  4 

Benwee  Geevraun  Pt.,  Mayo  C  1 

Benwce  Hd.,  Mayo  B  1 
Benwee,  or  Kilcummin  Hd., 


Beragh  and  Sta., 
Berkeley  Forest  Ho 
Bernard  Cas., 
Berry  B., 
Bert  Ho., 
Bertraghboy  Bay, 
Besborough  Ho., 
Bessborough, 
Bess  Brook  and  Sta. 
Bess  Grove, 
Bessfort, 

Bessmount  Park, 
Bessy  Bell, 
Betaghstown, 
Betaghstown  Lo.  and  Sta., 
Betaghstown  Cross  Rds., 


Mayo  D  1 
_  3 

3 
3 
3 
3 
2 


Bettyfield, 
Bettyfield  Ho., 
Betty  Ville, 
Bettyville,  ~ 
Bettyville  Ho., 
Bey  beg  Ho., 
Beymore  Ho., 
Big  Collin, 
Big  R.. 
Bilberry  Hill, 
Bilberry  R., 
Bilboa, 
Bilboa  R., 
Billis  Bri., 
Billy, 
Binbeg, 
Binevenagh, 
Bingham  Cas., 
Binghamstown, 
Binroe  Cas., 
Birchfield  Ho., 
Birchfield  Ho., 
Birchgrove  Ho., 
BirdhTll, 
Bird  Is., 
Bird's  Rock, 
Birdstown  Ho., 
Bireencorragh, 
Birmore  I., 
Birr  or  Parsonstown, 
Birr  View, 
Bishops  Court, 
Bishopscourt  Ho., 
Bishop's  Hall, 
Bishops  I., 
Bishops  Palace, 
Bishopstown  Cas., 
Bishops  Village, 
Black  Ball  Hd., 
Black  Bri., 
Black  Bull, 
Black  Bush,  The, 
Black  Cas., 
Black  Castle, 
Blackcastle  Ho., 
Blackford  Br.^  ' 
Blackford  Br., 
Blackford  Br., 
Black  Fort, 
Blackfort  Ho., 
Blackball, 
Black  Hall, 
Black  Hall, 
Blackball  Cas., 
Black  Hd., 
Black  Head  and  Bay, 
Blackheath  Ho., 
Black  Hill, 
Black  Is., 
Black  Knob, 
Black  Lion, 
Blacklion, 
Black  Lion, 
Black  L., 
Black  L., 
Black  Mt., 
Black  Mtn., 
Blackpool, 
Black  Quarter  Ho., 
Blackrath,  Ho.,  and  Cas. 
Black  R.,  The, 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  Riv., 
Black  R., 
Black  R., 
Black  Rock, 
Black  Rock, 
Black  Rock, 


Tyrone  F 
Wexford  A 
King's  Co.  D 
Londonderry  B 
Kildare  A 
Galway  B 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Clare  D  4 
Armagh  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Longford  C 
Monaghan  C 
IVrone  D 
Louth  C 
Meath  G 
Kildare  C 


Roscommon  D 
Carlow  C 
Limerick  G  3 
Wexford  C  3 
Dublin  E 
Meath  G 
Meath  F 
Antrim  E 
Louth  C 
Cavan  D 
Longford  B  8 
Carlow  A  2 
Limerick  H  2 
Cavan  G  3 
Antrim  C  1 
Cavan  C  1 
Londonderry  D  2 
Mayo  A  1 
Mayo  A  1 
Clare  E  1 
Clare  D  2 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Tipperary  C  2 
Tipperary  A  2 
Armagh  D  1 
Sligo  E  2 
Donegal  E  2 


Mayo  C 
Galway  B 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  C 
Down  F 
Kildare  D 
Kilkenny  D 
Clare  B 
Down  E 
West  Meath  C 
Cork  D 
Cork  A 
Kilkenny  D 
Meath  F 
Meath  F 
Wexford  C 
Wicklow  E 
Meath  E 
Carlow  B 
Kildare  A 
Roscommon  A 
Londonderry  E 
Tipperary  B 
Kildare  D 
Louih  C 
Meath  E 
Kildare  D 
Antrim  H  4 
Clare  E  1 
Londonderry  E  2 
Fermanagh  C  1 
Longford  B  3 
Waterford  H  3 


Cavan  B 
Carlow  D 
King's  Co.  E 
Monaghan  C 
Monaghan  C 
Antrim  E 
Louth  C 
Cork  F 
Armagh  C 
,     Kildare  C 
Cavan  B 
Fermanagh  C 
Galway  D  2 
Kildare  A  2 
Leitrim  B  1 
Longford  C  1 
Mayo  D  3 
Tipperary  D  3 
Tipperary  D  3 
West  Meaih  C  2 
Dublin  E  5 
Louth  B  2 
Wexford  D  6 


Blackrock, 
Blackrock, 
Blackrock  Ho., 
Black  Rock  Lt.  Ho., 
Black  Rock, 
Black  Rock  Mtn., 
Black  Rocks, 
Blacksod  Bay, 
Blackstairs  Mountn., 
Blackstoops  Ho., 
Blackwater, 
Black  Water, 
Black  Water, 
Black  Water, 
Blackwater  Vil., 
Blackwater  Bri., 
Blackwater  Bri., 
Blackwater  Harbour, 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R.,  source 
Blackwater  R.,  mouth 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwater  R., 
Blackwatertown, 
Blackwell  Lo., 
Blackwood  and  Cas., 
Blackwood  Pt., 
Blairs  Cove, 
Blakestown  Ho., 
Blakestown  Cross  Rds. 
Blanchardstown, 
Blanchville  Ho., 
Blandsfort  Ho., 
Blaney  Bay, 
Blarney, 

Blasket  Is.,  Great, 
Bleach  Hill, 
Bleach  River, 
Bleakfield  Ho., 
Bleanoran, 
Bleantasour, 
Blenheim, 
Blennerville, 
Blessingbourne  Cott.^ 
Blessington, 
Blind  Harbour, 
Blind  Harb., 
Block  Ho.  Is., 
Bloody  Foreland, 
Bloomfield, 
Bloomfield, 
Bloomfield, 
Bloomfield  Ho., 
Bloomfield  Ho., 
Bloomfield  Ho., 
Bluebell  Ho., 
Blue  Stack  Mts., 
Blunden  Cas., 
Bo  Lough, 
Boa  Is., 
Boakefield, 
Boardmills, 
Bobs  Grove, 
Bobsville, 
Bodaun, 
Boderg  L., 
Bodyke, 
Bofin  L., 
Bofin  L., 
Bog  L., 

Bog  of  the  Ring, 
Boggan, 
Boggauns, 
Boggeragh  Mounts., 
Boharboy, 
Bohateh, 
Bohaun, 
Boher, 

Boheraphuca, 
Boherboy, 
Boherboy, 
Boherboy, 
Eoherduff, 
Bohereen, 
Bohergoy  Ho., 
Boherlahan, 
Bohcrmeen, 
Eohernabreena, 
I'ohernacross, 
KoherquiU, 
Bohill  Ho., 
Bohola, 
Bohullion, 
Bola  L., 
Boley  Ho., 
Boley  Cross  Rds., 
Boleybeg  Bri., 
Boleybeg  Ho., 


of, 


Cork  F 
Down  G 
Antrim  B 
Sligo  E 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  B 
Cork  D 
Mayo  A 
Carlow  C  8 
Wexford  C  2 
Armagh  D  3 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Londonderry  E  4 
Tyrone  C  8 
Wexford  D  3 
Kerry  C  3 
Kildare  B  1 
Wexford  E  8 
Cavan  C  2 
Cavan  G  4 
Cork  D  3 
of,  Waterford  B  3 
Down  E  3 
Kerry  E  2 
Kildare  C  1 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Leitrim  E  3 
Meath  C  2 
Meath  C  4 
Queen's  Co.  C  2 
Tyrone  G  4 
Armagh  B  2 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Longford  A  8 
Cork  C  4 
Louth  A  2 
Louth  A  3 
Dublin  C  4 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Cork  F  3 
Kerry  A  2 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Clare  I  1 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Galway  D  2 
Waterford  D 
Waterford  G 
Kerry  C 
Tyrone  E 
Wicklow  B 
Cork  D 
Mayo  B 
Down  C 
Donegal  B 
West  Meath  D 
Wexford  C 
Wicklow  D  2 
Mayo  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Sligo  F  2 
Kildare  C  2 
Donegal  C  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Sligo  G  8 
Fermanagh  C  1 
Kildare  C  8 
Down  D  8 
Cavan  F 
Meath  B 
Galway  G 
Roscommon  F 
Clare  I 
Galway  C 
Roscommon  F 
Leitrim  D 
Dublin  E 
Roscommon  F 
Galway  F 
Cork  E 
Louth  D 
Galway  F 
Mayo  C 
Limerick  G 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Cork  D  2 
Kildare  A  1 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Kildare  B  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Meath  D  3 
Dublin  C  6 
Longford  D  2 
West  Meath  D  1 
Antrim  E 
Mayo  D 
Donegal  E 
Galway  B 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Kildare  B 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
Kildare  D  " 


Boleythomas, 
Boleyvogue, 
Bolie, 
Boliebaun, 
Boliska  h., 
Bolisland  Ho., 
Bolton  Mill, 
BoUown  Ho., 
Bolus  Hd., 
Bonebrook, 
Bondville, 
Bond  Br., 
Bonabrocka  Ho. , 
Bonet  R., 
Bonnetstown  Ho., 
Boolavonteen, 
Boolteens, 
Boolyglass, 
Boom  Hall, 
Boor  R., 

Boora  L.  and  Riv., 
Booterstown, 
Borleagh  Ho., 
Boro  BrL, 
Boro  R., 
Borodale, 
Borohill  Ho., 
Borris,  Ho.,  and  Sta., 
Borris  in  Ossory, 
Borrismore  Ho., 
Borrisnoe  Mt., 
Borrisokane, 
Borrisoleigh, 
Borrmoui)t  Mt., 
Boston, 
Boston,-^ 
Bottlehill, 
Bougagh  L., 
Boughil, 
BouUypatrick^ 
Bovagh  Ho., 
Boveagh  and  R., 
Bovedy, 
Boviel, 

Bowdstown  Ho., 
Bo  wry, 

Boycetown  R., 
Boyds  Bri., 
Boyds  Mt., 
Boylagh  Barony, . 
Boyle  Barony  and  R., 
Boyle  Town  and  Sta., 
Boyne  R.  and  Ho., 
Boyne  Riv.,  mouth  of, 
Boyne  Hill  Ho., 
Brabazon  Park, 
Brackbaun  Bri., 
Brackenagh  Hall, 
Brackenstown  Ho., 
Brackhill, 
Brack  lagh, 
Bracklagh, 

Brackley  Lough  and  Lo, 
Bracklin  Ho., 
Bracknagh, 
Bradan  C, 
Brade  Ho., 
Bradoge  R. , 
Braganstown, 
Braid  R., 
Bralieve  Mts., 
Bran  L., 
Branchfield, 

Brandon  Hd.  and  Point, 
Brandon  and  Bay, 
Brandondale  Ho., 
Brandrum  Ho., 
Brannock  I., 
Brawny  Barony, 
Bray  Head, 
Bray  Head, 
Bray  Ho., 
Bray  and  Sta., 
Bray,  Little, 
Bray  Mount, 
Brcaghwy  Lo., 
Breakey  L., 
Breandrum  Bri., 
Bree, 

Breechhill  Ho., 
Breedoge  and  R., 
Breen  Ho., 
Breensford  R., 
Erees, 
Bresk  L., 
Brewershill  Ho., 
Brianstown  Ho., 
Brick  R., 
Bricketstown  Ho., 
Brickey  R., 
Bridebridge, 
Bride  River, 
Bride  R., 
Brides  Head, 
Brideswell, 
Bridetree  Well, 


Galway  F  8 
Wexford  D  2 
Longford  D  2 
Leitrim  C  1 
Galway  D  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Kildare  C 
Meath  C 
Kerry  A 
Cavan  C 
Armagh  A 
Kildare  B 
Wicklow  E 
Leitrim  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Waterford  C 
Kerry  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Londonderry  B 
West  Meath  A 
King's  Co.  D 
Dublin  £ 
Wexford  E 
We.^fcrd  B 
Wexford  C 
Wexford  C  8 
Wexford  B  3 
Carlow  B  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Kilkenny  A  2 
Tipperary  C  2 
Tipperary  6  1 
Tipperary  B  8 
Wexford  C  3 
Clare  G  1 
Galway  F  8 
Cork  F  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Kerry  C  3 
Donegal  C  3 
Londonderry  F  2 
Londonderry  D  3 
Londonderry  F  3 
Londonderry  D  3 
Meath  E  3 
Wicklow  A  2 
Meath  D  3 
Louth  B  3 
Londonderry  D  2 
Donegal  C  3 
Roscommon  D  2 
Roscommon  D  2 
Meath  E  2 
Louth  C  3 
Meath  D  3 
Mayo  E  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
Down  D 
Dublin  D 
Kerry  C 
Cavan  E 
Galway  F 
,        Cavan  C 
West  Meath  F 
King's  Co.  H 
■Tyrone  C 
Cork  D 
Donegal  C 
Louth  B 
Antrim  E 
Sligo  G 
Leitrim  C 
Sligo  D 
Kerry  B 
Kerry  B 
Kilkenny  E 
Monaghan  B 
Galway  B  3 
West  Meath  A  3 
Kerry  A  3 
Wicklow  E  1 
Kildare  B  4 
Wicklow  E  1 
Dublin  F  6 
Meath  D  3 
Mayo  D  2 
Meath  C  1 
Leitrim  D 
Wexford  C 
Kilkenny  B 
Roscommon  C 
Antrim  D 
West  Meath  A 

Mayo  D  2 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Wicklow  B 
Longford  B 
Kerry  D 
Wexford  B 
Waterford  C 
Cork  G 
Cork  E 
Cork  F 
Wicklow  E 
Roscommon  E 
Dublin  E 


Bridge  End, 
Bridge  End, 
Bridge  Hill, 
Bridgefoot  Ho., 
Bridget  L., 
Bridgetown, 
Bridge  Town, 
Bridgetown, 
Bridgetown, 
Bridge  Town, 
Bridgetown, 
Bridgeview, 
Brier  Hall, 
Briggs,  The, 
Bright, 
Brinny  River, 


Antrim  E  6 
Donegal  D  2 
Tyrone  C  3 
Dublin  E  1 
Clare  I 
Clare  I  3 
Donegal  E  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Leitrim  B  1 
Roscommon  D  4 
Wexford  C  4 
Armagh  D  3 
Dublin  F  3 
Down  F 
Down  F 
Cork  E 


Briskill,  Lower  and  Upper,  Longford  C 
Brittas,  ^  .  - 

Brittas, 
Brittas, 
Brittas  Riv., 
Brittas  Bay  and  Br. , 
Brittas  Cas., 
Brittas  Ho., 
Brittas  L., 
Broadford, 
Broadford, 
Broadford, 
Broad  Haven, 
Broad  Lough, 
Broad  Meadow  Wat^r, 
Broadstone  Sta., 
Broadway, 
Brockagh, 
Brockaghboy, 
Brocker  Mt., 
Brockley  Park, 
Brodagh  Ho. , 
Brogeen  River, 
Broher, 

Brominagh  Ho., 
Brookeborough, 
Brookfield  Ho., 
Brook  Hall, 
Brook  Hill, 
Brookhill  Ho., 
Brookhill  Ho., 
Brookhill  Ho., 
Brookhill  Ho., 
Brook  Lawn, 
Brook  Lawn, 
Brooklawn, 
Brook  Lo., 
Brook  Lo., 
Brooklodge, 
Brookly  Ho., 
BrookviUe, 
Brookville  Ho., 
BrookviUe  Ho., 
Broomfield, 
Broomfield  Ho., 
Broomfield  Ho., 
Broomfield  Ho.. 
Broomfield  Ho., 
Broomfield  Ho., 
Broomviile  Ho., 
Brosna, 
Brosna, 
Brosna  R., 
Brosna  R., 
Broughal  Cas., 
Broughderg  R., 
Broughillstown  Ho., 
Broughshane, 
Brow  Head, 
Browasbam  Ho., 
Browneshill  Ho., 
Brown  Flesk, 
Brownhall, 
Brown  Hill, 
Brownlow  Ho., 
Brown  Park, 
Browns  B., 
Browns  Bay, 
Browns  Mills, 
Brownscross  Ho., 
BroNvnsford  Ho., 
Brownstown, 
Brownstown  Hd., 
Brownstown  Ho., 
Brownstown  Ho., 
Brownstown  Ho., 
Brownstown  Ho., 
Bruce  Hall, 

Bruce's  Cas.,  Rathlin  Is., 

Bruff, 

Bruree,  Sta.,  and  Ho., 

Brusna  R., 
Brjansford, 
Buckfield, 
Buckna, 
Buckoogh,  . 
Buckroney  Ho.,. 
Buffy  L., 
Biilbaun, 
Bulbin, 


1 
4 

3 

2 

Dublin  B  6 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Meath  D  2 
Wicklow  C  I 
Wicklow  E  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
West  Meath  E  2 
Clare  I  3 
KUdare  B  1 
Limerick  D  3 
Mayo  B  1 
Wicklow  E  2 
Dublin  D  3 
Dublin  D  4 
Wexford  D  4 
Mayo  C  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Tyrone  C  4 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Clare  G  2 
Cork  E  2 
Sligo  D  4 
Tipperary  B  i 
Fermanagh  F  8 
King's  Co.  E  2 
Londonderry  B  2 
Leitrim  B  1 
Antrim  E  5 
Kilkenny  E  3 
Wexford  C  3 
Mayo  D  2 
Kildare  D  1 
Leitrim  F  4 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Limerick  D  3 
Cork  G  8 
Armagh  B  3 
Tipperary  B  4 
Kildare  A  1 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Monaghan  D  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Dublin  F 
Kildare  B 
Wicklow  C 
Wicklow  E 
Carlow  C 
Kerry  E 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  D  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
King's  Co.  D  2 
"Tyrone  F  2 
Carlow  C  1 
Antrim  £  8 
Cork  B  4 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Carlow  B  2 
Kerry  D  2 
Mayo  D  2 
Londonderry  D  3 
Armagh  E  2 
Wexford  C  2 
Antrim  G  3 
Sligo  D  2 
Cork  F  3 
Dublin  C  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Sligo  B  2 
Waterford  G  3 
Kildare  C  3 
Kildare  C  8 
Meath  E  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Cavan  D  3 
Antrim  E 
Limerick  F 
Limerick  F 
Sligo  B 
Down  D 
Roscommon  C 
Antrim  E 
Mayo  C 
Wicklow  E 

Galway  D  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Donegal  E  2 


BULQADEN. 


INDEX. 


OASTLEBBAOH. 


Bulgaden, 
Bull  Pt., 

Bull  Wall  (Breakwater), 
Bullabu  R., 
Bullaun, 
Bullock  Har., 
Bulls  Hd., 
Bull's  Ring,  The, 
BuUyglass, 
Bullj-s  Comer, 
Bulrath, 
Bunaninver, 
Bunatrahii  Bay, 
Bunaw, 
Bunbeg, 
Bunbrosna, 
Buncraggy  Ho., 
Buncrana, 
Buncrowey  R., 
Bundoran  and  Sta., 
Bundoran  Tunc, 
Bundorragna, 
Bunduff  Br., 
Bunerky  L., 
Bunglass, 
Bunlacken, 
Bunlacky  R., 
Bunlohy, 
Bunlough  Pl, 
Bunmahon  and  Bay, 
Bunnagee, 
BunnahonoX., 
Bunnahow  L,  and  Ho., 
Bunnanaddan, 
Bunnanilra,  North  &  South, 
Bunnoe  B., 
Bunny  L., 
Bunoke  Ry 
Bunowen  B.  and  C^.', 
Bunowen  R., 
Bunowen  R., 
Bunratty,  East  and  West, 
Bunratty  Lower,  Barony, 
Bunratty  Upper,  Barony, 
Bunratty  River, 
Bunree, 
Burgage  Ho., 
Burgagemoyle  Gott., 
Burial  I., 
Burke's  Is., 

Burkestown  Cross  Rds., 
Burke  Ville, 
Burley  Bri., 
Bumbrook, 
Bum  church, 
Bumcourt  and  Riv., 
Bumfoot, 
Bumham, 
Bumtollet  Riv., 
Burren  and  Barony, 
Burren  Riv., 
Burrishoole, 
Burrishoole  Barony, 
Bursk  L., 
Burton  Hall, 
Burtown  Cross  Rds. 
Bush  R., 
Bush  Su., 
Busherstown  Ho., 
Busherstown  Ho., 
Bushfield, 
Bushfield, 
Bushfield, 
Bushfield, 
Bushfield  Ho., 
Bushmills, 
Bushville, 
Bushy  Park, 
Bushy  Park, 
Bushypark  Ho., 
Bushypark  Ho., 
Bushypark  Ho., 
Butlers  Bri., 
Butlers  to  wo, 
Butlerstown  Ca.i, 


Limerick  F  8 

Antrim  D  1 

Dublin  F  4 

Donegal  D  3 

"■.alway  F  8 

Jublin  F  6 

Kerry  B  2 

Uildare  B  1 

Mayo  D  2 

Carlow  D  1 

Meath  C  2 

Donegal  C  2 

Mayo  C  1 

Kerry  C  3 

Donegal  C  2 

West  Meath  D  2 

Clare  F  3 
Donegal  E 
Sligo  C 
Donegal  C 
Tyrone  C 
Mayo  B 
Leitrim  A 
Cavan  C 
Kildare  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Donegal  B 

Longford  D  2 

Mayo  B  2 

Waterford  E  3 

Donegal  F  2 

Fermanagh  C  2 

Gal  way  E  3 

Sligo  E  3 
Sligo  B 
Cavan  F 
Clare  G 
Limerick  C 
Galway  A 
Galway  G 
Mayo  B 

Clare  H  3 

Clare  G  3 

Clare  G  2 

Clare  H  3 

Sligo  B  3 

Carlow  A  2 

Wicklow  B  2 

Down  G  3 

Waterford  F  3 

Wexford  A  i 

Galway  F  3 

Louth  A  2 

Roscommon  E  6 
Kilkenny  C 


Tipperary  B 
Donegal  E 


Kerry  B 
Londonderry  C 
Clare  F 
Carlow  B 
Mayo  C 
Mayo  B 
Monaghan  D  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Antrim  B  2 
Louth  C  2 
Carlow  C  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Mayo  D  2 
Mayo  D  3 
Tipperary  A  2 
Kildare  B  2 
Antrim  C  1 
Wexford  D  4 
Dublin  D  5 
Wicklow  E 
Clare  F 
Limerick  D 
Roscommon  D 
Cavan  E 
Cork  E 
Wexford  D  4 


Butlerstown  Cas.  &  Ho.,  Waterford  F 


Butter  Mt., 
Butter  Water, 
Buttermilk  Bri., 
Buttevant  and  Sta., 
Eweeng  Cross  Roads, 
Byers  Comer, 
Byrnes  HUi, 


Cabin  tecly, 

Cabra  Cott.  and  Cas., 

Cabragh, 

Cabragh, 

Cabragh, 

Cabragh  Cas., 

Cabragh  Ho., 

Cabragh  Ho., 

Cabraghkcel, 

6 


2 

Wicklow  C  1 
Armagh  C  3 
Armagh  D  2 
Cork  F  2 
Cork  E  2 
Armagh  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  8 


Dublin  F  5 

Cavan  I  3 

Loodonderry  £  4 

Meath  C  2 

Sligo  G  8 


Tip^rary  C 


own  C 
Dublin  D 
Sligo  B  2 


Cabry, 

Cadamstown, 
Cadamstown, 
Cagosh, 

Caha  Alountaios, 
Caha  R., 
Caheer  L., 
Caheny, 
Caher, 
Caher, 

Caher  and  Sta., 
Caher  Br., 
Ciher  Hill, 
Caher  Is., 
Caher  R., 
Caher  R.  and  Ho., 
Caherass  Court  and  Ho., 
Caherbamagh, 
Caherbamagh, 
Caherconlish, 
Caherdaniel, 
Caherduggan  Ho., 
Caherelly  Cas.  and  Cott., 
Caherline  Ho., 
Cahermacun  Ch., 
Cahermore, 
Cahermoyle  Ho., 
Cahermurphy, 
Cahernacapols  Ho., 
Cahernahallia  R., 
Cahernallia  R., 
Cahernarry  Ho., 
Caherrush  Pt., 
Cahersiveen, 
Cahir, 

Cahiracon  Ho., 
Cahircalla  Ho., 
Cahirconree, 
Cahore  Ho.  and  Pt., 
Caldragh, 
Caledon  and  Ho., 
Calf  Is., 

Calf,  The,  Dursey  Hd 
Calla  Mountains, 
Callan  and  Barony, 
Callan  R., 
Callenberg  Ho., 
Callies  R., 
Calloughs  L., 
Callow, 
Calluragh, 
Calmullin  Ho.^ 
Calnacleha  Bn., 
Calroostown, 
Caltra, 
Caltragh, 
Caltragh, 
Caltragh, 
Caltragh  Cas., 
Calverstown  and  Ho., 
Cam  L., 
Cam  Lo., 
Camagh  Bri., 
Camagh  L., 
Camaross  Mt., 
Camas  Ho., 
Camas  Ho., 
Camas  Ho., 
Camcor  R., 
Cameron  Is., 
Camla  Ho., 
Camlin, 
Camlin  Gap, 
Camlin  R., 
Camlough  and  Mt., 
Camoge  Riv., 
CamoUn  and  Sta., 
Camolin  Park  Ho., 
Camowen  R., 
Camp. 

Camphire  Ho., 
Camport  Bay, 
Campsey, 
Campsey  Ho., 
Camross, 
Cams  Br., 
Camus  B., 
Camus  Ho., 
Canal  Hartour, 
Canbo  L., 
Canglass  Pt., 


Donegal  F  2 
Kildare  B  I 
King's  Co.  E  8 
Donegal  B  8 
Cork  C  8 
Cork  D  3 
Mayo  E  2 
Londonderry  F  8 
Galway  C  3 
Roscommon  B  8 
Tipperary  C 
Waterford  F 
Limerick  B 
Mayo  A 
Limerick  B 
Clare  H 
,     Limerick  E 
Cork  D 
Kerry  E 
Limerick  G 
Kerry  B  3 
Cork  G  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Clare  E  1 
Cork  A  4 
Limerick  C  2 
Clare  E  3 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Limerick  H  2 
Tipperary  B  8 
Limerick  F  2 
Clare  D 
Kerry  B 
Limerick  F 
Clare  F 
Clare  F 
Kerry  C 
Wexford  E 
Longford  B 
Tyrone  O 
Cork  C 
Cork  A 
Kerry  C  8 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Armagh  B  8 
Monaghan  E  4 
Leitrim  F  4 
Leitrim  F  4 
Mayo  D  2 
Galway  F  8 
Meath  E  4 
Mayo  E  2 
Louth  C  8 
Galway  F  2 
Ro'scommon  E  5 
Roscommon  E  5 
Roscommon  F  4 
Longford  B  8 
Kildare  C  8 
Armagh  D  4 
Roscommon  E  6 
West  Meath  D 
Leitrim  E 
Wexford  B 
Limerick  C 
Limerick  F 
Tipperary  C 
King's  Co.  C 
Tipperary  A 
Monaghan  C 
Roscommon  D 
Carlow  B  3 
Longford  B  2 
Armagh  D  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  D 
Tyrone  F 
Kerry  C 
Waterford  B 
Mayo  A 
Londonderry  B 
Londonderry  B 
Queen's  Co.  B 

Sligo  F  8 
Galway  C  3 
Londonderry  F  2 
West  Meath  D  8 
Roscommon  D  2 
Kerry  B  8 


Cangort,  Lo.,  and  Park,    King's  Co.  C 


Cannerstown  Cas. 
Cannon  Isle, 
Cannonstown  Ho., 
Canon  Is., 
Canpilc, 
Capard  Ho.. 
Capard,  Ridge  of, 
Capel  I., 
Capcldale, 
Capira, 

Cappacorcoge, 
Cappagh, 
Cappagh, 
Cappagh, 


West  Meath  B 
Down  E 
Meath  C 
Clare  F 
Wexford  A 

8ueen's  Co.  C 
ueen's  Co.  C 
Cork  H 
Down  E 
Galway  G  3 
Galway  D  2 
Galway  E  2 
Galway  F  " 
Galway  F  8 


Cappagh, 
Cappagh, 
Cappagh  Bum, 
Cappagh  Ch., 
Cappagh  Copper  Mine, 
Cappagh  Ho., 
Cappagh  Ho., 
Cappagh  Ho., 
Cappagh  Ho., 
Cappagh  Mt.^ 
Cappagh  White, 
Cappaghabaua  Mt., 
Cappaghmore, 
Cappaghmore, 
Cappagowlan, 
Cappaharoe, 
Cappalough  Ho., 
Cappalusk, 
Cappamore, 
Cappamore, 
Cappamurragh, 
Cappanaloha, 
Cappanihane  Ho., 
Cappard  Ho., 
Cappateemore, 
Cappeen, 
Cappenagh  Ho., 
Cappoge, 

Cappoquin  and  Ho., 
Cappy  Ho., 
Capragh, 

Caragh  Br.  and  Lough, 
Caragh  R., 
Caran  More, 
Carbery  East,  E. 


Galway  G  8 
Kildare  B  2 
Tyrone  E 
Tyrone  E 
Cork  C 
Carlow  C 
Kildare  C 
Limerick  D 
Waterford  C 
Tyrone  G 
Tipperary  B  3 
Clare  I  2 
Galway  E 
Roscommon  F 
King's  Co.  E 
Tipperary  A 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Galway  F 
Kerry  D  3 
Limerick  G  2 
Tipperary  C  3 
Cork  C  4 
Limerick  E 
Galway  E 
Clare  H 
Cork  E 
Carlow  C 
Dublin  D 
Waterford  B  3 
Fermanagh  E  8 
Monaghan  D  4 
Kerry  C  2 
Kerry  C  3 
Roscommon  D  8 
Division,  Barony, 
Cork 

Carbery  East,  W.  Division,  Barony, 
Cork 

Carbery  I.,  Cork 
Carbery  West,  E.  Division,  Barony, 
Cork 

Carbery  West,  W.  Division,  Barony, 

Cork  C 

Carbury  and  Barony, 
Carbury  Barony, 


E  3 


D  4 


Carbury  Sweep, 
Cardington  Ho., 
Cardtown  Ho., 
Carey  R^ 
Cargin  Ho., 
Cargin  L., 
Cark, 

Carlanstown, 
Carlingford, 

Carlingford  Lough  and  Mt., 
Carlisle  Fort, 


Kildare  B  1 
Sligo  E  1 
Kildare  B  1 
Kildare  A  8 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
Antrim  D  1 
Roscommon  D  3 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Donegal  D  3 
Meath  D  2 
Louth  C  1 
Louth  C  1 
Cork  G  3 


Carlonstown  Cas.,  West  Meath  E  1 
Carlow  and  Sta.,  Carlow  B  1 

Carlow  Barony  &  Barracks,    Carlow  B  2 


Cariton  Ho., 
Carlust  L.. 
Cam, 
Carh, 

Cam  Clonhugh, 

Cam  Hill, 

Carnhill, 

Cam  Ho., 

Cam  L., 

Cama  Ho., 

Camacross, 

Camagh  Ho., 

Camagh  Ho.  and  Mil). 

Carnaneel, 

Camanelly, 

Carnareagh  Ft., 

Carnaveagh  Ho., 

Carnbane, 

Cambane  Ho., 

Camcastle, 

Camcastle  Lo., 

Camcoagh, 

Carncormick, 

Camdonagh, 

Carnew, 

Camew  Ho., 

Carney, 

Carney  Cas., 

Carnkenny, 

Carnlough, 

Camlough  B., 

Cammeen  Ho., 

Carnmoney, 

Cammore, 

Cam  Park, 

Cams, 

Carnsore  Pt., 

Carnteel, 

Camtogher, 

Carra  Barony, 

Carrabaun, 

Carrachor  Ho., 

Carran  L., 

Carranmore, 

C.irrantuohill, 

Carraun, 

Carrick, 


Down  C 
Armagh  D  8 
Londonderry  E  8 
Longford  C  3 
Longford  C  2 
Antrim  F  4 
Mayo  B  1 
Cavan  D  2 
Leitrim  E  4 
Wexford  D  4 
Meath  C  2 
Wexford  A  8 
Armagh  B  3 
Louth  D  1^ 
Tyrone  G  2 
Down  D  4 
Monaghan  C  3 
Meath  B  2 
Down  C  3 
Antrim  F  3 
Antrim  G  3 
Antrim  D  8 
Antrim  E  8 
Donegal  F  2 
Wicklow  C  4 
Down  C  8 
Sligo  E  1 
Tipperary  B  2 
lyrone  D  2 
Antrim  E  3 
Antrim  F  3 
Down  B  4 
Antrim  F  4 
Fermanagh  G  8 
West  Meath  B  8 
Sligo  C  8 
Wexford  D  4 
Tyrone  G  4 
Londonderry  E  8 
Mayo  D  2 
Galway  D  2 
Monaghan  B  2 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Antrim  E  1 
Kerry  C  8 
Sligo  B  8 
Donegal  B  4 


Carrick, 
Carrick, 
Carrick  Cas., 
Carrick  Ho., 
Carrick  Ho., 
Carrick  Ho., 
Carrick  L., 
Garrickacottia, 
Carrickanama, 
Carrickaneane, 
Carrickanna, 
Carrickapon  L,, 
Carrick-a-raide  I., 
Carrickart, 
Carrickbeg, 
Carrickbem, 
Carrick  Blacker, 
Carrickborrahane  Ho., 
Carrickboy, 
Carrickbroad  Ho., 
Carrickbyrne  Hill, 
Carrickbyme  Lo., 
Carrickdale  Pt., 
Carrickduff, 
Carrickedmond  Ho., 
Carrickfergus  Bar.  and 
Carrickfergus  Junction 
Carrickhugh  Sta,, 
Carrickmacross, 
Carrickmines, 
Carrickmore, 
Carricknacleara, 
Carrick-on-Shannon, 
Carrick-on-Suir, 
Carrickshock, 
Carrick  Water, 
Cary  Barony, 
Carrig, 
Carrig, 
Carrig, 
Carrig  Hill, 
Carrig  I., 
Carrig  ho., 
Carrigacunna  Cas., 
Carrigadda  Bay, 
Carrigadoon  Hill, 
Carrigafoyle  Cas., 
Carrigagulla  Ho., 
Carrigaholt, 
Carrigaline, 
Carrigallen, 
Carrigaloe, 
Carrigan  Hd., 
Carrigane, 
Carrigans  and  Sta., 
Carrigbeg  Ho., 
Carrigboy, 
Carrigeen, 
Carrigeen  Ho., 
Carrigeenagappul, 
Canigeencor  L., 
Carrigeenina, 
Carrigeennaveagb, 
Carrigerry  Ho., 
Carrighahorig, 
Carrighallen  Barony, 
Carrigillihy, 
Carriglead  Lock, 
Carrignavar, 
Carrigogunnel  Cas., 
Carrigoran  Ho., 
.Carrigtohill,V^ 
Carrigtuke, 
C^rrigullian  L., 
Carrive, 
CaroUs  Hill, 
Carron  Mtn., 
Carroon, 
Carrow. 
Carrowoeg, 
Carrowdore  and  Cas., 
Carrowgar  Lo., 
Carrowilkin, 
Carrowkee  Hill, 
Carrowkeel, 
Carrowkeribly  L., 
Carrowlaur, 
Carrowmenagh, 
Carrowmore, 
Carrowmore, 
Carrowmore  Ho., 
Carrowmore  L., 
Carrowmore  L., 
Carrowmore  Pt. , 
Carrowmorris, 
Carrownabanny  L., 
Carrownisky  R., 
Carrowreagh, 
Carrowreagh,  Up.  &  Lr 
Carrowroe, 
Carrowroe, 
Carrowilkin, 
Carrs  Bri., 
Carryduff, 
Carsons  Dam  R., 
Castlereagh  Barony, 


To 


Londonderry  D  i 
Wexford  B  4 
Kildare  A  1 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
West  Meath  E  1 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Donegal  C  4 
Leitnm  B  2 
Meath  F  2 
Waterford  E  3 
Leitrim  C  8 
Antrim  D  1 
Donegal  D  i 
Waterford  E  1 
Wexford  A  8 
Armagh  D  S 
Waterford  E  3 
Longford  C  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Wexford  B  3 
Wexford  B  3 
SUgo  C  1 
Carlow  C  8 
Louth  B  1 
Antrim  G  4 
Antrim  F  4 
Londonderry  C  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Dublin  E  6 
Tyrone  F  3 
Clare  C  3 
Leitrim  G  * 
Tipperary  E  4 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Galway  C  2 
Antrim  D  1 
Cork  D  4 
Cork  F  2 
Tipperary  C  1 
Cavan  D  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Cork  D  3 
Cork  F  2 
Cork  G  3 
Tipperary  E  4 
Kerry  D  1 
Cork  E  3 
Clare  B  4 
Cork  F  8 
Leitrim  F  4 
Cork  G  8 
Donegal  A  4 
Cork  G  2 
Donegal  E  8 
Wexford  D  1 
Cork  C  4 
Galway  E  3 
Cork  O  2 
Roscommon  E  8 
Leitrim  B  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
Waterford  G  2 
Clare  G  8 
Tipperary  B  1 
Leitrim  E  3 
Cork  t>  4 
Cariow  B  8 
Cork  F  3 
Limerick  E  i 
Clare  G  3 
Cork  G  3 
Armagh  C  3 
Down  E  8 
Antrim  E  8 
King's  Co.  D  8 
Limerick  F  4 
Galway  F  2 
Longford  B  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Dovm  F  2 
Clare  D  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Sligo  F  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Mayo  D  1 
Roscommon  F  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Galway  E  8 
Mayo  D  8 
Mayo  D  1 
Mayo  B  1 
Mayo  D  2 
Clare  C  8 
Sligo  D  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Mayo  B  2 
Sligo  D  2 
Roscommon  D  5 
Galway  D  2 
Roscommon  E  4 
Sligo  D  3 
Fermanagh  E  8 
Down  D  2 
Down  E  3 
Roscommon  D  8 


c 


CARSTOWN. 


INDEX. 


CLOKCUMBEB. 


Carstown,  Louth  C  3 

Cartanstown  L.,  Louth  B  3 

Carton,  Kildare  D  1 

Cartown  Ha,  Limerick  D  2 

Cartron,  Roscommon  E  2 

Cartron,  Sligo  C  3 

Cartron  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 

Cashcen  Bay,  Galway  B  3 

Cashel,  Cork  D  4 

Cashel,  T)onegal  B  4 

Cashel,  Donegal  D  2 

Cashel,  Galway  F  2 

Cashel  and  Sta.,  Tipperary  C 

Cashel  Lo.,  Longford  B 

Cashel  Loughs,  Armagh  C 

Cashel  Upper,  Donegal  C 

Cashen  R.,  Kerry  D 

Cashla  Bay,  Galway  C 

Cashlieve  Ho.,  Roscommon  B 

Cassagh,  Wexford  A 

Cassaugh  Moune,  Monaghan  C 

Castle  Archdall,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Castle  Blunden,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Castle  Caldwell,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Castle  Cambie,  Tipperary  A  2 

Castle  Cary,  Donegal  F 

Castle  Oxuldfield,  Tyrone  G 

Castle  Chichester,  Antrim  G 

Castle  Comfort,  Limerick  G 

Castle  Cosby,  Cavan  E 

Castle  Daly,  West  Meath  B 

Castle  Dargan  Ho.,  Sligo  F 

Castle  Dawson,  Londonderry  F 

Castle  Farm,  Limerick  G 

Castle  Fogarty,  Tipperary  C 

Castle  Forbes,  Longford  B 

Castle  Freke,  Cork  E 

Castle  Garde,  Limerick  H 

Castle  Garden  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C 

Castle  Gray,  Limerick  D 

Castle  Haven,  Cork  D 

Castle  Howard,  Wicklow  D 

Castle  Hume,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Castle  L,  Cork  C  4 

Castle  L,  Down  F 

Castle  Jevcrs,  Limerick  F 

Castle  Leslie,  Monaghan  C 

Castle  Lloyd,  Limerick  H 

Castle  Lodge,  Limerick  F 

Castle  L.,  Cavan  H 

Castle  Nogent,  t.ongford  D  2 

Castle  Oliver,  Limerick  G  3 

Castle  Otway,  Tipperary  B  2 

Castle  Park,  Cork  E  2 

Castle  R.,  Londonderry  D  2 

Castle  Rock  Sta.,  Londonderry  E  1 

Castle  Saunderson,  Cavan  E 

Castlebar  and  L.,  Mayo  C 
Castlebellingham  and  Sta.,      Louth  B 

Castleblakeney,  Galway  F 
Castleblayney  and  Sta. ,  Wexford  B 
Castleboro  Ho.  and  Cas.,     Wexford  B 

Castleboy,  Galway  E 

Castlebridge,  Wexford  D  3 

Castlecaldwell  Sta.,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Castlecaulfield,  Tyrone  G  3 

Castlecomer  and  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  2 

Castleconnell  and  Sta.,  Limerick  G  1 

Castleconor,  Sligo  B  3 

Castlecoo  Hill,  Louth  C  3 

Castlecoote,  Roscommon  C  4 

Castlecor,  Meath  A  2 

Castlecor  Ho.,  Cork  E  2 

Castlecore  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 
CastlecufireCas.&Hamlet,Queen  sCo.  B  2 


Castlederg, 
Castledermot, 
Castledockrell, 
Castledonovan  Br., 
Castlefield  Ho., 
Castlefinn, 
Castlefore, 
Castlegaddery, 
Castlegannon, 
Castlegar, 
Castlegregory, 
Castlegrogan  Ho., 
Castlehill  Ho., 
Castleisland, 
Castlejordan  Bri., 
Castlekevin, 
Castlekirk, 

Castleknock  and  Bjrony, 
Castlelackan, 
Castlelake, 
Castlelake  Ho., 
Castlelough, 
Castlelyons, 
Castle magarret  Ho., 
Cistlemaine  and  Harb., 
Castlemartin, 
Castlcmartyr, 
Castlemartyr  Ho., 
Castlemitchell  Ho., 
Castlemore, 

Castlemore  Ho.  and  Moat, 


Tyrone  C  2 
Kildare  C  4 
Wexford  C  2 
Cork  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Donegal  E  3 
Leitrim  D 
West  Meath  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Galway  G 
Kerry  C 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Mayo  C 
Kerry  D 
Meath  B 
Wicklow  D 
Galway  C 
Dublin  C 
Mayo  D 
Tipperary  C 
Clare  H 
Tipperary  A 
Cork  G 
Mayo  E 
Kerry  C 
Kildare  C 
Cork  H 
Cork  G 
Kildare  A 
Mayo  F 
Carlow  C 


Castlemorris,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Castlenancy,  Galway  F  3 

Castlcpark  Ho.,  Roscommon  E  5 

C.istlepark  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  3 

Castleplunket,  Roscommon  D  3 

Castlepollard,  West  Meath  E  1 

Castlequin,  Kerry  B  3 

Castlerahan  Barony,  Cavan  G  3 

Castlerea,  Longford  C  3 

Castlereagh,  Mayo  D  1 

Castlereagh,  Town,  Bar.,  and  Sta., 

Roscommon  C  3 
Castlereagh,  Lower  Barony,  Down  E  2 
Castlereagh,  Upper  Barony,  Down  D  3 
Castlerickard,  Meath  C  4 

Castleroberts,  Limerick  E  2 

Castleroe  Ho.,  Londonderry  E  2 

Castleroe  Ho.  &  Cross  Rds.,  Kildare  B 


,  and  L. 


Castlerogy, 
Castleniddery  Ho 
Castlesampson, 
Castleshane  and  Ho., 
Castlesize, 
Castlestrange, 
Castle  Tenison, 
Castletimon  Ford, 
Castleton  Ho., 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown, 
Castletown  and  Sta., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  Ho., 
Castletown  R., 
Castletownarra  Ch., 
Castletown  Bearhaven, 
Castletown  Conyers. 
Castletownoche, 
Castletownsend, 
Castle  View, 
Castleview  Ho., 
Castle  Waller, 
Castleward  Ho., 
Castlewarden  Ho., 
Castle  Warren, 
Castlewarren, 
Castlewellan, 
Castlewellan,  Cas 
Castle  Willington 
Castlewood  Ho., 
Castle  Wray, 
Catherine  L., 
Catherines  Bay, 
Cat  Cross  Rds., 
Catstown, 
Causetown  Ho., 
Causeway, 
Causeway  Hd., 
Causeway  W., 
Cavan, 

Cavan,  Sta.,  and  College 
Cavan  Junct., 
Cavanagrow  Ho., 
Cave  Hill, 
Cave  of  Dunmore, 
Cavetown  and  L.. 
Cecil  Ho., 
Cecilstown, 
Celbridge, 
Chafifpool  Ho., 
Chanter  Hill, 
Chapel  Is., 
Chapel  Vil.  and  Sta., 
Chapelizod, 
Chapelizod  Ho.j 
Chapelmidway, 
Chapeltown, 
Chapeliown, 
Chapeltown, 
Charlemont, 
Charlesfort, 
Charlesfort, 
Charlesfort  Ha, 
Charles  Town, 
Charlestown, 
Charlestown, 
Charlestown, 
Charlestown, 
Charlestown  Ha, 
Charlestown  Ha, 
Charleville, 
Charleville, 
Charleville  Cas., 
Charleville  Ho., 
Charleville  Ho., 


Leitrim  E 
Wicklow  B 
Roscommon  E 
Monaghan  C 
Kildare  D 
Roscommon  D 
Roscommon  D 
Wicklow  E 
Limerick  D 
Clare  F 
Cork  E 
Kildare  D 
Queen's  Co.  C  3 
Limerick  E  3 
Longford  B 
Meath  D 
Meath  E 
Sligo  F 
West  Meath  C 
Carlow  B 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Sligo  B 
Sligo  B 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  E 
Louth  B 
Tipperary  A 
Cork  B 
Limerick  E 
Cork  F 
Cork  D 
Queen's  Co.  B  8 
Tipperary  B  2 
Tipperary  A 
Down  F 
Kildare  D 
Kilkenny  D 
Kilkenny  D 
Down  C 
Down  D 
Tipperary  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Donegal  D  3 
Tyrone  D  2 
Wexford  A  4 

Kildare  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Meath  C 
Kerry  C 
Antrim  B 
Down  C 
Donegal  D  3 
Cavan  E  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
Armagh  C  2 
Antrim  F  5 
Kilkenny  C 
Roscommon  D 
Tyrone  F 
Cork  E 
Kildare  D 
Sligo  E 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Down  F  2 
Wexford  B 
Dublin  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Dublin  D 
Antrim  D 
Down  F 
Kerry  C 
Armagh  B 
Meath  C 
Sligo  C 
Wexford  C 
Tyrone  G 
Armagh  D  1 
King's  Co.  E  2 
Louth  A  2 
Mayo  E 
Leitrim  C 
West  Meath  D 
Cork  E 
Louth  B 
King's  Co.  E 
Mayo  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 


Charleville  Ho., 
Charleville  Ho., 
Charleville  June., 
Checker  Hall, 
Checkpoint, 
Cheeverstown  Cas., 
Cherry  Green, 
Cherryfield, 
CherrymiUs  Ho., 
Cherrymount, 
Cherrymount, 
Cherrymount  Ho., 
Cherry  Vale, 
Cherryville  Ho., 
Chimneyparks, 
Chimney  Rock, 
Chinauley, 

Christhianstown  Ho., 
Christianstown  Ho., 
Church  Bay, 
Churchboro, 
Churc'h  Hill, 
Church  Hill, 
Church  Hill,- 
Church  Hill, 
Church  Is., 
Church  Is.  (L.  Owel), 
Church  L., 


West  Meath  C 
Wicklow  D 
Limerick  F 
Antrim  D 
Waterford  G 
Dublin  C 
Limerick  E 
Roscommon  D 
Kildare  B 
Armagh  E 
Meath  C 
Wicklow  D 
Monaghan  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Sligo  D 
Down  D 
Down  B 
Kildare  B 
Louth  B 
Antrim  D 
Roscommon  E 
Armagh  C 
Donegal  D  3 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Monaghan  I)  3 
Sligo  F  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Leitrim  E  3 


Church  Village, 
Church  Town, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown, 
Churchtown  Ho., 
Churchview  Ho., 
Cinquefoil, 
Clabby, 

Cladagh  R.  and  Bri 


Claddagh  Cas., 
Clady, 

Clady  and  Water, 
Clady  R., 
Claggan, 
Claggan, 
Clammers  Pt., 
Clanabogan, 
Clanawley  Barony, 
Clanboy  Bri., 
Clandeboye  Sta., 
Clandonagh  Barony, 
Clane  Barony  and  Village 
Clane  Br., 


Clankee  Barony, 
Clankelly  Barony, 
Clanmahon  Barony, 
Clanmaurice  Barony, 
Clanmorris  Barony, 
Clansast, 

Clanwilliam  Barony, 

Clanwilliam  Barony 

Clara, 

Clara  Bri., 

Clara  Cas., 

Clare, 

Clare, 

Clare, 

Clare  or  Claremorris, 
Clare  Barony, 
Clare  Is., 

Clare  Mount,  , 

Clare  R., 

Clare  R., 

Clareen, 

Clareen, 

Claregalway, 

Claregalway  R,, 

Claremount  Ho., 

Claremount  Ho., 

Clare  Park, ' 

Claret  Rock  Ho., 

Claretuam, 

Clare  View, 

Clareville  Ho., 

Clareville  Ho., 

Clarina, 

Clarinbridge, 

ClarkviUe  Ho., 

Clarmallagh  Barony, 

Clashavoon, 

Clashawley  R., 

Clashmore, 

Clashnabrock, 

Clashymore  Harb., 

Classaghroe, 

Classylaun  Harb., 

Claudy, 

Claudy  and  R., 

Claureen  R., 

Clawinch, 


ChurchMt.,orSlieveGadoe, Wicklow  B  2 


Mayo  D  1 
Donegal  E  3 
Cork  E  2 
Cork  G 
Kerry  C 
Limerick  C 
West  Meath  C 
Wexford  A 
Meath  D 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Roscommon  E 
Fermanagh  F 


Fermanagh  D  3 


Cladagh  ojSwanlinbarR.,  Fermanagh  D  3 


Galway  E 
■Tyrone  C 
Antrim  E 
Donegal  C 
Donegal  F 
Galway  C 
Wexford  B 
Tyrone  D  3 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Longford  D  2 
Down  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Kildare  C  2 


Clangibbon  &  Condons  Barony,  Cork  G  2 
Clanhugh  Lo.  and  Su.,  West  Meath  D  2 


Cavan  G  3 
Fermanagh  G  3 
Cavan  E  3 
Kerry  D  1 
Mayo  D  2 
Kildare  C  1 
Limerick  F  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
King's  Co.  E  1 
Wicklow  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Armagh  D  3 
Clare  G  3 
Down  B  3 
Mayo  E  2 
Galway  E  2 
Mayo  A  2 
Meath  G 
Galway  E 
Tipperary  A 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  D 
Galway  E 
Galway  D 
Mayo  E 
Roscommon  D 
Antrim  D  1 
Louth  B  1 
Galway  E 
Limerick  A 
Cariow  B 
Clare  P 
Limerick  E 
Galway  E 
King's  Co.  H 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Cork  E 
Tipperary  D 
Waterford  C 
Cork  F 
Sligo  D  1 
Galway  F  2 
Sligo  F  1 
Londonderry  C  3 
Londonderry  F  3 
Clare  F  3 
Longford  A  3 


Clay  Lake, 

Cleady, 

Cleanagh, 

Clear,  Cape, 

Clear  I., 

Clear  View  Ho., 

Cleggan  B., 

Cleggan  Lo.  and  R., 

Clements  Town, 

Clermont, 

Clermont, 

Clermont  Cam, 

Clew  Bay, 

Clifden, 

Clifdcn  Cas., 

Clifden  Ho., 

Clifton, 

Clifton  Ha, 

Clifton  Ho., 

Clifton  Lo., 

Cliff  Lo., 

Cliffony, 

Clifford  Ha, 

Cliffort, 

Clinoe  Cott., 

Clobemon  Hall, 

Clodiagh  R., 

Clodiagh  R., 

Clodiagh  R., 

Clodi.igh  R., 

Clody  R., 

Cloganodfoy  Cas., 

Clogga, 

Clogh, 

Clogh, 

Clogh  and  R., 
Clogh  Mills, 
Clogh  R., 
Cloghage  Brook, 
Cloghagh  R., 
Cloghan, 
Cloghan, 

Cloghan  and  Hill, 

Cloghan  Cas., 

Cloghan  Ho., 

Cloghane, 

Cloghanodfoy  Cas., 

Cloghans, 

Cloghany. 

Cloghanulk, 

Clogharinka  Cas., 

Cloghastucan, 

Cloghaun, 

Cloghaun, 

Cloghaun  L., 

Cloghboy, 

Cloghbrack, 

Cloghchurnel  Lower, 

Cloghchumel  Upper, 

Cloghcorr, 

Cloghdonnell, 

Clogheen, 

Clogher, 

Clogher, 

Clogher, 

Clogher, 

Clogher, 

Clogher, 

Clogher  and  Barony, 
Clogher  Hd., 
Clogher  Hd., 
Clogher  Ho., 
Clogher  R., 
Clogher  R., 
Cloghernagh  Br., 
Cloghemy, 
Cloghfin  R., 
Cloghjordan, 
Cloghleafin, 
Cloghmore  and  Sta., 
Cloghran, 
Cloghroe  R., 
Cloghy  and  Bay, 
Clogrenan  Ho., 
Clohamon  and  Ho., 
Clomoney  Bri., 
Clonabream, 
Clonacody  Ho., 
Clonad  Wood, 
Clonagh, 

Clonakilty  and  Bay, 
Clonallan  Ch., 
Clonamully  Ho., 
Clonard, 

Clonard,  Grt.  and  Lit., 

Clonaslee, 
Clonatin  Ho., 
Clonbeale  Ho., 
Clonbrock  and  R., 
ClonbuUoge, 
Clonburren  Ho., 
Cloncarneel  Ho., 
Cloficloncy  Ho., 
Cloncoskoran  Ha, 
Cloncourse  Bri., 
Cloncumber  Lo., 


Armagh  B  3 
Kerry  D  8 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
Cork  C  ■ 
Cork  C 
Kildare  B 
Galway  A 
Antrim  E 
Cavan  G 
Louth  B 
Wicklow  E 
Louth  C 
Mayo  B 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Galway  A  2 
Clare  F  2 
Galway  F  2 
Down  E  2 
Meath  C  3 
Ferman.igh  F 


Waterford  G  3 


Sligo  F 
Cork  F 
Cork  E 
Limerick  F 
Wexford  C 
King's  Co.  E 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Tipperary  B 
Waterford  E 
Wexford  B 
Limerick  G 
Kilkenny  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Wexford  D 
Antrim  D 
Antrim  D 
Kilkenny  D  1 
Wicklow  D  2 
Kilkenny  C 
Roscommon  D 
West  Meath  E 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  B 
King's  Co.  C 
Kerry  B 
Limerick  F 
Kerry  B  ^ 
Fermanagh  D  8 
Clare  D  1 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Antrim  F  2 
Clare  E  1 
Galway  D  2 
Clare  D  3 
Donegal  B  3 
Galway  C  2 
Longford  E  2 
Longford  D  2 
Antrim  C  1 
Cork  C  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
Longford  B  2 
Longford  B  3 
Louth  C  3 
Roscommon  D  2 
Roscommon  D  3 
Sligo  F  4 
Tyrone  E  4 
Kerry  A  2 
Louth  C  8 
Mayo  D  2 
Donegal  C  3 
Donegal  D  8 
Waterford  G  2 
Tyrone  E  3 
Tyrone  E  3 
Tipperary  B  2 
Cork  F  2 
Galway  C  8 
Dublin  E  3 
Donegal  D  8 
Down  G  3 
Cariow  B  2 
Wexford  C  2 
Carlow  B  3 
Meath  B  2 
Tipperary  D  4 
King's  Co.  F  2 
King's  Co.  E 
Cork  E 
Down  B 
Monaghan  B 
Dublin  E 
Wexford  D 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Wexford  E 
King's  Co.  C 
Galway  F 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Carlow  B  2 
Meath  C  8 
Kilkenny  C  5 
Waterford  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  C  2 
Kildare  B  8 


CLONCURRT. 


INDEX. 


CORBA. 


Cloncuiry, 
Clondagad, 
Clondalkin, 
Clondaw, 

Clonderalaw  Barony, 
Clonderalaw  Ho.  and  Bay. 
Clondervis, 
Clondrohid  Rect., 
Clone  Ho., 
Clonea, 
Oonea  Cai;., 
Clonea  Cas., 
Clonearl  Ho., 
Clonee, 
Cloneen  Ho., 
Clonegall, 
Clonegath  Ho., 
Clonelly  Ho., 
Clonervy, 
Clones  and  Sla., 
Cloney  Bri., 
Clonfeade, 
Clonfert  Palace, 
Clonganny  Ho., 
Clongarret, 
Clongeen, 
Clongorey  Bawn, 
Clongoweswood  College, 
Clonkeen, 
Clonkerdin  Ho., 
Clonlea  L. , 
Clonlisk  Barony, 
Clonlonan  Barony, 
Clonlost  Ho., 
Clonlyon, 
Clonmacken  Ho., 
Clonmacnoise, 
Clonmacnowen  Barony, 
Clonmain, 
Clonmannan  Ho., 
Clonmaskill, 
Clonmeen  Ho., 
Clonmel, 
Clonmellon, 
Clonmelsh  Ho., 
Clonmethan, 
Clonmines  Ho., 
Clonmore, 
Clonmore, 
Clonmore, 
Clonmore, 
Clonmore  and  Cas., 
Clonmore  Ho., 
Clonmoyle  Ho., 
Clonmullen, 
C'lonmass  B., 
Clonmult, 
Clonoe, 

Clonogan  Ho.  and  Cas., 
Clonough  R., 
Clonony, 
Clonoulty, 
Clonown, 
Clonreher  Cas., 
Clonroche, 
Cloorush, 
Clonsast, 
Clonshavoy, 
Clonshire  Riv.  and  Ho., 
Clonsilla, 
Clonswords  Ho., 
Clontarf, 
Clontoe, 
Clonty  L., 
Clontylew  Ho., 
Clonuff  Bri., 
ClonvaraghanMt., 
Clonygowan, 
Clonyharp  Cas., 
Clonyhurk, 
Clon>'n  Ho., 
Cloon  L., 
Cloon  L., 
Cloon  R., 
Cloonacleigha  L., 
Cloonacolly  L., 
Cloonacoof, 
Cloonagh  Ho., 
Cloonagh  L., 
Cloonaghlin, 
Cloonaghlin  L., 
Cloonaghmore  R., 
Cloonahee  Ho., 
Cloonakillcg, 
Cloonakillina  L., 
Cloonalis  Ho., 
Cloonart  Bri., 
Cloonbalt  Ho., 
Cloonbarry  Ho., 
Cloonbarry  Ho., 
Cloonbo  L,, 
Cloonbony  Ho., 
Cloonbonny  Ho., 
Clooncah, 
ClooQcah, 
Clooncah, 


Kildare  C 
Clare  F 
Dublin  C 
Wexford  D 
Clare  E 
Clare  E 
Meath  A 
Cork  D 
Kilkenny  B 
Waterford  E 
Waterford  D 
Waterford  E 
King's  Co.  F 
Meaih  F 
Tipperary  D  4 
Carlow  C  2 
Kildare  A  8 
Fermanagh  D  1 
Cavan  F  2 
Monaghan  A  2 
Kildare  A  3 
Tyrone  H  4 
Galway  G  3 
Wexford  E 
King's  Co.  H 
Wexford  B 
Kildare  C 
Kildare  C 
Kildare  B 
Waterford  C 
Clare  H 
King's  Co.  C 
West  Meath  B 
West  Meath  E 
King's  Co.  C 
Limerick  E 
King's  Co.  B 
Galway  G 
Armagh  C  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
West  Meath  F  2 
Kildare  A  1 
Tipperary  D  4 
West  Meath  F  1 
Carlow  B  2 
Dublin  C  2 
Wexford  B  4 
Galway  D  2 
King's  Co.  H  1 
Wexford  C  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Carlow  D  2 
Carlow  B  2 
West  Meath  E  3 
Carlow  C  3 
Donegal  D  2 
Cork  G  3 
Tyrone  H  3 
Carlow  D  2 
Wexford  E 
King's  Co.  C 
Tipperary  C 
West  Meath  C 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Wexford  B 
Galway  F 
King  s  Co.  H  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Limerick  D 
Dublin  B 
Dublin  D 
Dublin  E 
Monaghan  B 
Cavan  D 
Armagh  C 
Kildare  B 
Down  D 
King's  Co.  G 
Tipperary  C  8 
King's  Co.  G  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
Kerry  C  3 
Mayo  C  2 
Clare  E 
Sligo  E 
Roscommon  A 
Sligo  D 
Roscommon  D 
Roscommon  A 
Cork  B 
Kerry  C 
Mayo  D  1 
Roscommon  E  2 
Roscommon  C 
Mayo  F 
Roscommon  B 
Longford  B 
Longford  C 
Meath  C 
Sligo  C 
Lcitrim  D 
Longford  B 
West  Meath  A 
Galway  K 
Roscommon  E 
Roscommon  E 


Clooncallow  Ho.,  Longford  C  8 

Clooncoe  L.,  Leitrim  E  4 

Clooncogaile,  Waterford  C  2 

Clooncoorha,  Clare  D  8 

Clooncoose,  Longford  C  2 

Clooncoran  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  6 

Clooncorick  Cas.,  Leitrim  F  4 

Clooncose  L.,  Longford  C  1 

ClooncrafiT,  Roscommon  E  4 

Clooncullaan  L.,  Roscommon  E  3 

Cloondara.  Longford  B  2 

Cloondaran,  Roscommon  D  4 

ClooneandR.,  Leitrim  B  4 

Cloonee,  Longford  C  2 

Cloonee  Colt.,  Limerick  E  3 

Cloonee  Loughs,  Kerry  C  3 

Clooneen,  Galway  D  2 

Clooneen  Beg,  Roscommon  D  4 

Clooneen  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  S 

Clooneen  R.,  SUgo  E  3 

Clooneenagh  Ho.,  Clare  D  3 

Clooney  Ho.,  Clare  G 

Clooney  L.,  Donegal  B 

Cloonfad  Ho.,  Roscommon  E 

Cloonfaris,  Galway  F 

Cloonfin  L.  and  Ho.,  Longford  D 

Cloonfinlough  Ho.,  Roscommon  E 

Cloonfree  L.,  Roscommon  D 

Cloonfush,  Galway  E  2 

Cloongowla,  Mayo  D  3 

Clooningan,  Sligo  C  3 

Cloonkea,  Galway  G  3 

Cloonkeen,  Galway  E  2 

Cloonkeen,  Galway  F 

Cloonker,  Longford  C 

Cloonlara,  Clare  I 

Cloonmachan  L.,  Clare  E 

Cloonmore,  Roscommon  E 

Cloonmore  Ho.,  Mayo  E 

Cloonjphierce,  Roscommon  E 

Cloonshannagh  Ho.,  Longford  D  2 

Cloontuskert,  Roscommon  F  3 

Cloonty,  Leitrim  A 

CloontyL.,  Sligo  F 

Cloonusker,  Clare  I 

Cloonyquin  Ho.,  Roscommon  D 

Clopook  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E 

Cloragh,  Dublin  D 

Clorane  Ho.,  Limerick  F  3 

Closet,  The,  and  Riv.,  Armagh  D  2 

Clough,  Down  D  4 

Cloughey  Bum,  Antrim  B  2 

Cloughjordan,  King's  Co.  B  4 

Clover  Hill,  Antrim  D  6 

Clover  Hill,  Leitrim  E  8 

Clover  Hill,  Monaghan  C  3 

Cloverhil!,  Cavan  E  2 

Cloverhill,  Roscommon  D  4 

Cloverhill  Ho.,  Sligo  E  2 

Cloyne,  Cork  G  3 

Cluid,  Galway  E  2 

Cluster,  The,  Armagh  C  3 

Clydagh,  Galway  D  3 

Clydagh,  Roscommon  A  3 

Clydagh  R.,  Kerry  E  2 

Clydagh  R.,  Kerry  E  3 

Clydagh  R.,  Mayo  D  2 

Clynaoartaa,  Kerry  A  3 

Coachford,  Cork  E  3 

Coagh,  Tyrone  I  8 

Coagh  L.,    •  Sligo  E  3 

Coal  Ch.,  Wexford  D  4 

Coal  Isl  and,  Tyrone  H  8 

Coalbrook  Ho.,  Tlipperary  D  3 

Coaville  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  1 

Cobourg  Lo.,  Kildare  B  3 

Cock  Brook,  Wicklow  B  2 

Cock  Hill,  Donegal  E  2 

Cock  Ml,  Down  C  4 

Cods  Hd.,  Cork  A 

Coggrey  Ho.,  Antrim  E 

Cogush,  Donegal  B 

Cole  Hill,  Meath  B 

Colebreene,  Londonderry  F 
Colebrooke  and  Riv. ,       Fermanagh  F 

Coleman  L..  Monaghan  A  8 
Coleraine  and  Barony,    Londonderry  E  2 

Coleraine  Ho.,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Coleraine  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 
Coleraine,  N.  E.  Liberties  of, 

Londonderry  F  2 


Colgagh, 

Colgagh  Ho.  and  L., 
Colligan  R.  and  Br., 
Collin  Top, 
Collinstown, 
Collinstown  Ho., 
Collon, 

CoUooney  and  Sta., 
Collorus, 
Colt  L, 

Columbkille  Cott., 
Columbkille  Ft., 
Comber, 

Comcragh  Mts.,  H*.,  &  L. 
Cona^er, 


King's  Co.  G 
Sligo  F 
Waterford  C 
Antrim  E 
West  Meath  E 
Kildare  E 
Louth  B 
Sligo  E 
Kerry  C 
Dublin  F 
Clare  F 
Armagh  C 
Down  E 
Waterford  D 
Kildare  D 


Condons  and  Clangibbon  Bar.,    Cork  G  2 


Cones,  The, 
Coney  Island, 
Coney  Island, 
Coney  Island, 
Coneyburrow  Crl., 
Coneyglen  B., 
Con  fey, 
Cong, 

Conlawn  H., 
Conlig, 
Conn  Lough, 
Conna, 

Connabury  Ho., 
Connamara, 
Connello,  Lower  Bar.; 
Connello,  Upper  Bar., 
Connonagh, 
Connons  Bri., 
Connor, 
Conogher  Bri., 
Conor's  Is., 
Cons  Town, 
Convamore, 
Convent  Ho., 
Convoy, 
Conway  L., 
Cooanmore  Bay, 
Cooksborough  Ho., 
Cookstown, 
Cookstown, 
Cookstown  Ho., 
Cookstown  June, 
Cookstown  R., 
Coola  Cott.  and  Bri., 
Cooladangan  Ho., 
Coolagarybeg, 
Coolagh, 
Coolaghflags, 
Coolalough  Ho., 
Coolalug  and  Bri., 
Coolamber, 
Coolamoney, 
Coolancy, 
Coolattin, 
Coolattin  Park, 
Coolavin  and  Barony, 
Coolavoher, 
Coolavully, 
CoolballiBtaggart  Lo., 
Coolbeha  Ho., 
Coolbawn  Ho., 
Coolbawn  Ho.  and  Cott., 
Coolboy, 

Coolboy  and  Ho., 
Coolcarrigan  Ho., 
Coolcashin  Ho., 
Coolcliffe  Ho., 
Coolcor  Ho., 
Coolcun  Ho., 
Coolcullen  R., 
Coolderry  Ho., 
Coolderry  Ho., 
Cooldorragha, 
Code, 
Coole, 

Coole  Barony, 
Coole  Cas,, 
Coole  Cas.  and  L., 
Coole  Ho., 
Cooleen, 
Cooleen  Ho., 
Coolestown  Earony, 
Cooley  Pt., 
Coolfin  Ho., 
Coolfitch, 
Coolgreany, 
Coolhull  Ca$., 
Coolin, 

Coolishal  Ho., 
Coolkenna  Street, 
Coolkeeragh, 
Coolkirk, 
Coolmanagh  St., 
Coolmeen, 
CoolmoonaD, 
Coolmore, 
Coolmore, 
Coolmore  Ho., 
Coolmountain  Ho., 
Coolnagour, 
Coolnagour  Ho., 
Coolnahau, 
Coolnakisha  Br., 
Coolnamara  Cross  Rds., 
Coolnamuck, 
Coolnamuck  Ho., 
Coolamunna  Ho., 
Coolnareen, 
Coolnasillagh, 
Coolnavoe, 
Coolock  and  Barony 
Coologe  L., 
Coolpark, 
Coolraiii, 
Coolroe  Ho., 


Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Armagh  C  1 
Down  F 
Sligo  E 
Louth  B 
Tyrone  F 
Kildare  E 
Galway  D 

Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Down  E  2 

Mayo  D  1 

Cork  G  2 

Monaghan  D  3 

Galway  B  2 
Limerick  D 
Limerick  D 
Cork  D 
Kildare  B 
Antrim  D 
Antrim  B 
Sligo  E 

Armagh  C  3 

Cork  F  2 

Waterford  C  3 

Donegal  D  3 

Leitrim  C  3 

Sligo  C  2 

West  Meath  E  2 

Sligo  B  2 

Tyrone  H  3 

Louth  A  2 

Antrim  D  4 

Wicklow  D  1 

West  Meath  C  3 

Wicklow  D  4 

King's  Co.  G  2 

Galway  D  2 

Kilkenny  B  8 

West  Meath  C  3 

Wicklow  C  4 

West  Meath  D  1 

Louth  A  2 

Sligo  E  2 


Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  C 
Sligo  F 
Ixindonderry  C 
Antrim  F 
Wicklow  C 
Kerry  D 
Wicklow  C 
Wexford  B 
Donegal  D 
Wicklow  C 
Kildare  B 
Kilkenny  B 
Wexford  B 
Kildare  B 
Wexford  B 
Kilkenny  D  2 
King's  Co.  C  3 
Monaghan  D  4 
Cork  D  3 
Galway  E  3 


West  Meath  D 
Fermanagh  F  3 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Tipperary  C  4 
Sligo  C  3 
Limerick  E  3 
King's  Co.  H 
Louth  D 
Waterford  F 
Kildare  D 
Wexford  E 
Wexford  B 
Galway  C 
Wexford  D 
Wicklow  B 
Londonderry  B 
Louth  C 
CaHow  D 
Roscommon  D 
Kildare  C 

Cork  G  3 
Donegal  C  4 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Cork  D  8 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Waterford  C  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Carlow  A  2 
Carlow  B 
Waterford  E 
Kilkenny  D 
Tipperary  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Londonderry  E 
Donegal  D 
Dublin  E 
Cavan  D 
Slieo  C 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Kilkenny  E 


Coolrus  Ho., 
Coolticormac, 
Cool  urn  Lo., 
Coolure, 
Coolvally, 
Coolyermer  L., 
Coolyhane, 
Coolykeerane, 
Coomacarrea, 
Coomasaham, 
Coomcalec, 
Coomhola  River, 
CoomnahincHa  and  Harb., 
Coonagh, 
Coonagh  Barony, 
Coonana, 

Cooneen  and  C.  Water, 
Coonen  Hill, 
Coonlanagh, 
Coonogue, 
Cooper  Hill, 
CooperhiU  Ho., 
Cooperhill  Ho., 
Cooralacare  and  Riv., 
Coosan  Lough, 
Cootehall, 
Cootehill  and  Sta., 
Cooter  L., 
Copeland  Island, 
Coppanagh  Gap, 
Coppenagh  Cas., 
Copperalley, 
Coppony  I,., 
Copse  Ho., 
Coragh  L., 
Coragh  L., 
Corballis, 
Corballis  Ho., 
Corballis  Ho., 
Corbally, 
Corbally, 
Corbally  Ho., 
Corbally  Ho., 
Corbally  L., 
Corbally  Sth., 
Corbalton  Hall, 
Corbeg  Ho., 
Corbet  L., 
Corboley, 
Corbollis  Ho., 
Corboy  Upper, 
Corcomroe  Abbey, 
Corcomroe  Barony, 
Corcrain  Ho., 
Corcreeghagh, 
Corderry  Ho., 
Cordoo  L., 
Corduff, 
Corduff  Ho., 
Corduff  Ho., 
Corfad, 
Corfin  L., 
Corglass  L., 
Corglass  L., 
Corgrave, 
Corfck  Mt., 
Corickmore, 
Cork  and  Barony, 
Cork  Abbey, 
Cork  Harbour, 
Corkagh  Ho., 
Corkaguiny  Barony, 
Corkaree  Barony, 
Corkeen  Is., 
Corker  R., 
Corkhill  Ho., 
Corkip  L., 
Corkley  R., 
Corlat  Ho., 
Corlea, 
Corliss  L., 
Corlougharoe, 
Cormaglava  Ho., 
Cormeen  Cott., 
Cormey  Bri., 
Cormoy  Ho., 
Comabrass  L., 
Comacarta  Lough, 
Cornadrung  Colt., 
Comagillagh, 
Comaglare  L., 
Comaglea  Ho., 
Comagrow  L., 
Comahcr, 
Cornakill  Ho., 
Comamucklagh, 
Cornamucklagh, 
Cornapark, 
Comasaus, 
Comascrceb  Ho., 
Cornashesk, 
Corncc.issa  Ho., 
Cornfield  Ho., 
Coronation  Plantation, 
Corr  Ho., 
Corra  R., 


Limerick  E 
Cork  E 
Waterford  G 
West  Meath  D 
Wexford  B 
Formanagh  D 
Carlow  B 
Cork  D 
Kerry  C 
Kerry  C 
Kerry  B 
Cork  C 
Kerry  B 
Limerick  E 
Limerick  H 
Kerry  A 
Fermanagh  G 
Meath  G 
Queen's  Ca  E 
Carlow  C 
Queen's  Co.  F 
Limerick  E 
Sligo  F 
Clare  D 
West  Meath  A 
Roscommon  E 
Cavan  G 
Geiway  E 
Down  G 
Kilkenny  D 
Carlow  C 
West  Meath  G 
Cavan  F 
Wicklow  D 
Cavan  G 
Monaghan  B 
Meath  G 
Dublin  D 
Dublin  F 
Kildare  D 
Roscommon  D 
Galway  E 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  B 
Meath  E 
King's  Co.  C 
Down  B 
Galway  D 
Louth  B 
Longford  C 
Clare  F 
Clare  E 
Armagh  D 
Louth  A 
Louth  A 
Monaghan  C 
Leitrim  E 
Dublin  E 
Kildare  C 
Monaghan  C 
Monaghan  C 
Cavan  G 
Longford  C 
King's  Co.  C 
Londonderry  E 
Tyrone  E 
Cork  F 
Dublin  F 
Cork  G 
Du'olin  C 
Kerry  B 
West  Mfeath  D 
Tipperary  A 
Donegal  B 
Sligo  D 
Roscommon  E 
Armagh  C 
Monaghan  C 
Longford  B 
Armagh  C 
Monaghan  B 
Longford  B 
Cavan  G 
Monaghan  D 
Monaghan  E 
Fermanagh  F 
"Roscommon  E 
Longford  D 
Donegal  D 
Monaghan  B 
Cavan  G 
Cavan  F 
West  Meath  D 
Cavan  H 
Galway  G 
Londonderry  F 
Longford  D 
Cavan  H 
Armagh  D 
Cavan  G 
gh; 
ila' 
Wicklow  C 
West  Meath  C 
Clare  I 


Monaghan  B 
Mayo  D 


OOBRABELLA. 


INDEX. 


DABGLE. 


Corrab«lla  Ho., 
Corrabut  Gap, 
Corrachro  Ho., 
Corradoo  L., 
Corradooey, 
Corradoon  Ho., 
Corradoran, 
Corraghbridge  Ho., 
Corralea, 
Corralongford  I,., 
Corramore, 

Corran  Barony  and  L., 
Corran  Lake, 
Corran  R.. 
Corraodoo, 
Corraneary  L., 
Corraneary  Lo., 
Corran  roo, 
Corran  TOO  Ho., 
Corratimore, 
Corratinner  L., 
Correen  Ho., 
Corrib,  Lough, 
Corrib  R., 
Corries  Lo.  and  R., 
Corrigadrohidj 
Corrinshigo  Ho., 
Corrofin, 
Corrstown  Ho., 
Corry  L., 
Corry  Lo., 
Corry  more  Lo., 
Corsleive, 
Corstown  Loughs, 
Cortial  L„ 
Cortiskea, 
CorviUe, 
Corville  Ho., 
Corvish, 
Cosby  Castle, 
Coshlea  Barony, 
Coshma  Barony, 


Tipperary  C 
Carlow  C 
Fermanagh  A 
Sligo  F 
Donegal  E 
Waterford  C 
.Louth  A 
Limerick  D 
Roscommon  E 
Fermanagh  G 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  E 
Cork  D 
Armagh  C 
Galway  F 
Cavan  G 
Cavan  D 
Clare  G 
Galway  E 
Leitrim  B 
Cavan  G 
Roscommon  E  6 
Galway  D  2 
Galway  D  3 
Carlow  B  3 
Cork  E  3 
Cavan  I  3 
Clare  F  2 
Dublin  C  3 
Fermanagh  G  3 
Leitrim  C  3 
Carlow  B 
Mayo  B 
Meath  E 
Louth  A 
Galway  F 
Cavan  D 
Tipperary  C 
Donegal  F 
Cavan  E 
Limerick  G 
Limerick  F 


Coshmore  &  Coshbride  Barony, 

Waterford  B 


Costello  Barony, 
Cot  Br.,  . 
Cottage,  The, 
Cottage  Grove, 
Coulagh  and  Bay, 
Coumbeg, 
Coumduala  L., 
Coumduff, 
Coumshingaun  L., 
Country  Ho., 
County  Bri., 
County  Bri.  and -Water, 
County  Water, 
Coura  L., 
Couragh, 
Courceys  Barony, 
Cournellan  Mill, 
Court,  The, 
Courtaur  Cas., 
Courtbane  L., 
Courtmacsherry  and  Bay, 
Courtnacuddy  Cross  Rds., 
Courtown  Ho., 
Courtown  Ho.  and  Harb., 
Coarttown  Ho., 
Cow  and  Calf, 
Cox's  Hill, 
Coy  Ford, 
Crab  Islandj 
Crab  Lane, 
Crabtree  R., 
Craddanstan  Ho., 
Cradockheel  Cas., 
Craigbrien  Ho., 
Cragg  Ho., 
Cragliy  L., 
Cragleagh  Ho., 
Craig, 

Craig  Abbey, 
Craigagh, 
Craigavad  Sta., 
Craigavole, 
Craigdarroch  Ho., 
Craigdoo, 
Craiggore, 
Craigmore, 
Craignagapple, 
Craignamaddy, 
Craignamaddy, 
Craigs, 
Craigs  Ch., 
Craigywarren, 
Crana  R. , 
Cranagh,  The, 
Cranagh, 
Cranagh  Ho., 
Cranagher  Ho., 
CranagilL 
Cranala^, 
Crancam, 
Cranemore  Ho., 
Cranfield, 

9 


Mayo  E 
Dublin  C 
Kildare  D 
Leitrim  B 
Cork  A 
Tipperary  A 
Waterford  D 
Kerry  B 
Waterford  D 
Carlow  B 
Louth  C 
>  Armagh  C 
Monaghan  E 
King's  Co.  C 
Cork  G 
Cork  F 
Carlow  B 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Louth  A 
Cork  E 
Wexford  B 
Kildare  C 
Wexford  E 
Kildare  A 
Down  E 
Armagh  D 
Kildare  C 
Clare  D 
Wicklow  B  4 
Kildare  B  2 
West  Meath  F  2 
Clare  H  3 
Clare  F  3 
Tipperary  A  3 
Donegal  C  3 
Clare  F  2 
Tyrone  F  2 
Galway  F  3 
Londonderry  D  3 
Down  E  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Down  E  1 
Down  C  4 
Londonderry  D  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Tyrone  E 
Antrim  C 
Tyrone  E 
Donegal  E 
Antrim  C 
Antrim  D 
Donegal  F 
Londonderry  F 
Tyrone  F 
Tipperary  C 
Clare  G 
Armagh  C 
Longford  D  2 
Roscommon  F  5 
Carlow  C  2 
Antrim  C  4 


Cranfield  and  C.  Pf., 
Cranford  Bri., 
Cranna  Ho., 
Crannagh  Barony, 
Crannagh  Ho., 
Crannford, 
Cranroe, 
Cratlieve, 

Cratloe  Cas.,  Sta.,  and 

Craud, 

Craughwel!  and  Sta., 
Crawfords  Lo. , 
Crawfordsbum, 
Crawfordsburn  Ho,, 
Crazy  Corner, 
Creadan  Hd.  and  Ho. 
Creagh, 
Creagh  Castle, 
Creagh  Ho., 
Creagh  Lo., 
Cream  Pt., 
Crebilly  Ho., 
Crecharmore, 
Creegh  R., 
Creehennan, 
Creemully, 
Creeslough, 
Creeve  Ho.  and  L., 
Creevagh, 
Creevagh  Ho., 
Crevagh  Vil.  and  Hd., 
Creevaghmore, 
Creevelea  Abbey, 
Creeves, 

Creevinishaughy  Is., 
Creevy, 
Creevy  Ho., 
Creevy  L., 
CreevyquiTi, 
Cregaclare, 
Cregan, 
Cregg, 

Cregg  and  Ho., 
Cregg  Castle, 
Cregg  Cas.  and  R., 
Cregg  Ho., 
Cregg  Pt., 
Cregga  Ho., 
Creggan, 
Creggan, 
Creggan, 
Creggan, 
Creggan  and  R., 
Creggan  L., 
Creggan  R., 
Cregganconroe, 
Creggane  Cas., 
Creggaun, 
Creggs, 

Cremorgan  Ho., 
Cremorne  Ho.  and  Bar. 
Crescent  Ho., 
Crettyard  Bri., 
Crew, 
Crew  Hilt, 
Crew  Mount, 
Crilty  Ho., 
Crindle, 
Crine  Cas. 
Crinkill, 
Croagh, 
Croagh, 

Croagh  Patrick, 
Croaghaun  Mt., 
Croaghan, 
Croaghan  Is., 
Croaghmoyle, 
Croaghnakeela  I., 
Croan  L., 
Croangar  L., 
Croboy  L., 
Crockada  Bri., 
Crockalough, 
Crockalougha, 
Crockaneel, 
Crockaun, 
Crockawilla, 
Crockberry  Hill, 
Crockbane, 
Crockbrack, 
Crockcor, 
Crockets  Town, 
Crockrour, 
Croghan  and  Ho., 
Croghan  Hill, 
Croghan  Kinsella, 
Crom  Cas., 
Cromoge  R., 
Cromore, 
Crompaun  R., 
Cromwells  Hill, 
Cromwellsford  Ho., 
Crone, 

Cronelea  Ho., 
Cronlcagh  Ho., 
Cronohill, 


Down  C 
Donegal  D 
Tipperary  A 
Kilkenny  B 
Roscommon  F 
Wexford  D 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Down  C  3 
Wood,  Clare  H  3 
Meath  F  2 
Galway  E  3 
Tipperary  D  2 
Down  E  2 
Down  E  1 
West  Meath  F  2 
Waterford  H  2 
Cork  D  4 
Cork  F  2 
Mayo  D  3 
Roscommon  D  6 
Clare  D  2 
Antrim  D 
Roscommon  D 
Clare  D 
Donegal  F 
Roscommon  C 
Donegal  D 
Monaghan  C 
Sligo  O 
Londonderry  A 
Mayo  D 
Longford  C 
Leitrim  A 
Limerick  C 
Fermanagh  D 
Mayo  C 
Longford  E  2 
Down  D  3 
Roscommon  E  4 
Galway  E  3 
Londonderry  C  2 
Clare  E  1 
Tipperary  E  4 
Cork  G  2 
Galway  D  2 
Sligo  E  2 
Galway  G  3 
Roscommon  E 
Donegal  E 
Roscommon  F 
Roscommon  F 
Sligo  E 
Armagh  C 
West  Meath  A 
Armagh  D  3 
Tyrone  G  3 
Limerick  E  3 
Limerick  E  2 
Galway  G  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
,   Monaghan  C  3 
Louth  B  2 
Kilkenny  D  1 
Tyrone  D  2 
Kildare  D  1 
Antrim  D  5 
Tyrone  G  4 
Londonderry  D  2 
Clare  H  3 
King's  Co.  C  3 
Fermanagh  B 
Limerick  D 
Mayo  B 
Mayo  A 
Cavan  D 
Armagh  D 
Mayo  D 
Galway  A  3 
Roscommon  D  o 
Donegal  C  8 
Meath  B  4 
Fermanagh  G  3 
Donegal  F  1 
Londonderry  D  3 
Antrim  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Londonderry  D  4 
Kildare  C  1 
Tyrone  G  2 
Londonderry  D  4 
Londonderry  E  3 
Sligo  B  3 
Tyrone  E  2 
Roscommon  D  2 
King's  Co.  G  1 
Wicklow  D  4 
Fermanagh  F 
Tipperary  C 
Londonderry  E 
Limerick  E 
Limerick  G 
Carlow  C 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  B 
Cork  G 


Cronroe  Ho., 
Cronybyrne  Ho., 
Cronyhorn  Ho., 
Cronykecry, 
Crookedwood, 
Crookhaven  and  L.  H., 
Crookstown, 
Crookstown  Bri., 
Croom  and  Ho., 
Crosaghstown, 
Cross, 
Cross, 
Cross,  The, 
Cross  L., 
Cross  L., 
Cross  Barry, 
Cross  Forts, 
Cross  Guns, 
Cross  Hill, 
Cross  Water, 
Crossabeg, 
Crossakeel, 
Crossanavar, 
Crossbane  L., 
Crossboyne, 
Crosscool  Harb., 
Crossdall  L., 
Crossdoney  and  Sta., 
Crossdrum  Ho., 

Crossfarnoge  or  Forlorn  Pt.,  Wexford  C 


Crossfintan  Pt., 
Crossfood  Br., 
Crossgar, 

Crosshaven  and  Fort 
Cross  Keys, 
Cross  Keys, 
Crosskeys, 
Cross  Keys, 
Cross  Keys, 
Cross  Keys, 
Cross  Keys, 
Crossmaglcn, 
Crossmolina, 
Crosspatrick, 
Crossroads,. 
Crossursa, 
Crosswell, 

Crotanstown  Ho.  and  Lo. 
Crotlieve  Mt., 
Crotta  Ho., 
Crotty's  L., 
Crow  Hd., 
Crow  Hill, 
Crow  R., 
Crowbally, 
Crowbill  Lo., 
Crowmartin  Ho., 
Cruagh, 

Cruicetown  Ho., 
Cruiserath  Ho., 
Cruit  Is., 
Crumlin, 

Crumlin  and  Sta., 
Crumlin  R., 
Crump  I., 
Crumpaun, 
Crumpaun  R., 
Crunaun  Br., 
Cruninish, 
Crusheen, 
Cuckoo  Corner, 
Cuddagh  Glebe, 
Cuffsborough  Ho., 


Wicklow  E 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  E 
West  Meath  E 
Cork  B 
Cork  E 
'Kildare  C 
Limerick  E 
Longford  D  2 
Clare  B  4 
Waterford  C 
Meath  E 
Mayo  A 
Mayo  B 
Cork  F 
Cavan  F 
Meath  D  2 
IVrone  A  2 
Cavan  G  4 
Wexford  C  3 
Meath  B  2 
Wicklow  C  3 
Armagh  B  3 
Mayo  D  2 
Wicklow  B  1 
Armagh  A  3 
Cavan  E  3 
Meath  A  2 
4 
4 
4 
3 
3 


Wexford  D 
Waterford  C 
Down  E 
Cork  G 
Armagh  B  3 
Cavan  F  3 
Kildare  A  3 
Londonderry  F  0 
Meath  E  3 
Meath  B  2 
Wicklow  A  2 
Armagh  C  4 
Mayo  C  1 
Wicklow  C  4 
Donegal  C  2 
Galway  D  2 
Galway  F  2 
Kildare  C  8 
Down  B  5 
Kerry  D  1 
Waterford  D  2 
Cork  A  4 
Armagh  C  2 
Donegal  B  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Louth  A 
Galway  A 
Meath  C 
Dublin  C 
Donegal  B 
Dublin  D 
Antrim  D 
Antrim  E 
Galway  B 
Galway  C  8 
Mayo  C  2 
Roscommon  B  2 
Fermanagh  D  1 
Clare  G  2 
Carlow  C  1 
Leitrim  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 


Cuffsborough  Cross  Rds.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 


Cuffs  Town, 
Cuilcagh, 
Cuilcagh, 
Cuilcagh  Gap, 
Cuillaghan  L., 
CuiHeenirwan  L., 
Culbane, 
Culcavy, 
Culdaff  and  B., 
Cullahill, 
Cullahill  Cas., 
Cullaun, 
Cullaun, 
Cullaun  L., 
CuUaunyheeda  L. 
CuUaville, 
Cullaville  Sta., 
Culleen, 
Culleen  Ho., 
Cullen, 
Cullen, 
Cullen  Hill, 
Cullen  Ho., 
CuUenagh  Barony, 


Sligo  B  2 
Cavan  C  1 
Cavan  G  3 
Fermanagh  D  8 
Cavan  D  2 
Roscommon  E  5 
Londonderry  G  3 
Down  C  3 
Donegal  F 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Tipperary  B 
Kilkenny  E 
Limerick  H 
Clare  F 
Clare  H 
Armagh  C 
Monaghan  E 
Roscommon  E 
West  Meath  D 
Cork  D 
Tipperary  A  8 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Meath  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 


Cullenagh  Hill  &  Abbey,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 


Cullion, 
Cullion  Bridge, 
Cully  Water, 
Cullybackey  and  Su., 
Cullyhanna,  R.,  and  L 
Culmore, 
Culmore  Pt., 
Culnady, 
Culnafay  Ho., 
Culray, 
Cultra, 
Cumber  Br., 
Cumber  Ho., 
Cumber  Lower  Ch., 
Cummeen  Ho',  and  Strand 
Cummer, 
Cummeragh, 
Cummurk  R., 
Gunnel  L., 
Cunningburn, 
Curchtown, 
Curlieu  Hills, 
Curly  R., 
Curracloe  Ho., 
Curragh, 
Curragh, 
Curragh, 
Curragh, 
Curragh, 

Curragh  and  Bri., 


"Tyrone  D  1 
Down  B  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Antrim  D  4 
,       Armagh  C  4 
Antrim  B  3 
Londonderry  B  2 
Londonderry  F  3 
Antrim  C  4 
Longford  D  2 
Down  E  2 
Down  D 
Londonderry  B 
Londonderry  B 
Sligo  E 
Wexford  A 
Kerry  B 
Donegal  C 
Mayo  B 
Down  F 
Wexford  D  4 
Sligo  F  4 
Londonderry  D  2 
Wexford  D  3 
Down  F  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Galway  E  2 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Wicklow  B  4 
Kildare  C  2 


Curragh,  The,  and  Encampment, 

Kildare  B 

Curragh  Chase  Ho., 
Curragha, 


Cullenagh  R.  and  Bri., 
Cullenstown  and  Ho.j 
Cullentra  Ho., 
•Cullies  Ho., 
Cullin  L., 
Cullin  L., 
Cullinane, 


Clare  E 
Wexford  B 
Wexford  C 
Cavan  E 
Kilkenny  D 
Mayo  D 
Antrim  E 


Curraghabeen, 
Curraghboy, 
Curraghclady, 
Curraghgorm, 
Curraghgraigne, 
Curraghmore, 
Curraghmore  Ho., 
Curraghmore  Ho., 
Curraglass, 
Currahen  and  Sta., 
Curralanty, 
Curran, 
Curranagh, 
Currane  L., 
Currans, 

Curraun  Peninsula, 
Currenstown  Ho., 
Curristown  Ho., 
Currowbane  Ho., 
Curry, 
Curryard, 
Curryfree, 

Currygrane  Ho.  and  L., 
Curryquin, 
Curve  Bri., 
Cushaling  Br., 
Cushaling  River, 
Cushendall, 
Cushendun, 
Cusher  River, 
Cushina, 
Cushina  R., 
Cushina  Riv.  and  Ho'., 
Cussan, 


Daar  R., 

Daffy  Lo., 

Dahybaun  L., 

Daisy  Hill, 

Dale  R., 

Dalgan  Ho., 

Dalgan  R., 

Dalia  R., 

Dalkey, 

Dalkey  I., 

Dalligan  R., 

Dallingstown, 

Dallyhaysy, 

Daly  Cas., 

Dalys  Bri., 

Dalystown, 

Dalystown  Ho., 

Damerville, 

Danes  Cast,  The, 

Danesfield  Ho., 

Danesfort, 

Danesfort, 

Danesfort, 

Danesfort  Ho., 

Danesfort  Ho., 

Danesfort  Ho., 

Dangan, 

Dangan  Ho., 

Dangansallagh  Ho., 

Dangar  Ho.  and  Park, 

Daphney  Cas., 

Darcy's  Str., 

Dardistown, 

Dargle  R., 


Limerick  D  2 
Meath  F  8 
Roscommon  E  5 
Roscommon  E  6 
Leitrim  E  5 
Cork  G  2 
Wexford  B  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Waterford  E  2 
Wexford  A 
Cork  G 
Cork  F 
King's  Co.  C 
Londonderry  F 
Galway  F 
Kerry  B 
Kerry  D 
Mayo  B 
Tipperary  C  _ 
West  Meath  F  2 
Clare  G  8 
Sligo  D  3 
Sligo  F  1 
Londonderry  B  3 
Longford  D  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Kildare  B  2 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Kildare  B  2 
Antrim  E  2 
Antrim  £  2 
Armagh  D  2 
King's  Co.  G  2 
Kildare  A  2 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Kilkenoy  B  4 


Limerick  C  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Mayo  C  1 
Armagh  B  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
Mayo  D  3 
Mayo  E  2 
Cork  D 
Dublin  F 
Dublin  G 
Waterford  D 
Down  B 
Dublin  E 
Galway  E 
Meath  C 
Galway  F 
West  Meath  C 
Tipperary  A 
Down  A 
Galway  D 
Cork  E 
Fermanagh  C 
Roscommon  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Limerick  D 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Cork  G 
Clare  G 
Tipperary  C  2 
King's  Co.  D  4 
Wexford  C  2 
King's  Co.  C  1 
Meath  G  3 
Wicklow  E  1 


DABKLET. 


INDEX. 


DKUMFAD. 


Darkley  and  D.  Lower,  Armagh  B 

Daroge  Ho.,  Longford  C 

Darragh  Ho.,  Limerick  G 

Darraghville,  Wicklow  E 
DaiT)-nane  Abbey  and  Bay,     Kerry  B 

D.\rt  Mt.,  T^TOne  F 

Dartfield,  Galway  F 

Darton,  Armagh  B 

Dartree  Barony,  Monaghan  B 

Dartrey  Ho.,  Monaghan  B 

Dartry  Lo.,  Armagh  B 

Darver  Cas.,  Louth  B 

Dash  BrL,  Longford  C 

Daumett  Bum,  Donegal  D 

Davidstown,  Kilkenny  D 

Davidstown  Ho.,  Kildare  C 

Davillaun  L,  Mayo  A 

Davillaun  More  L,  Mayo  A 

Davis,  _  Antrim  E 

Davistown  Ho. ,  King's  Co.  D 

DawTos  Hd.  and  Bay,  Donegal  B 

DawTOs  R.,  Galway  B 

Dawsons  Grove,  Armagh  D 

Dead  R.,  Limerick  H 

Deadmans  Hill,  Armagh  C 

DeaneiT-,  Longford  C 

Deans  Cott..  Carlow  B 

Debsborough  Ho.,  Tipperary  B 
Dedes,  witnin  Drum  Barony, 

Waterford  C 
Decies,  withoat  Dram  Barony, 

Waterford  C 

Decoy  Gr., 
Decoy  Ho., 
Dee  R., 

Deece,  Lower  Barony, 
Deece,  Upper  Barony, 
Deehommed  Mt., 


Deel  R., 
Deel  R., 
Deele  L.  and  R., 
Deelis  Bri, 
Deenish, 
Deer  Is., 
Deer  Park, 
Deerpark  Ho., 
Delamone, 
Delgany, 
Dellm  Ho., 
Delour  R., 
Delphi, 

Delvin  Barony, 
Delvin  R., 
Denn, 

Dennet  Bum, 
Deputy^s  Pass, 
Derdaoil, 
Dereen  R., 
Derg  Lough, 
Derg  R., 

Derg  R.  and  Lough, 
Dennch  L, 
Derk, 
Derlangen, 
Dermotstown, 
Demagree, 
Demaskeagh  L., 
Demish  Is., 
Derragh, 
Derragh  L., 
Derrane  Ho,, 
Derraumeen, 
Derreen, 
Derreen, 
Derreen  Riv., 
Derriana  L., 
Derries,  The, 
Derrin  L., 
Derrin  Mt., 
Derrinboy  Ho., 
Derrinkee, 
Derroon  Ho., 
Derrow, 
Deny  Cas., 
Derry  Ho.,  , 
Derry  Ho., 
Derry  L.j 
Derry  Riv., 
Derry  Water, 
Derryad, 
Derryadd  Bay, 
Dcrryadd  L., 
Derry  ard, 
Dcrrybard, 
Derrybawn  Ha, 
Derry  beg, 
Derry tjeg  Ho., 
Derry  boy, 
Derry  carne, 
Dcrr>'carran, 
Derrycassan  Ho., 
Denycassan  L., 
Dcrrycanfield, 
Derry  Clare  L., 
Derryconor, 
Derry  cooly, 

10 


Kildare  C 
Wicklow  B 
Louth  B 
Meath  D 
Meath  D 
Down  C 
Limerick  D 
Mayo  C 
Donegal  D 
Kerry  B 
Kerry  B 
Clare  F 
Armagh  D 
Wicklow  A 
Down  E 
Wicklow  E 
Louth  B 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Mayo  B 
West  Meath  F 
Dublin  D 
Cavan  F 
Tyrone  E 
Wicklow  E 
Tipperary  A 
Wicklow  B 
Tipperary  A 
"Tyrone  B 
Donegal  D 
Sligo  E 
Limerick  G 
Meath  C 
Dublin  E 
Cork  D 
Sligo  F 
Sligo  E 
Cork  D 
Longford  E 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  D 
Galway  F 
Roscommon  F 
Wicklow  A 
Kerry  C 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Galway  F 
Fermanagh  C 
King's  Co.  D 
Mayo  C 
Sligo  E 
Galway  G 
Tipperary  A 
Cork  D 
King's  Co.  C 
Longford  B 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  C 
Longford  B 
Armagh  D 
Armagh  C 
Clare  C 
Tyrone  E 
Wicklow  D 
-Donegal  C 
Fermanagh  E 
Down  E 
Leilrim  D 
Armagh  C 
Longford  D 
Cavan  D 
Roscommon  F 
Galway  B 
Donegal  C 
King's  Co.  D 


Derrycoosh, 
Derrycorrib, 
Derrj'craff, 
Derrycree  Cott., 
Derrydorragh  Ho., 
DerrydufTL., 
Derryfalone  Ho., 
Derrygonelly, 
Derrygoolin, 
Derrygoony  L., 
Derry  hale, 
Derryharaey, 
Derryharrow, 
Derryhick  L., 
Derrykeel  Ho., 
Derrykeighan, 
Derrylaur, 
Derrylileagh  L., 
Denylin, 
Derry luskan  Ho., 
Derrymacar  L., 
Derrymacash, 
Derrymacegan, 
Derrymannm  L., 
Derrymore, 
Derrymore, 
Derrymore  Ho., 
Derrymore  Ho., 
Derrymore  Ho., 
Derrymore  Ho., 
Derrynacarbit  L., 
Derrynahinch  Ho., 
Derrynamehaun, 
DerT>'nananta  L., 
Derrynasaggart  Mts., 
Derrynasaggart  Mts., 
Derrynascera  Ho., 
Derrynea  Lo., 
Denynoyd  Lo., 
Derrypark, 
Derryquin  Cas., 
Derryveagh  Mts., 
Dervock, 
Derrywaragh  I., 
Desart  Cott., 
Descart  L., 
Desertcreat, 
Desertlyn, 
Desertmartin, 
Desertoghill, 
Devenish, 
Devilsbit  Mt., 
Devils  Glen, 
Devlin  R., 
Devlin  R., 
Devlins  R., 
Devon  Cott., 
Diamond, 
Diamond,  The, 
Diamond  Hill, 
Diamond  Hill, 
Diamond  Hill, 
Diffagher  R., 
Diffreen  R., 
Digby's  Br., 
Dillagh  L., 

Dillon,  Cas.,  Lo.,  and  Ho., 
Dillonstown  Cross, 
Dingle,  Harb.,  and  Bay, 
Dinm  R., 
Dinin  Riv., 
Dirk  Bay, 
Divna  L., 
D'Loughtane  Ho., 
Doagh, 
Doagh, 
Doagh  Beg, 
Doagh  L, 
Dobbs, 
Dodard  Cas., 
Dodder  R., 
Dodwell  Mt., 
Dog  Street, 
Dogs  B., 
Dolanstown  Ho., 
Dollardstown  Ho., 
Dollardstown  Ho., 
Dollymount, 
Dollys  Grove, 
Dolvin, 
Donabate, 
Donacamey, 
Donadea  Cas., 
Donagh, 
Donagh, 
Donaghadee, 
Donaghcloney, 
Dona^cumper, 
Donaghcdy  Ch., 
Donaghmore, 
Donaghmore, 
Donaghmore, 
Donaghmore  Ch., 
Donaghmore  Ho., 
Donaghmoyne  Ho., 
Donaghpatrick  Bri., 


Mayo  C  2 
Mayo  B  1 
Mayo  C  2 
Armagh  C  2 
Armagh  B  2 
Donegal  B  3 
Louth  A  1 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Galway  F  4 
Monaghan  C  8 
Armagh  D  2 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Longford  0  6 
Mayo  D  2 
King's  do.  D  3 
Antrim  C  2 
Galway  F  3 
Armagn  C  2 
Fermanagh  E  8 
Tipperary  C  4 
Longford  B  8 
Armagh  D  2 


West  Meath  E 
Mayo  D 
Antrim  C 
Clare  I 
Armagh  D 
Clare  H 
King's  Co.  D 
West  Meath  F 
Fermanagh  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Longford  B 
Cavan  C  ii 
Cork  D  3 
Kerry  E  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  8 
Galway  C  8 
Londonderry  E  4 
Galway  C 
Kerry  C 
Donegal  C 
Antrim  C 
Armagh  C 
Kilkenny  B 
Monaghan  D  4 
Tyrone  H  3 
Londonderry  E  4 
Londonderry  E  4 
Londonderry  F  3 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Tipperary  C  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Donegal  C  3 
Sl^o  B  2 
Meath  E  2 
Cavan  E  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Tyrone  I  3 
Armagh  C 
Cavan  D 
Wicklow  D 
Leitrim  C 
Leitrim  A 
Kildare  C 
Cavan  E 
Armagh  C 
Louth  C 
Kerry  B  2 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Cork  E  4 
Donegal  A  3 
Waterford  B  4 
Antriji  E  4 
Donegal  D  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Donegal  E 
Antrim  G 
Waterford  B 
Dublin  C 
Sligo  F 
Armagh  C 
Galway  A 
Meath  E 
Kildare  B 
Meath  E 
Dublin  F 
Meath  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Dublin  F 
Meath  G 
Kildare  C 
Fermanagh  F 
Sligo  C 
Down  F 
Down  B 
Kildare  D 
Tyrone  E 
Meath  F 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Tyrone  H  3 
Down  B  4 
Wexford  E  2 
Monaghan  D  3 
Meath  D  2 


Donard,  Wicklow  B  2 

Donard  Lodge,  Down  D  4 

Donegal,  Donegal  C  4 

Donegal  Bay,  Donegal  B  4 

Donegal  Pt,  Clare  C  3 

Donegore,  Antrim  E  4 

Doneraile,  Cork  F  2 

Donnell  L.,  Clare  D  3 

Donogher  L.,  Leitrim  £  4 

Donore,  Meath  F  2 

Donore  Cas.,  West  Meath  C  3 

Donore  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Donore  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  2 

Donore  Lo,  and  Ho.,  Kildare  C  2 

Doo  L.,  Clare  E  3 

Doo  L.,  Donegal  E  2 

Doo  L.,  Leitnm  C  2 

Doo  L.,  Mayo  B 

Doo  L.,  Sligo  E 

Dooagh,  Mayo  A 

Dooally  R.,  Limerick  C 

Dooaun  L.,  Galway  D 

Doobham,  Fermanagh  G 

Doocastle,  Mayo  F 

Dooega  Hd.,  Mayo  A 

Dooey,  Londonderry  E 

Doogarry  L.,  Leitrim  E 

Doogary  L.,  Armagh  B 

Doogary  L.,  Longford  C 

Dooghta  R.,  Galway  C 

Dooglasha  R.,  limerick  G 

Doogort,  Mayo  A 

Doohooma,  Mayo  B 

Dooibh,  Tyrone  C  3 

Dooish  Mt.,  Donegal  C  2 

Dookinelly,  Mayo  A  2 

Doolin  Cas.  and  Pt.,  Clare  D  1 

Doolough  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Doolystown  Ho.,  Meath  C  3 

Doomore,  Sligo'  D  3 

Doon,  Galway  F  2 

Doon,  Limeriok  H  2 

Doon  Cas.,  Galway  A  2 

Doon  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  1 

Doon  L.,  Clare  1  3 

Doon  L.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Doon  L.  and  Lo.,  Clare  H  2 

Doonaha,  Clare  C  4 

Doonally  Ho.,  Sligo  F  2 

Doonally  Ho.,  Sligo  F  2 

Doonane  Bri.,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Doonane  R.,  Tipperary  A  3 

DoonassHo.,  Clare  I  3 

Doonass,  Leap  of,  Limerick  F 

Doonbeg  and  B.,  Clare  C 

Doonbeg  R.,  Clare  E 

Dooneen  Ho.,  Limerick  F 

Doonis  Lough,  West  Meath  A 

Doonlicka  Cas.,  Clare  B 

Doonmadden,  Sligo  D  2 

Doonvinalla,  Mayo  B  1 

Doonybrook,  Dublin  E 

Doora,  Clare  G 

Doorin  Pt.,  Donegal  C 

Doomane,  Kilkenny  C 

Dooroge  Ar.,  Wexford  E 

Dooros,  Galway  C 

Doory  Hall,  Longford  C  3 

DooverthaR.,  Galway  F  8 

Dora  Ville,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Dorrington  Ho.,  West  Meath  B  3 

Dorsey  R.,  Armagh  C  4 

Dough  Cas.,  Clare  E  2 

Doughiska,  Galway  E  3 

Douglas,  Cork  F  3 

Douglas  Bri.,  Tyrone  D  2 

Douglas  R.,  Cork  D  3 

Douglas  R.,  Londonderry  E  4 

Douglas  R.,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Douglas  R.,  Sligo  F  3 

Douglas  R.,  Wicklow  B  2 

Dougla.')  R.,  Wicklow  B  3 

Douglas  Top,  Antrim  E  3 

Douce  Mtn.,  Wicklow  D  2 

Doulus  Hd.,  Kerry  A  8 

Dovea,  Tipperary  C  3 

Dovegrove  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  8 

Dovehill  Ho.,  King;s  Co.  D  3 

Dowdingstoh,  Kildare  C  2 

Dowdstown  Ho.,  Kildare  D  1 

Dowdstown  Ho.,  Louth  B  2 

Dowdstown  Ho.,  Meath  D  2 

Downeen  Castle,  Cork  D  4 
Downeys  Cross  Roads,        Limerick  G  2 

Downhill,  Londonderry  E  2 

Downhill  Sta.,  Londonderry  D  1 

Downing,  Cork  G  2 
Downings  Ho.  and  Cross  Roads, 

Kildare  C  2 

Dovmpatrick,  Down  E  4 

Downpatrick  Hd.,  Mayo  D  1 

Downs  Lo.,  Wicklow  E  2 

Downshire  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  1 

Dowra,  Cavan  A  1 

Dowry,  Wicklow  C  1 

Dowth  Ho.,  Meath  F  2 


Draghanstown,  Louth  C 

Drains  B.,  Antrim  G 

Draperstown,  Londonderry  E 

Drangan,  Tipperary  D 

Drangan  Ho.,  Tipperary  C 

Dreen,  Londonderry  C 

Drehid  Ho.,  Kildare  B 

Dresteman  Cas.,  Fermanagh  E 

Drews  Court,  Limerick  E 

Drewstown  Ho.,  Mealh  C 

Drimmeen,  Galway  A 

Drimnagh  Cas.,  Dublin  C 

Drin  L.,  West  Meath  E 

Drinagh,  Roscommon  F 

Drinan  Ho.,  Dublin  E 

Dring  Ho.,  Cavan  D 

Dring  Ho.,  I.eitrim  D 

Dripsey,  Cork  E 

Drishane  Br.,  Cork  C 

Drishane  Castle,  Cork  D 

Drisk  R.,  Tipperary  D 
Drogheda  Tn.  and  Barony,      Louth  B 

Drogheda  Bay,  Louth  C 

Droghedayany  Bri.,  Louth  A 

Drom,  Tipperary  C 

Dromada  Mt.,  Limerick  B 

Dromagh  and  Castle  Cork  E 

Dromana  Ho.,  Waterford  B 

Dromaneen  Ho.,  Cork  E 

Dromara,  Down  C 

Dromard  Ho.,  Tipperary  C 

Drombanny  Cas.,  Limerick  F 

Drombrow  Ho.,  Cork  C 

Dromcolliher,  Limerick  D 

Dromdaleague,  Cork  D 

Dromin,  Limerick  F 

Dromin,  Xx>uth  B 

Dromina^  Cork  E 

Dromiskin,  Ix)uth  B 
Dromkeen,  Sta.,  and  Ha,   Limerick  G 

Drommartin,  Kerry  C 

Dromoland  Cas.,  Clare  G. 

Dromore,  Down  C 

Droraore,  Sligo  C 

Dromore,  Tyrone  C 

Dromore  Cas.,  Kerry  C 

Dromore  Hd.,  Mayo  A 

Dromore  Ho.,  Cork  E 

Dromore  Ho.  and  L.,  Clare  G 

Dromore  L.,  Monaghan  B 

Drowes  R.,  Leurim  B 

Drum,  Monaghan  B 

Drum  Hills,  Waterford  C 

Drum  L.,  Down  C 

Drumacarrow  Lo.,  Cavan  G 

Dmmadarragh  Ho.,  Antrim  E 

Drumadonnell  R.,  Down  C 

Drumagore,  Londonderry  A 
Drumahaire  and  Earony,       Leitrim  B 

Drumahoe,  Londonderry  B 
Drumalagagh  Cott., 
Drumanaught, 


Drumandoora, 
Drumandoora  R., 
Drumane  Bri., 
Drumantine  Ho., 
Drumard  Ho., 
Drumate  Lo., 
Drumbad, 

Drumbanagher  Ho., 
Drumbane, 
Drumbaragh  Ho., 
Drumbaun, 
Drumbaun, 
Drumbeg, 
Drumbo, 
Drumboy  L., 
Drumbrean  Cott., 
Drumbride  Ho., 
Drumcalpin  Loughs, 
Drumcar, 
Drumcarban, 
Drumcashel  Ho., 
Drumcaw  L., 
Drumcliff  Bay, 
DrumclifT  Br.  and  R., 
Drumcoh  L., 
Drumcondra, 
Drumcondra, 
Drumconora, 
Dmmcor  L., 
Drumcormick, 
Drumcoura  1.., 


Roscominon  E 
Donegal  D 
Clare  H 
Clare  H 
Fermanagh  D 
Dowil  A 
Leitrim  D 
Monaghan  B 
Fermanagh  C 
Armagh  D 
Tipperary  B 
Meath  C 
Longford  C 
Sligo  D 
Down  D 
Down  D 
Armagh  C 
Monaghan  B 
Meath  E 
Cavan  G 
Louth  B 
Cavan  E 
Louth  B 
Monaghan  C 
Sligo  E 
Sligo  F 
Louth  A 
Dublin  E 
Meath  D 
Clare  G 
Monaghan  A 
Londonderry  E 
Leitrim  E 


Drumcrea  Ho.  &  Cott.,  West  Meath  E 


Dnimcro  Ho., 
Drumcroon  Ho., 
Drumcru, 
Drumcullaun  L., 
Dmmdcrg  L., 
Drumdoe, 
Drumdoit, 
Drumdowney, 
DruindulT  Ho., 
DrumeUan  Ho., 
Drumerce  Ch., 
Drumfad  B., 


Down  B 
Londonderry  E 
Fermanagh  F 
Clare, E 
Fermanagh  E 
Roscommon  D 
Donegal  E 
Kilkenny  D 
Roscommon  E 
Cavan  G 
Armagh  D 
Down  G 


DRUMFALDRA. 


INDEX. 


FANNIKGSTOWN. 


Drumfaldra  Ho., 

Drumfin, 

Dnjtngarve, 

Drumgay  L., 

Drumgoff  Bar'ks, 

Drumgole  L., 

Drumgooland  Ch., 

Dmmgoon, 

Dramgoon  Ho., 

Drumnillagh, 

Dnimhirk, 

Drumilly  Ho., 

Drumkeeran, 

Drumkern  Ho., 

Drumlaheen  L., 

Drumleck  Ho., 

Drumleck  Pt., 

Drumlee, 

Drumleevan, 

Drumlish, 

Drumlona  L., 

Drumloo  L,, 

Drumloughan, 

Drummaconor  Ho., 

Dnimman, 

Drumman, 

Drummerhin  Ho., 

Drummin  Br.  and  R., 

Drumraond  Ho., 

Drummuckavall  L., 

Dramnacor  Ho., 

Drumuacreeha, 

Dramnakilly  Ho., 

Drumnasole, 

Dnimnee,  Upr.  and  [,r. 

Drumod  and  Sta., 

Drumone, 

Drumquin, 

Druraragh  R., 

Drumrainy  Bri., 

Drumraney  Ho 

Drumraw  Ho., 

Drumreask, 

Drumree  Sta., 

Drumreilly, 

Drumroe, 

Drumroe  Ho., 

Drumroragh  Lo., 

Drumsaul  L., 

Dnimscar, 

Drumshallon  Ho., 

Drumshanbo, 

Dnimshanbo, 

Drumshanbo  L., 

Drumsill  Ho., 

Dramsillagh  Ho., 

Drumskellan, 

Drumslieve, 

Drumsna, 

Drumsurn, 

DnimtuUagh, 

Drung, 

Dmng  Hill, 

Dninganagh, 

Duag  R., 

Duagh, 

Dually  Ho^ 

Duarrigle  Cfas., 

Dubber  Ho., 

Dublin, 

Dublin  Barony, 
Dublin  Bay 


Monaghan  C  3 
Sligo  F  3 
Galway  A  2 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Wicklow  C  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Down  C  4 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Cavan  D  3 
Cavan  H  3 
Louth  A  2 
Atmagh  C  2 
Leitrim  B  2 
T>;rone  I  3 
Leitrim  D  3 
Louth  B  2 
Dublin  G 
Down  C 
Leitrim  F 
Longford  C 
Monaghan  B 
Monaghan  B 
Leitrim  E 
Monaghan  B 
West  Meath  E 
Roscommon  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Carlow  B 
Kildare  B 
Louth  A 
Longford  B  3 
Leitrim  B  1 
Tyrone  F  3 
Antrim  F  2 
Longford  B  3 
Leitrim  D  4 
Meath  A  2 
Tyrone  D  3 
Tyrone  E  3 
Fermanagh  D  3 
West  Meath  B  3 
Antrim  C  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Meath  E  3 
Leitrim  E  S 
Down  F  4 
Waterford  B  3 
Cavan  F  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Galway  G  3 
Louth  B  3 
Leitrim  C 
Tyrone  G 
Leitrim  E 
Armagh  B 
Leitrim  F 
Donegal  F 
Londonderry  D  3 
Leitrim  D  4 
Londonderry  D  3 
Antrim  C  2 
Cavan  F  2 
Kerry  B  2 
Mayo  D  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
Kerry  D  1 
Tipperary  C  3 
Cork  D  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Dublin  D  4 
Dublin  E  4 
Dublin  F  5 


Dublin  Corporation  Water  Works, 

Wicklow  D 


Ducketts  Grove,  Carlow  C 

Dttddestown,  Louth  C 

Duff  Hill,  Wicklow  C 

DuffL.,  Antrim  F 

Duff  R.,  Leitrim  A  1 

Duffcarrick  Rks.,  Wexford  E  2 

Dufferin  Barony,  *       Down  E  8 

Duffry  Hall,  Wexford  B  2 

Duhallow  Barony,  Cork  D  2 

Duleek,  Meath  F  8 

Duleek  Sta.,  Meath  F  2 

Duleek,  Lower  Barony,  Meath  F  2 

Duleek,  Upper  Barony,  Meath  F  3 

Dullerton  Ho.,  Tyrone  D  1 

Dun  Aillinne,  Kildare  C  3 

Dunabrattin  Hd.,  Waierford  F  3 

Dunadry  Sta.,  Antrim  E  4 

DunaffHd.,  Donegal  E  2 

Dunally,  Donegal  E  2 

Dunamon  Br.,  Roscommon  C  4 

Dunamon  Cas.,  Galway  F  2 

Dunany  Ho.  and  Pt.,  Louth  C  2 

Dunaweel  L.,  Leitrim  F  3 

Dunbell,  Kilkenny  D  3 

Dunboden  Park,  West  Meath  E  3 

Dunboe,  Londonderry  E  2 

Uunboy  Castle,  Cork  B  4 

Dunboyne  Barony,  Meath  E  4 
Dunboyne,  Vil.,  Sta.,  &  Cas.,  Meath  F  4 

Dunbrock  Mt.,  Londonderry  C  8 

Dunbrody,  Wexford  A  4 
Dunbrody  Cas.  and  Abbey,  Wexford  A  4 
U 


Duncannon,  Wexford  A 

Duncanstown,  Wexford  A 

Duncarbey  Cas.,  Leitrim  B 

Duncormick,  Wexford  C 

Dundalk  Bay,  Louth  C 

Dundalk  and  Harb.,  Louth  B 

Dundalk,  Lower  Barony,  Louth  C 
Dundalk,  Upper  Barony,  Louth  B 
Dundarave  Ho.,  Antrim  C 

Dundermot  Ho.  Roscommon  B  3 

Dunderrow  and  Sta.,  Cork  F  3 

Dunderry  Bri.,  Meath  D  3 

Dundonald,  Down  E  2 

Dundonnell,  Roscommon  E  6 

Dundooan  Ho.,  Londonderry  F  2 

Dundrod,  Antrim  E  5 

Dundrum,  Armagh  C  3 

Dundrum,  Down  D  4 

Dundrum,  Dublin  E  6 

Dundrum  Bay,  Down  E  4 

Dundrum  Ho.  and  Sta.,  Tipperary  B  3 
Duneagh  L.,  Donegal  D  4 

Dunegan  Lo.,  West  Meath  B  3 

Duneight  Ho.,  Down  C  3 

DuneltyL.,  Louth  A  2 

Dunfanaghy,  Donegal  C  2 

Dunfierth  Ho.,  Kildare  C  1 

Dungannon,  Tyrone  H  3 

Dungannon,  Lower  Barony,  Tyrone  G  4 
Dungannon,  Middle  Barony,  Tyrone  H  3 
Dungajinon,  Upper  Barony,  Tyrone  H  3 
Dunganstown  Cas.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Dungarvan,  Kilkenny  D  3 

Dungarvan  and  Harb.,  Waterford  D  3 
Dungeagan, 


DungiUick  Ho., 
Dungiven, 
Dunglady, 
Dungloman  R., 
Dunglow, 
Dungooly, 
Dungormly  Ho., 
Dungoumey, 
Dungummin  Ho., 
Dunhill  Lodge, 
Duninga  Ho., 
Duniry, 
Dunishal  Ho., 
Dunkellin  Barony, 
Dunkerrin, 
Dunkerron  Cas., 
Dunkerron,  North  Barony, 
Dunkerron,  South  Barony, 
Dunkettle  Ho., 
Dunkineely, 
Dunkitt  Ho., 
Dunlarg  Cottage, 
Dunlavin, 
Dunleckny  Ho., 
Dunleer, 
Dunlewy  and  L., 
Dunloe  Cas.,  and  Gap  of, 
Dunloy, 
Dunluce  Cas., 
Dunluce,  Lower  Barony, 
Dunluce,  Upper  Barony, 
Dunraahon  Cas., 
Dunmakeever  L., 
Dunmanus  Bay, 
Dunmanway, 
Dunminning  Ho., 
Dunmore, 
Dunmore, 
Dunmore, 
Dunmore, 

Dunmore  and  Barony, 
Dunmore  Bay, 


Kerry  B  3 

Monaghan  C  1 

Londonderry  D  3 

Londonderry  F  3 

West  Meath  B  3 

Donegal  C  3 

Kilkenny  C  6 

Armagh  C  3 

Cork  G  3 

Cavan  F  4 

Waterford  F  3 

Kilkenny  E  8 

Galway  F  3 

Wexford  C  1 

Galway  E  3 

King's  Co.  C  4 

Kerry  C  3 

Kerry  C  2 

Kerry  C  3 

Cork  F  8 

Donegal  B  4 

Kilkenny  D  5 

Armagh  B  3 

Wicklow  A  2 

Carlow  B  2 

Louth  B  3 

Donegal  C  2 

Kerry  D  2 

Antrim  C  2 
Antrim  B 
Antrim  B 
Antrim  C 
Louth  B 
Cavan  B 
Cork  B 

Cork  D  3 

Antrim  C  3 

Donegal  D  2 

Donegal  E  2 

Queen's  Co.  C  8 

Waterford  G  8 

Galway  E  2 

Waterford  H  8 


Dunmore  Cott.,  &  Cave  of,  Kilkenny  C  2 


Dunmore  Cott., 
Dunmore  Hd., 
Dunmore  Hd., 
Dunmore  Hd., 
Dunmore  Hd., 
Dunmurry, 
Dunmurry  Ho., 
Dunnamanagh, 
Dunneill  R., 
Dunnycove  Bay, 
Dunore  R., 
Dunowen, 

Dunowen  and  Head, 

Dunowla, 

Dunquin, 

Dunrally  Bri., 

Dunran, 

Dunree  Hd., 

Dunroe  Br., 

Dunsandle, 

Dunsany  Cas., 

Dunseverick, 

Dunsfort, 

Dunshaughlin, 

Dunsinea  Ho., 

Dunsink  Observatory, 

Duony, 

Duross  Pt., 


Meath  E  2 
Clare  A  4 
Donegal  B  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Keiry  A  2 
Antrim  E  6 
Kildare  B  2 
Tyrone  E  1 
Sligo  D  2 
Cork  E  4 
Antrim  D  4 
Cavan  G  4 
Cork  E  4 
Sligo  D  2 
Kerry  A  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Donegal  E 
Carlow  B 
Galway  F 
Meath  E 
Antrim  C 
Down  F 
Meath  E 
Dublin  D  4 
Dublin  D  4 
Cork  E  1 
Fermanagh  D  2 


Durrow  and  Cas., 
Durrow  Abbey, 
Dursey  I.  and  Head, 
Duvillaun  More, 
Dyan, 

Dysart  Bri's., 
Dysart  Farm, 
Dysart  Ho., 
Dysert, 


Queen's  Co.  C  3 
King's  Co.  F  2 
Cork  A  4 
Mayo  A  1 
Tyrone  G  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Louth  C  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
Clare  F  2 


£ 


Ea  L., 

Eadestown, 
Eagil, 
Eagle  Is., 
Eagle  Mt., 
Eagle  Mt., 
Eaglehill  Ho., 
Eagle's  Rock, 
Eanybeg  W., 
Eanymore  W,, 
Earlsfield, 
Earlstown, 
Eask  L.  and  R., 
Easkavey, 
Easky, 

Easkey  and  Riv. , 
Easky  L., 


Clare  H 
Kildare  D 
Leitrim  C 
Mayo  A 
Down  C 
Kerry  E 
Kildare  B 
Clare  G 
Donegal  C 
Donegal  C 
Sligo  E 
Galway  G 
Donegal  C 
Sligo  D 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  C 
Sligo  C 


East  Carbery,  W.  Div.,  Barony,  Cork  D 
East  Hill,  Wicklow  E 

East  Idrone  Barony,  Carlow  B 

East  Inishowen  Barony,  Donegal  F 
East  Muskerry  Barony,  Cork  E 

East  Narragh  and  Reban  Barony, 

Kildare  B 

East  Offaly  Barony, 
East  Omagh  Barony, 
East  Shelmaliere  Bar., 
East  Town, 


Easton, 
Eastwood  Ho., 
Ebor  Hall, 
Ebrington  Bar., 
Ecclesville, 
Eden, 
Eden, 
Eden  Br., 
Eden  Burn, 
Eden  Ho.. 
Edenavey  s  Ho., 
Edenderry, 
Edenmore  Bri., 
Edenvale, 
Edergale, 

Edermine  Ferry  Sta. 
Edermine  Ho., 
Ederny, 
Edgehill, 


Kildare  B 
Tyrone  D 
Wexford  D 
Donegal  C 
Kildare  D 
Tipperary  C 
Galway  C 
Londonderry  B 
Tyrone  E 
Antrim  G 
Roscommon  E 
Londonderry  E 
Antrim  B 
Armagh  C 
Armagh  C 
King's  Co.  H 
Fermanagh  D 
Clare  G 
Leitrim  B 
Wexford  C 
Wexford  C 
Fermanagh  E 
Queen's  Co.  B 


Edgeworthstown  and  Ho.,  Longford  D 


Edmondstown, 
Edmondstown  Ho., 
Ednego, 
Edoxtown  Ho., 
Edwardstown  Ho., 
Effishmore, 
Egan  Mt., 
Eglantine, 
Eglinton  Sta., 
Eglish, 

Eglish  Barony  and  Cas. 
Eglish  Ch., 
Eglish  Ho., 
Eglish  L., 
Eglish  R., 
Ehemagh  Str., 
Eighter, 
Eldon  Bridge, 
Eldons  Fort, 
Elfeet  Bay, 
Eliogarty  Barony, 
Ellaghmore, 
Ellen  Cas., 
Ellen  Grove, 
Ellen  Vale, 
Ellenborough, 
Elly  Harb., 
Elm  Grove, 
Elm  Grove, 
Elm  Hill, 
ElmhiU  Ho., 
Elm  Park  Ho., 
Elmpark  Ho., 
Elphin  and  Palace, 
Elton  Ho.  and  Cross  Rds 
Ely  Ho.,  , 
Ely  Lo.  and  Cas., 
Emlagh  Ho., 
Emlagh  Pt., 
Emiaghkeadew, 
Emiaghnidgree, 
Emlaghyroyin, 
Emiy, 

Emma  Ville, 
Emmet  Cas., 


West  Meath  E 
Mayo  F 
Down  B 
Meath  E 
Limerick  F 
Donegal  F 
Kildare  C 
Dovm  C 
Londonderry  B 
Tyrone  H 
King's  Co.  C 
Armagh  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Monaghan  D 
Donegal  C 
Limerick  C 
Cavan  G 
Wicklow  A 
Kildare  C 
Longford  B 
Tipperary  C 
Mayo  D 
Galway  E 
Carlow  C 
Dovra  B 
Dublin  C 
Mayo  A 
Meath  B 
Meath  G 
Limerick  C 
Tipperary  B 
Limerick  E 
Armagh  B 
Roscommon  D 
.,  Limerick  G 
Wexford  D 
Fermanagh  D 
Roscommon  C 
Mayo  B 
Roscommon  C 
Roscommon  D 
Roscommon  C 
Tipperary  A 
Wicklow  D 
King's  Co.  B 


Emo  and  Cas., 

Emoclew, 

Emy,  Lough, 

Emyvale, 

Enaghan  L., 

Enfield  Ho., 

Englishtown, 

English  town, 

Ennell  L., 

Ennis, 

Enniscoffey, 

Enniscorthy, 

Enniskeen, 

Enniskerry, 

Enniskillen, 

Ennislare  Ho., 

Ennistimon, 

Eonish, 

Ereneystown, 

Erganagh, 

Erindale, 

Erindale, 

Erke  Ch., 

Erkina  Ho., 

Erkina  Riv., 

Erne  L., 

Erne  Lough, 

Erne  R., 

Erne  R., 

Erne  R., 

Erra, 

Erriff  R., 

Errigal, 

Errill, 

Erris  Barony, 
Erris  Head, 
Errit  L., 
Ervey  L., 
Eshbrack, 
Eshmore, 
Esker, 
Esker  Ho., 
Eskerboy, 
Eslin  R., 
Essagalvane, 
Essnaheery, 
Etna  Lo., 
Eustace  Ho., 
Evansons  Cove, 
Evergreen  Cott. 
Evergreen  Lo., 
Everton  Ho., 
Evington  Lo., 
Eyeries, 
Eyes  L., 
Eyrecourt, 
Eyrefield, 


Queen's  Co.  D 
Wicklow  E 
Monaghan  C 
Monaghan  C 
Longford  D 
Roscommon  C 
Londonderry  F 
Roscommon  D 
West  Meath  D 
Clare  G 
West  Meath  E 
Wexford  C 
Cork  E 
Wicklow  D 
Fermanagh  D 
Armagh  B 
Clare  E 
Cavan  E 
Kilkenny  D 
Tyrone  E 
Carlow  B 
Kildare  B 
Kilkenny  A 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Down  D 
Fermanagh  C 
Cavan  E  2  &  E 
Donegal  C 
Fermanagh  E  3,  B  2,  F 
Roscommon  F 
Mayo  C 
Donegal  C 
Queen's  Co.  A 
Mayo  B 
Mayo  A 
Roscommon  A 
"Cavan  H 
Monaghan  B 
Monaghan  B 
DubUn  B 
Roscommon  E 
Galway  F 
Leitrim  D 
Monaghan  A 
Monaghan  B 
Hilonaghan  A 
Kifdare  D 
Cork  B 

,  Waterford  G 

Carlow  B 
Queen's  Co.  F 
Carlpw  B 
Cork  B 
Fermanagh  E 
Galway  6 
Kildare  0 


Faa  L., 
Faccary  Ho., 
Fad  L., 
Fad  L., 
Fadd  L., 
Fadda  L., 
Fadda  L., 
Faha  Ho., 
Fahamore, 
Fahab, 
Fahan  Sta., 
Fahy  L., 
Fahymore, 
Failmore  R., 
Fair  Hd., 

Fair  or  Beninore  Hd. 
Fairbank, 
Fairfield, 
Fairfield, 
Fairfield  Ho., 
Fairfield  Ho., 
Fairhill,  or  Cloobar, 
Fairhill  Ho., 
Fair  View, 
Fair  View, 
Fair  View, 
Fair  View, 
Fair  View  Cott., 


Donegal  E  2 
Tyrone  E  8 
Donegal  C  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Galway  A  2 
Galway  C  8 
Limerick  E  2 
Kerry  B  2 
Kerry  A  2 
Donegal  E  t 
Mayo  B  1 
Galway  F  2 
Galway  C  2 
Cork  B  4 
Antrim  E  1 
Roscommon  E  3 
Fermanagh  £  3 
West  Meath  B  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Wexford  C  4 
Galway  C  2 
Louth  B  2 
Kildare  C  8 
Monaghan  C  8 
Wicklow  D  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Wicklow  D  8 


Fjiirwood,  Upper  &  Lower,  Wicklow  C  4 


Fairy  Mt.  Cas., 
Fairy  Street, 
Fairy  Water, 
Fairyhill  Ho., 
Faithlegg  Ho., 
Fall,  The, 
Fallan  R.  and  Bri., 
Falleen  Ho., 
Failmore, 
Falmore  Ho., 
Faltia  Ho., 

Fanad  District  and  Hd. 
Fane  R., 
Fane  Valley, 
Fannings  Walk, 
Fsinningstowa  Ho. 


Roscommon  E  3 

Limerick  B  3 

Tyrone  D  S 

Clare  F  3 

Waterford  G  2 

Donegal  E  2 

Longford  B  2 

Tipperary  B  2 

Mayo  A  1 

Louth  B  1 

Roscommon  E  6 

Donegal  D  2 

I.outh  A  2 

Loutb  B  2 

Dublin  D  2 

KiUcciuiy  B  4 


FANORE. 


INDEX. 


GLASHAGAL. 


Fanore  Bri., 
Farahy, 
Farbill  Barony, 
Farbrcague, 
Fardrum  Ho., 
Farland  Sta., 
Farlough  R., 
Farmer's  Bridge, 
Farm  Hill, 
Farm  Hill, 
Farm  Hill, 
Farm  Hill, 
Farmhill, 
Farmhill, 
Farmhill, 
Farmhill  Ho., 
Farmhill  Ho., 
Farmina, 
Farmley, 
Farmley  Ho., 
Farmly  Ho., 
Farmoyle  Ho., 
Fam  R., 
Famane  R., 
Fambeg, 
Farney  Barony, 
Famham  Ho., 
Famoge, 
Farragher, 
Farraghroe  Ho., 
Farranamucklagh, 
Farrancassidy  Cross  Rds, 
Farranduff, 
Farranfore  and  Sta., 
Farranmicfarrel  Ho., 
Farranville  Ho., 
Farrihy  B.. 
Farsid, 
Fartagar, 

Fartullagh  Barony, 
Fary  Ho., 
Fassadinin  Barony, 
Fatham  Mt., 
Faughalstown, 
Faughaa  R., 
Faughanvale, 
Faughart  Ho., 
Faulkland  Bri., 
Favor  Royal, 
Favouretta, 
Fawney, 
Fawnlion, 
Faymore  R., 
Fea  L., 
Fea  L., 
Feacle  Ho., 
Feakle, 
Feale  R.. 
Fearagha, 
Fearaun  Ho., 
Featglass  L., 
Feathallagh  Ho., 
Fedamore, 
Fee  L., 
Feeagh  L., 
Feenagh, 
Feenagh  L., 
Feeny, 
Feevagh, 
Feevaghmore, 
Feighcullen  Cross  Road 
Fellows  Hall, 
Feltrim  Ho., 
Fenagh  and  L., 
Fenaghy  Ho., 
Fennagh  Bri.  and  Lo.| 
Fennor  Br., 
Fenton's  Br., 
Feobanagh, 
Feohanagh, 
Feorish  R., 
Fcrbane, 
Fergus  R., 
Fergus  R.  and  Fort, 
Fcimoy, 
Fcrmoy  Barony, 
Fcrmoylc  Cas., 
Fern  Hall, 
Fern  L., 
Ferns, 
Ferns  Hill, 
Femsborough, 
Ferraniville, 
Ferrard  Barony, 
Ferry, 
Perry  bank, 
Fcrta  R., 
Feitiard, 
Fethard, 
F^thard  B., 
Few»  Barrackn, 
Fews,  I/)wer  Barony, 
Fews,  Upper  Barony, 
Fcyttown, 
Kfrenoh  Cas., 
y'yiiSijvn, 

12 


Clare  E  1 
Cork  F  2 
West  Meath  E  3 
King's  Co.  D  3 
West  Meath  A  3 
Donegal  E  2 
Armagh  C  2 
Kerry  C  2 
Fermanagh  G  4 
Mealh  G  2 
Monaglian  D  3 
Wexford  E  2 
Kildare  B  i 
Kijdare  D  2 
Mayo  C  1 
Mayo  D  2 
Waterford  C  2 
Galway  C  3 
Kilkenny  C  8 
Wexford  C  2 
Queen's  Co.  C  3 
Monaghan  C  3 
Monaglian  E  3 
Waterford  C  2 
Roscommon  E  3 
Monaghan  D  3 
Cavan  E  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Roscommon  D  3 
Longford  C  2 
Armagh  C  3 
I.,  Fermanagh  B  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Kerry  D  2 
Sligo  C  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  S 
Clare  C  3 
Cork  G  8 
Galway  E  2 
West  Meath  E  3 
Wexford  B  3 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Armagh  E  4 
West  Meath  E  2 
Londonderry  B  3 
Londonderry  C  2 
Louth  B  1 
Monaghan  C  2 
Tyrone  F  4 
Wicklow  E  3 
Londonderry  B  8 
Leitrim  A  2 
Donegal  D  2 
Londonderry  E  4 
Monaghan  D  4 
Roscommon  E  6 
Clare  H  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Galway  E  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Leitrim  E  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Galway  B  2 
Mayo  C  2 
Limerick  D  3 
Sligo  F  3 
Londonderry  C  3 
Roscommon  D  6 
Roscommon  D  5 
Kildare  B  2 
Armagh  B  3 
Dublin  E  3 
Leitrim  E  3 
Antrim  D  3 
Carlow  B  2 
Waterford  F  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Kerry  B  2 
Limerick  D  8 
Roscommon  E  1 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Clare  F  2 
Clare  F  3 
Cork  G  2 
Cork  F  2 
Kerry  li  3 
Roscommon  C  8 
Donegal  D  2 
Wexford  C  2 
Donegal  C  i 
Longford  E  2 
Meath  D  4 
Louth  B  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Waterford  G  2 
Kerry  B  3 
I'ipperary  D  4 
Wexford  A  4 
Wexford  B  4 
Armagh  C  4 
Armagh  C  3 
Armagh  C  4 
Antrim  F  8 
Galway  (i2 
KUkenny 


Fieldstown, 
Fieldtown  Cas., 
Fieries, 
Figile  R., 
Filans  Town, 
Fin  L., 
Fin  L., 
Fin  L., 
Fin  L., 

Finavarra  Ho., 
Fincarn, 
Finglas, 
Finglas  R., 
Fingrean  L., 
Finisk  R., 
Finlicve, 
Finlough, 
Finn  L., 
Finn  R., 
Finn  R., 

Finnea,     Cavan  &  W. 
Finned  R., 
Finnery  R., 
Finniterstown  Ho., 
Finnoe  Ch.  and  Ho., 
Finnstown  Ho., 
Finny, 

Finrabrogue  Ho., 

Fintona, 

Fintona  June, 

Fintragh  Bay, 

Finuge, 

Finvoy, 

Firbis  Cas., 

Fir  Grove, 

Firgrove  Ho., 

Firmount, 

Firmount, 

Firmount  Ho., 

Firpark, 

Firrib  L., 

Firry  Park, 

Fisherstown, 

Fishers  treet, 

Fishmoyne  Ho., 

Fivealley, 

Five-mile-bourne, 

Fivemilebridge, 

Fivemiletown, 

Five  Roads,  Tlie, 

Flaskagh, 

Flat  Head, 

Fieries, 

Flesk  R., 

Float  Sta., 

Floodhall, 

Florence  Court, 

Florida  Manor, 

Flowerhill, 

Flowerhill  Ho.» 

Flushtown, 

Foaty  I., 

Foghill, 

Foherish  R., 

FoUsillagh, 

Fonthill  Ho., 

Fontstown, 

Foohagh  Pt., 

Forbes  L., 

Ford, 

Ford, 

Ford  Cottage, 
Fore, 

Fore  Barony, 
Fore  Barony, 
Foreland, 

Forenaghts  and  Ho., 
Forest  Ho., 
Forest  Ho., 
Forestalstown, 
Forgney  Ho.  &  F.  Old 
Forked  L., 
Forkill,  R.,  and  Ho., 
Formal  L., 
Formil  R., 
Formoylc, 
Formoyle  Ho., 
Formoyle  L., 
Fort  L., 
Fort  Lo., 
Fort  Edmbhd, 
Fort  Elizabeth, 
Fort  Etna, 
Fori  Frederick, 
Fort  George, 
Fort  Johnston, 
Fort  Stewart, 
Fort  William, 
Fort  William, 
,  Fortel  Cas., 
Forifaulkner, 
Fortfield, 
F'ortgranile  Ho., 
Forth  Barony, 
I'"ortli  Harony, 
Forth  Mtn., 


Dublin  C  3 
West  Meath  D  2 
Kerry  D  2 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Longford  D  2 
Clare  G  3 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Mayo  B  3 
Sligo  E  3 
Clare  F  1 
Londonderry  D  8 
Dublin  D  4 
Kerry  C  2 
Tyrone  F  3 
Waterford  C  3 
Down  C  5 
Clare  G  3 
Donegal  C  3 
Donegal  E  3 
Mon.ighan  A  3 
Meath  E  4  &  D  1 
Sligo  C  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Limerick  E  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Dublin  B  4 
Galway  C  2 
Down  E  3 
Tyrone  D  4 
Tyrone  D  3 
Donegal  B  4 
Kerry  D  1 
Antrim  B  2 
Sligo  B  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Clare  G  3 
Longford  D  2 
Meath  F  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Meath  B  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Longford  E  2 
Longford  B  2 
Clare  D  1 
Tipperary  C  2 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Leitrim  A  2 
Cork  F  3 
Tyrone  D  4 
Waterford  E  2 
Roscommon  D  3 
Cork  G  3 
Kerry  D  2 
Kerry  D  2 
West  Meath  D  1 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Down  E  3 
Sligo  E  3 
Waterford  A  3 
Donegal  D  3 
Cork  G  3 
Mayo  D  1 
Cork  D  3 
Galway  E  2 
■     Carlow  B  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Clare  B  3 
Longford  B  2 
Mayo  B  1 
Wexford  E  2 
Antrim  G  4 
West  Meath  E  1 
Meath  B  2 
West  Meath  E  1 
Mayo  C  1 
Kildare  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  C  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Ho.,  Longford  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Londonderry  E  3 
Londonderry  E  2 
Longford  B  3 
Galway  C  2 
Leitrim  E  4 
Limerick  E  3 
Limerick  E  3 
Limerick  E  2 
Limerick  E  2 
Cavan  G  4 
Cavan  G  3 
Monaghan  C  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Londonderry  E  4 
West  Meath  D  3 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Wicklow  D  3 
Roscommon  E  5 
Wicklow  B  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Wexford  D  4 
Wexford  C  4 


Forthill, 
Fortland, 
Fort  land, 
Forttown  Ho., 
Fortwilliam  Ho., 
Fort  Sound, 
Foulkesmill, 
Foulkscourt  Ho., 
Foulksrath  Cas., 
Four  Mile  Wat»r, 
Four  Roads, 
Four  Roads, 
Fourcuil, 
Fowlards  Bri., 
Fox  Hall, 
Foxborough, 
Foxborough, 
Foxbrook, 
Foxburrow  Ho., 
Fox  ford, 
Foxhillmore, 
Foxmount, 
Foxrock  Sta., 
Foxtown  Ho., 
Foy  Mount, 
Foyarr  Ho, , 
Foyle  Ho.  and  Bri., 
Foyle  L., 
Foyle  Park, 
Foyle  R. , 

Foynes,  Is.,  and  Ho., 
Fraine  Ho., 
Frances  R., 
Franckfort  Cas., 
Frankford, 
Frankford  Ho., 
Frankfort, 
Frankfort  Ho., 
Frazers  Hall, 
Freagh  Cas., 
Freaghana, 
Freame  Mt., 
Freemount, 
P'reepark, 
FrelTans, 

Frenchgrove  Ho., 


Longford  B 
C.'ivan  F 
Sligo  C 
Wicklow  B 
Waterford  B 
Galway  C 
Wexford  B 
Kilkenny  A 
Kilkenny  C 
Cork  C 
Down  D 
Tipperary  D  3 
Cork  E  4 
Longford  C 
Longford  D 
Roscommon  D 
Roscommon  E 
Meath  C 
King's  Co.  C 
Mayo  D  2 
Galway  C  2 
Waterford  G  2 
Dublin  E  5 
Meath  D  8 
Armagh  D  2 
Armagh  B  2 
Kilkenny  B 
Donegal  F 
Londonderry  B 
Londonderry  A 
Limerick  C 
Meath  C 
Roscommon  C 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  D 
Longford  D  2 
Leitrim  D  4 
Limerick  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  6 
Clare  D  2 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Cork  E  2 
Kildare  C  3 
Meath  D  3 
Maj;o  D  3 


Frenchpark,  Town,  Barony,  &  Ho  . 

Roscommon  C 

Freshford, 
Friarshill, 
Friarstown, 
Friarstown, 
Friarstown  C.is., 
Friarstown  Ho., 
Friarstown  Cross  Roads, 
Friary, 


Frower  Pt., 
Fruit  Hill, 
FruithiU  Ho., 
Fuerty, 
Fule, 

Funshinagh  L., 
Funshion  River, 
Furmina, 
Furnace, 
Furnace  L, 
Furnace  L. , 
Fury  R., 
Fushoge  R., 


Gageborough,  R.,  &  H 
Gaile  Ho., 
Gaine  R., 
Galbally, 

Galbally  Cross  Roads, 
Galboly, 
Galbiaiths  Bri., 
Galey  R., 
Galgorm  and  Cas., 
Grillagh, 
Gall.nghcuUia, 
Gallen, 
Gallcn  Ho., 
Galley  Head, 
Galliagh, 
Gallows  H., 
Gallows  Hill, 
Gallstown  Ho., 
Galmoy  Tn.  and  Bar., 
Galtriin  Ho., 
Galty  Mts., 
Galtymorc, 

Galway  Tn.,  Bar.,  and 
Gambol  Hall, 
Gandcrpark, 
Gangin  L., 
Ganiuinore, 
Gannivcgil  L., 
Gaol, 

Gap  of  Punloe, 
Gara  Lough, 
Garadice  and  Lough, 
Garballa^li, 


Kilkenny  B 
Wicklow  E 
Leitrim  A 
Limerick  F 
Carlow  C 
Dublin  C 
Carlow  C 
Kildare  C 
Cork  F 
Londonderry  D  2 
Wexford  A  4 
Roscommon  D 
Sligo  D 
Roscommon  E 
Cork  F 
Galway  C 
Galway  F 
Galway  B 
Mayo  C 
Tyrone  F 
Queen's  Co.  F 


0.,  King's  Co. 
Tipperary 
West  Meath 
LiiiTjrick 
We,\ford 
Antrim 
Armagh 
Kerry 
Antrim 
Louth 
Roscommon 
Mayo 
King's  Co. 
Cork 
Londonderry 
Carlow 
Queen's  Co. 
West  Meath 
Kilkenny 
Meath 
Tipperary 
Tipperary 
Bay,  G.ilway 
Kildare 
Louth 
Leitrim 
Donegal 
Donegal 
Longford 
Kerry 
Sligo 
Leitrim 
Meath 


D  2 

H  3 

C  3 

F  2 

C  3 

D  1 

D  3 

B  2 

E  4 

D  2 

D  2 


E 
A 
A 
IC 
E 

A  2 
D  3 
B  4 
B  4 


D  3 
A  3 


Garbally, 
Gardenhill, 
Gardcnmorris  Ho., 
Garinish  and  Pt., 
GarnaviUa  Ho.. 
Garr  Br.  and  Riv., 
Garr  L., 

Garran  Cross  Roads, 
Garrane, 
Garrane, 
Garranlea  Ho., 
Garraun  Ho., 
Garraun  Cross  Roads, 
Garrendenny, 
Garrisker  Ho., 
Garrison, 
Garristo\vn, 
Garroman  L., 
Garron  Pt.  and  Tower 
Garrose, 
Garry  castle, 
Garrycastle  Barony, 
Garryduff, 
Garryduff  Ho., 
Garryduff  Ho., 
GarryhiU  Ho., 
Garryhinch  Ho., 


Galway  G  3 
Fermanagh  C  3 
Waterford  E  2 
Cork  A  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
Kildare  A  1 
West  Mealh  D  2 
Monaghan  fi  2 
Cork  E  3 
Tipperary  B  2 
Tipperary  C  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
Wexford  F.  3 
Queen's  Co,  E  3 
Kildare  B  1 
Fermanagh  B  2 
Dublin  C  2 
Galway  B  2 
Antrim  F  2 
Limerick  E  3 
West  Meath  A  3 
King's  Co,  C  2 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Limerick  C  3 
Waterford  B  4 
Carlow  B  2 
King's  Co.  G  3 


Garryhundon  Ho.  and  Cross  Roads, 

Carlow  B  2 


Garrynarea  Ho., 
Garrj'rickin  Ho., 
Garryroan  Ho., 
Garryspellane, 
Garrythomas, 
Garryvoe, 
Gartan  L., 
Gartermone  L., 
Garty  L., 
Garvagh, 
Garvagh  Ho., 
Garvagh  L., 
Garvaghy, 
Garvaghy  Bri., 
Carvan  Is., 
Garvey  Ho., 
Garvtawly, 
Gascanane  Sound, 
Gattadufr, 

Gatt.anvoher  Cross  Rds., 
Gaugin  Hill, 
Gaulstown  Cas., 
Gaultiere  Barony, 
Gay  brook  Ho., 
Gayfield  Ho., 
Gearhameen  R., 
Geashill, 

GeashiU  Barony  &  Sta., 
Geehy, 
Geeragh  Ho., 
Geevagh, 
Gelvin  R., 
Geneva  Barracks, 
Gentle  Owen's  L., 
George  L., 
Georgestown  Ho., 
Gcraldine  Ho., 
Gerardstown  Ho., 
Gerardstown  Ho., 
Ghann  R., 
Giants  Causeway, 
Giants  Leap, 
Giants  Ring, 
Gibbings  Grove, 
Gibbstown  Ho.  and  Sta, 
Gigginstown  Lo., 
Gilford, 


Kilkenny  B  4 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
Limerick  G  3 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Cork  H  3 
Donegal  D  2 
Leitrim  E  4 
Cavan  D  8 
Londonderry  E  3 
Longford  C  2 
Cavan  B  1 
Down  C  3 
Tyrone  F  4 
Donegal  F  1 
Tyrone  F  4 
Leitrim  A  1 
Cork  C  4 
West  Meath  C  2 
Waterford  C  4 
Donegal  C  3 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Waterford  G  2 
West  Meath  E  3 
Roscommon  E  3 
Kerry  C  3 
King's  Co.  G  2 
King's  Co.  F  2 
Galway  D  3 
Limerick  H  4 
Sligo  G  3 
Londonderry  D  3 
Waterford  H  2 
Armagh  B  3 
Clare  G  2 
Waterford  E  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Meath  E  3 
Meath  E  3 
Down  B  6 
Antrim  B  1 
Cavan  B  1 
Down  D  2 
Cork  E  1 
,        Meath  D  2 
West  Meath  E  2 
Down  A  3 


D  2 

C  3 

C  2 

D  2 


Gilford  and  Tanderagee  Station, 

Armagh  D  2 

Gill  Lough,  Sligo  F  2 

Gillliall  Ho.,  Down  B  3 

Gillstown  Ho.,  Meath  C  3 

Gilltown  Ho.  and  Lo.,  Kildare  C  3 

Ginnets  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Glack,  Meath  C  3 

Gladney,  Down  D  3 

Glanarought  Barony,  Kerry  D  3 

Glanbehy,  Kerry  C  2 

Glandoran  Ho.,  Wexford  D  1 

Glandore  and  Harb.,  Cork  D  4 

Glanlcnm,  Kerry  A  3 

Glaninire,  Cork  F  3 

Glanmire,  New,  Cork  G  3 

Glanmore  L.,  Kerry  C  3 

Glanna  Ruddeiy  Mts.,  Kerry  D  2 

Glannan,  Monaghan  C  2 

Glanlane  and  Sta.,  Cork  E  2 

Glantrasna  R.,  Kerry  C  3 

Glanworth,  Cork  0  2 

Glaryford  Sta.,  Antrim  C  3 
Glascarrig  Abbey  and  Pt.,    Wexford  E  2 

GlasJrumman  Ho.,  Down  D  5 

Glasha  R.,  Waterford  D  1 

Glasha  R.,  Wexford  C  2 

Glashaboy  River,  Cork  F  2 

Glashacloonaraveela  R.,  Limerick  H  2 

Gl.asiiagal  Bri.,  Kilkenny  C  2 


GLASHAGH. 


INDEX. 


GEOVE. 


Glashagh  R., 
Glashagh  R., 
Glashagh  R., 
Glasliamore  Ho., 
(ilashare  Cas., 
Cilashcdy  Is., 
'  .lasliewee  R., 
'  ilashganna  Bri., 
Glaskeeragh  L., 
C;lasloii;h         St.,  &  L, 
Glasmullagh, 
Glasnevin, 
Glaspi^tol, 
Glass  Ho., 
Glass  Ho., 
Glassan, 
Glassely  Ho., 
Glasshouse  L., 
Glastry, 
Glen, 
Glen, 
Glen, 

Glen  Anne, 
Glen  Bay, 
Glen  Bea^h, 
Glen  Bevan, 
Glen  Bri., 
Glen  Cott., 
Glen  Derragh, 
Glen  Head, 
Glen  Ho., 
Glen  Lodge, 
Glen  Lodge, 
Glen  Lough, 
Glen  Lough, 
Glen  Lough, 
Glen  Lough, 
Glen  of  Imaile, 
Glen  of  the  Downs, 
Glen  R., 
Glen  R., 
Glen  R., 
Glenaan  R., 
Glenabbey  Ho^ 
Glenacurragh  Cas., 
Glenaddragh  R., 
Glenade  Ho.  and  Lough, 
Glenaearey  Ho., 
Glenahiry  Barony, 
Glenalbert  Ho., 
Glenamaddy, 
Glenamoy  R., 
Glenamoyle  Ho., 
Glenaniflf  R., 
Glenanna  Cott., 
Glenard, 

Glenariff  or  Waterfoot, 
Glenariff  R., 

Glenarm,  Bay,  R.,  &  Cas., 
Glenarni,  Lower  Barony, 
Glenarm,  Upper  Barony, 
Glenart  Cas., 
Glenasheen, 
Glenastuckaun  S., 
Glenavurder  Bri., 
Glenavey  R.  and  Sta. 
Glenawough  L., 
G'^nbank  Ho., 
Glenbeg  Ho., 
Glenbeg  L., 
Glenbonniv  and  Ho., 
Glenbower, 
Glenbower, 
Glenboy, 
Glenbrien, 
Glenbrook, 
Glenbrook  Ho., 
Glencairn  Abbey, 
Glencalo  R., 
Glencar  L., 
Glencam, 
Glencarrig  Ho., 
Glencolumkille, 
Glcnconnor  Ho., 
Glencorran, 
Glencori  ib  Ho., 
GlencuUin, 
Glencullin  L., 
Glencullen  R., 


Donegal  C  3 
Donegal  D  2 
Donegal  D  3 
Clare  D  1 
Kilkenny  A  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Limerick  C  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Donegal  D  4 
.,  Monaghan  C  2 
Fermanagh  E  4 
Dublin  D  i 
Louth  C  3 
Kilkenny  D  5 
King's  Co.  C  4 
West  Meath  A 
Kildare  B 
Leitrim  F 
Down  G 
Cavan  B 
Cavan  E 
Donegal  D 
Armagh  D  3 
Donegal  A  3 
Donegal  C  3 
Limerick  E  3 
Limerick  B  3 
Wicklow  E  2 
Fermanagh  E  1 
Antrim  E  3 
Waterford  F  2 
Longford  D  2 
Waterford  D  1 
Donegal  C  4 
Donegal  D  2 
Longford  D  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Wicklow  B  3 
Wicklow  E 
Donegal  B 
Fermanagh  B 
Cork  E 
Antrim  E 
Waterford  C 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Donegal  B  4 
Leitrim  B  1 
Dublin  F  5 
Waterford  C  2 
Tipperary  C  2 
Galway  F  2 
Mayo  B 
Londonderry  C 
Leitrim  B 
Waterford  D 
Waterford  D 
Antrim  E 
Antrim  E 
Antrim  F 
Antrim  E 
Antrim  F 
Wicklow  D 
Limerick  F 
Waterford  D 
Queen's  Co.  D 
Antrim  D 
Mayo  C 
Antrim  D 
Waterford  A 
Cork  B 
Clare  H 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Waterford  H  2 
Leitrim  C  2 
Wexford  C  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Limerick  E  3 
Waterford  A  3 
Wicklow  C  2 
Leitrim  A  1 
Armagh  B  3 
Wicklow  D  3 
Donegal  A  3 
Tipperary  D  4 
Waterford  C  4 
Mayo  D  3 
Mayo  B  1 
Mayo  B  2 
Dublin  E  6 


Glencree  R.  &  Reformatory,  Wicklow  D  1 


Glencunny  Bri., 
Glendalough, 
i;iendalough.  Vale  of, 
Glendaoan,  Vale  of, 
Glendarragh, 
Glendcrgan  R., 
Cilendttie  Gap, 
Gleiidine  R., 
Glendoo  Mt., 
f-lendowan  Mts., 
Glenduff  Cas., 
Glendun  R., 
Glenc.ilo  R., 
Glenealy  and  Sta., 
Gleneask  Ho., 
Gleneefy, 

13 


Fermanagh  D  8 
Wicklow  D  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Wicklow  D  2 
Tyrone  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
Waterford  B  3 
Dublin  D  6 
Donegal  C  3 
Limerick  C  3 
Antrim  E  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Wicklow  E  3 
Sligo  C  S 
Limerick  G  3 


Gleneely,  Donegal  D  3 

Glenelly  R.,  Tyrone  F  2 

Glenfam  Hall,  Leitrim  D  2 

Glengad  Hd.,  Donegal  F  1 
GlengarriffHarb.,  Lo.,  &  Cas.,  Cork  C  3 

Glengavlen  Lo.,  Cavan  B  1 

Glengomna  R.,  I/sndonderry  D  4 

Glengormly  Ho.,  Antrim  F  5 

Glenicmurrin  L.,  Galway  C  8 

Gleninagh  Lo.,  Clare  E  1 

Glenkeen  Ho.,  Londonderry  B  3 

Glenlark  R.,  Tyrone  F  2 

Glenlary  Cot.,  Limerick  G  3 

Glenlough,  Londonderry  B  8 

Glenmacnass  R.,  Wicklow  D  2 

Glenmakeeran  R.,  Antrim  E  1 

Glenmalire  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Glenmalur,  Wicklow  C  3 

Glenmanus,  Londonderry  F  1 

Glenmore,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Glenmore,  Mayo  C  1 

Glenmore,  Roscommon  D  5 

Glenmore  Cas.,  Wicklow  D  2 

Glerlmore  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 

Glenmore  R.,  Waterford  B  2 

Glenmornan  R.,  Tyrone  D  1 

Glennagalliagh,  Clare  I  2 

Glennagoul,  Cork  F  2 

Glennalong,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Gknnamorig,  Mayo  C  2 
Glennaphuca  Cross  Rds.,   Waterford  E  2 

Glennascaul,  Galway  E  3 

Glennasmole,  Dublin  C  6 

Glenoe,  Antrim  F  4 

Glenpatrick  Ford,  Waterford  D  2 

Glenpipe  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Glenquin  Barony,  Limerick  C  3 

Glenrandal  R.,  Londonderry  C  3 

Glenravel  Ho.,  Antrim  E  3 

Glenree  R.,  Mayo  D  1 

Glenroe,  Clare  F  1 

Glensaul  R.,  Galway  C  2 

Glensawisk,  Tyrone  F  2 

Glenshane  Mt.,  Londonderry  E  3 

Glenshelane  R.,  Waterford  C  2 

Glenshe<.k  R.,  Antrim  D  2 

Glenstal  Cas.,  Limerick  G  2 

Glenties,  Donegal  C  3 

Glentogher  R.,  Donegal  F  2 

Glentoman  L.,  Donegal  C  2 

Glenullin  Water,  Londonderry  E  3 

Glenville,  Antrim  E  4 

Glenville,  Antrim  E  5 

Glcnville,  Cork  F  2 

Glenville,  Down  B  4 

Glenville,  Tyrone  D  1 

Glenville  Ho.,  Antrim  E  2 

Glenville  Ho.,  Clare  E  2 

Glenville  Ho.,  Limerick  C  2 

Glenwhirry  R.,  Antrim  E  4 

GlenwiUiam  Cas.,  Limerick  D  3 

Glenwood  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Glin  R.  and  Cas.,  Limerick  B  2 

Clinch  Ho.,  Monaghan  B  3 

Glinn  L.,  Roscommon  B  3 

Glinsk,  Donegal  D  2 

Glinsk,  Mayo  C  1 

Glinsk  Ho.,  Galway  F  2 

Globeisland  Ho.,  Kildare  A  8 

Glore  L.,  West  Meath  E  1 

Glore  R.,  Mayo  E  2 

Glore  R.,  West  Meath  D  1 

Glory  R.,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Gloster,  King's  Co.  C  3 

Clyde  R.,  Louth  B  2 

Glydefarm,  Louth  A  2 

Glynn,  Carlow  B  3 

Glynn,  Wexford  C  3 

Glynn  Sta.,  Antrim  G  4 

Glynnwood  Ho.,  Vest  Meath  A  3 

Gneeves,  Cork  E  2 

GneevgTilIia,  Kerry  E  2 

Goalstown,  Galway  F  2 

Gobban  Saers  Cas.,  Antrim  D  1 

Gobbins,  The,  Antrim  H  4 

Gobbinstown  Ho.,  Wexford  A  3 

Gobrara  Ho.,  Antrim  D  5 

Goish  R.  and  Br.,  Waterford  C  8 

Gokane  Pt.,  Cork  D  4 

Gola,  Monaghan  B  2 

Gola  Is.,  Donegal  B  2 

Golagh  L.,  Donegal  C  4 

Golagh  L.,  Donegal  D  3 

Golagh  L..  Donegal  D  4 

Golam  Hd.,  Galway  B  3 

Golden,  Tipperary  C  4 

Golden  Ball,  Dublin  E  6 

Golden  Grove,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Golden  Hills,  Tipperary  B  3 

Golden  Riv.  Bri.,  Louth  C  1 

Goldenbridge,  Dublin  D  4 

Goldenfort  Ho.,  Wicklow  A  3 

Goldmines  R.,  Wicklow  D  4 

Goleen,  Cork  B  4 

Goolds  Cross,  Tipperary  C  3 

Goraghwood  June,  Armagh  D  8 


Goresbridge, 
Goresgrove  Ho., 
Gorey  Barony, 
Gorey  Town  and  Sta. , 
Gorman  L., 
Gonnanston  and  Cas., 
Gormaastowu  Ho., 
Gort, 
Gort, 

Gortacurra, 
Gortagarry  Ho., 
Gortareasic, 
Gortaroo, 
Gortatlea  Sta., 
Gortbaun, 
Gorteen. 
Gorteen, 
Gorteen, 
Gorteen, 
Gorteen  B., 
Gorteen  Br., 
Gorteen  Ho., 
Gorteen  L., 


Kilkenny  D  3 
Kilkenny  A  2 
Wexford  D  2 
Wexford  E  1 
Donegal  C  4 
Meath  G  3 
Kildare  C  3 
Galway  E  8 
Roscommon  E  4 
Mayo  D  3 
Tipperary  C  2 
Galway  F  3 
Cork  H  8 
Kerry  D  2 
Mayo  C  2 
Galway  F  2 
King's  Co.  G  1 
Mayo  E  2 
Sligo  E  4 
Galway  B  2 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Longford  D  2 


Gorteen,  Lower  &  Upper,    Longford  B  3 

Gorteen  R.,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Gortermone  L.,  Longford  C  1 

Gortfadda,  Leitrim  D  4 

Gortfree,  Roscommon  E  5 

Gortgare^  Londonderry  C  2 

Gortgamgan  Br.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Gortgranard  Ho.,  Monaghan  A  3 

Gorticross,  Londonderry  B  3 

Gortin,  Tyrone  E  2 

Gortin  Ho.,  Londonderry  F  2 

Gortinty  L.,  Leitrim  D  4 

Gortkelly,  Tipperary  C  3 

Gortlass  L.,  Clare  E  3 

Gortleek,  Donegal  E  2 

Gortlusky,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Gortmaraby  Ho.,  Mayo  D  1 

Gortnaclea  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Gortnageragh  R.,  Limerick  H  2 

Gortnagier,  Galway  F  2 

Gortnahoo,  Tipperary  D  3 

Gortnessy,  Londonderry  B  3 

Gortraska,  'I'ipperary  A  2 

Gortraw  Ho.,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Gorumna  L,  Galway  B  3 

Gosford  Cas.,  Armagh  C  3 

Gotham  Bri.,  Kildare  B  4 

Gouganebarra  L.,  Cork  C  3 

Goul  Riv.,      _  Q;ieen's  Co.  C  3 

Goulbourne  Bri.,  Limerick  B  3 

Gouldavoher,  Limerick  E  2 

Government  Ho.,  Londonderry  A  3 

Gower  Hall,  Clare  D  3 

Gowlaun,  Galway  B  2 

Gowlin,  New  and  Old,  Carlow  B  3 

Gowran  Tn.,  Ear.,  &  Cas.,  Kilkenny  D  3 

Graan  Ho.,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Grace  Hall,  Down  B  3 

Grace  Hill,  Antrim  C  3 

Gracehill  Ho.,  Antrim  C  2 

Gracefield,  Londonderry  F  4 

Gracefield  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Graddura  L.,  Cavan  F  3 

GrafJy,  Mayo  D  1 

Grahams  Tn.,  Tyrone  C  2 

Graig  Abbey,  Galway  F  3 

Graigavern,  Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Graignagower,  Waterford  C  2 

Graigue,  Tipperary  C  1 

Graigue,  Queen's  Co.  F  4 

Graigue  Hill  and  Cas.,  Carlow  B  2 

Graigue  Ho.,  Wexford  A  4 

Graigue  Ho.,  Wexford  B  4 

Graigue,  Little,  Wexford  A  6 

Graiguealug  Cas.,  Carlow  B  2 

Graigueavallagh  Ho.,      Queen's  Co.  A  3 

Graiguenamanagh,  Kilkenny  E  3 

Graiguenaspiddoge  Cas.,  Carlow  B  2 

Giaiguenoe  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Graigues  Br.,  Kildare  C  2 

Grallagh  Br.,  Waterford  C  3 

Granard  Barony,  Longford  D  2 

Granard  Ho.,  Limerick  E  2 

Granard  Town,  Longford  E  2 
Grand  Canal,     Dublin  and  Kildare, 

B  5  &  B  2 

Graney  L.  and  Riv.,  Clare  I  2 

Graney  and  Riv.,  Kildare  C  4 

Grange,  Cork  G  2 

Grange,  Kildare  A  1 

Grange,  Kilkenny  C  5 

Grange,  Louth  C  1 

Grange,  Roscommon  E  3 

Grange,  Sligo  E  1 

Grange,  Tyrone  H  3 

Grange,  Wicklow  E  2 

Grange,  The,  Limerick  F  2 

Grange,  The,  Wicklow  A  3 

Grange  Blundel,  Armagh  C  2 

Grange  Bri.,  Limerick  C  8 

Grange  Hill,  Limerick  F  2 

Grange  Ho.,  Dublin  F  4 

Grange  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  2 


Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  Ho., 
Grange  More  Ho., 
Grange  R., 
Grange  Water, 
Grangebeg  Ho., 
Grangebeg  Ho., 
Grangebellew, 
Grangecon  and  Ho., 
Grangeford, 
Grange  ford  Bri., 
Grangefoyle, 
Grangehill  Ho., 
Grangemellon  Ho., 
Granny, 
Granny, 
Granny  Ferry, 
Gransha  Lo., 
Gransha  Pt., 
Granshoe  Ho., 


Kilkenny  C  8 

King's  Co.  D  3 

Louth  B  2 

Meath  G  8 


Wexford  B 
Wexford  B 
Wexford  D 
West  Meath  F 
Galway  E 
Londonderry  F 

Kildare  C  B 
West  Meath  F  2 
Louth  C  3 
Wicklow  A  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Kildare  C  4 
Tyrone  D  1 
Xildare  B  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Kilkenny  C  6 
Roscommon  D  2 
Kilkenny  C  5 
Londonderry  B  2 
Down  F  3 
Monaghan  B  2 


Grantstown  Ho.  and  L.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 


Granville 
Grattan  Aqueduct, 
Grave  Yard, 
Gravale  Mt., 
Greaghlone  L., 
Grean  Rock, 


Tyrone  H  4 

Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Louth  A  3 

Wicklow  C  2 

Monaghan  C  4 

Clare  B  4 


Great  Heath  of  Maryborough, 

Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Great  I.  (Lough  Ennel),  W.  Meath  D  3 
Great  Island, 


Great  Newton  Hd., 
Great  Saltee  I., 
Great  Sugar  Loaf, 
Greatconnell  Lo., 
Greatmans  B., 
Green,  The, 
Green  Hall, 
Green  Hills, 
Green  Hills, 
Green  Ho., 
Green  I., 
Green  I., 
Green  Motint, 
Green  Mount, 
Green  Mount, 
Green  Mts., 
Green  Ville, 
Greenan, 
Greenan  L., 
Greenan  Mt., 
Greenane  Ho., 
Greencastle, 
Greencastle, 
Greencastle, 
Greencastle  Sta., 
Greenfield, 
Greenfield  Ho., 
Greenhall  Ho., 
Greenhill, 
Greenhills, 
Greenhills  Ho., 
Greenhills  Ho., 
Greenish  Is., 
Greenlawn, 

Greenmount  and  G.  Lo., 
Greenmount  Ho., 
Greenmount  Ho., 
Greenmount  Ho., 
Greenoge, 
Greenoge, 
Greenore  Point, 
Greenore  Pt., 
Greenpark  Ho., 
Greenpark  Ho., 
Greenpark  Ho., 
Greens  Bri., 
Greenville, 
Greenville  Ho., 
Greenwood, 
Greenwood  Cott., 
Greese  Riv., 
Gregory  Hill, 
Gregory  Sound, 
Grenan, 
Grenan  Ho., 
Grennanstown  Ho., 
Grey  Abbey, 
Grey  Abbey, 
Grey  Pt., 
Grey  Stone, 
Greyfort  Cott., 
Greystones  and  Sta,, 
GrilTinstown, 
Griffinstown  Ho., 
Griggins, 
Grillagh  R., 
Grillagh  Street, 
Griston  Ho., 
Grogan, 
Grove,  The, 


Cork  G 
Waterford  G 
Wexford  C 
Wicklow  E 
Kildare  C 
Galway  C 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Armagh  C  2 
Dublin  C  5 
Louth  C  3 
Carlow  B  2 
Down  C  5 
Waterford  F  8 
Limerick  E  2 
Tyrone  E  3 
Armagh  C  2 
Antrim  D  4 
Wexford  D 
Wicklow  D 
Down  B 
Donegal  E 
Tipperary  B 
I^onegal  G 
Down  C 
Tyrone  F 
Antrim  F 
Galway  G  3 
Tipperary  B  8 
Wicklow  C  4 
Fermanagh  F  2 
_  Kildare  C  8 
King's  Co.  C 
King's  Co.  H 
Limerick  C 
Clare  D 
Louth  B 
Monaghan  C 
Tipperary  C  4 
Wexford  C  2 
Carlow  C 
Meath  F 
Louth  D 
Wexford  E 
Limerick  F 
Meath  E 
West  Meath  D 
Wicklow  C 
Cavan  D 
King's  Co.  D  1 
Mayo  D  1 
Cavan  G  8 
Kildare  B  4 
Donegal  D  3 
Galway  C  8 
Queen's  Co.  C  4 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Meath  C  8 
Down  F  2 
Kildare  B  8 


Down  E 
Down  F 
Sligo  F 
Wicklow  E 
West  Meath  F 
Wicklow  A 
Galway  B 
Londonderry  F 
Longford  B 
Limerick  G 
King's  Co.  D 
Carlow  C 


GROVE. 


INDEX. 


Grove, 
Grove  Ho., 
Grove  Ho., 
Grove  Ho., 
Groomsport  Sta., 
Grouse  Lo., 
Grugeandoo  Mt., 
GrunSel  Rk., 
Gubbaroe  Pt., 
Gubbin  Hill, 
Gubnagole  Pt., 
Gubroe, 
GuilcSgh  Ho., 
Guilford  Ho., 
Guillamore, 
Guiltyboe, 
Guitane  L., 
Gulladoo  Lough, 
GulladufT, 
Gullion  L., 
Gully  R., 
Guns  I., 
Gur  L., 
Gurteen  Ho., 
Gurteen  Ho., 
Gurteen  Ho., 
Gweebarra  Bay, 
Gweebarra  R., 
Gweedore  Bay,  R. 
Gweestion  R., 
Gweestin  R., 
Gyleen, 


Roscommon 
Roscommon 
Tipperary 
WicWlow 
Down 
West  Meath 
Down 
Clare 
Fermanagh 
Donegal 
Fermanagh 
Leiinm 
Waterford 
WestMeath 
Limerick 
Roscommon 
Kerry 
Leitrim 
Londonderry 
Armagh 
Queen's  Co. 
Down 
Limerick 
Tipperary 
Tipperary 
Waterford 
Donegal 
Donegal 
&  Hotel,  Donegal 
"  Mayo 
Kerry 
Cork 


H 


Hacket  Gas., 

Galway  E 

2 

Hacket  L., 

Galway  D 

2 

Hacketstown, 
Hacketstown  Ho., 

Carlow  D 

1 

Dublin  F 

2 

Haggard  and  Cas., 

Kildare  B 

1 

Hags  Head, 

Clare  D 

2 

Halfway  Ho., 

Clare  F 

2 

Halfway  Ho., 

Waterford  C 

2 

Hall  Craig, 

Fermanagh  D 

2 

Hall  Ho., 

West  Meath  B 

3 

Hallstown  Ho., 

West  Meath  C 

2 

Halverstown  Ho., 

Kildare  C 

3 

Hamilton, 

Cavan  D 

2 

Hamilton's  Bawn  and  Sta.1   Armagh  C 

2 

Hamilton's  Br., 

Kildare  B 

2 

Hamlinstown, 

Louth  B 

3 

Hamlinstown, 

Meath  B 

2 

Hammondstown, 

Louth  B 

3 

Hammondville, 

Waterford  G 

2 

Hampton  Hall, 

Dublin  E 

1 

Hamwood  Ho., 

Meath  E 

i 

Hand  Cross  Roads, 

Clare  E 

3 

Hanleystown, 

Sligo  B 

2 

Harcourt  Sta., 

Dublin  D 

5 

Harding  Grove, 

Limerick  E 

3 

Hardyraount, 

Carlow  C 

2 

Hare  L, 

Hare  L  (L.  Ree), 

Cork  C 

i 

West  Meath  A 

3 

Haremount, 

Kerry  D 

2 

Harleypark, 

Tipperary  E 

S 

Harlinstown, 

Meath  E 

2 

Harmony  Hall, 

West  Meath  A 

3 

Harolds  Cross  and  Grange,     Dublin  D 

6 

Harperstown  Ho., 

Wexford  C 

4 

Harrison  Castle, 

Cork  F 

2 

Harrisons  Close, 

Down  C 

3 

Harristown, 

Kildare  B 

3 

Harristown, 
Harristown  Ho., 

Queen's  Co.  B 

4 

Kildare  C 

3 

Harristown  Ho., 

Louth  A 

2 

Harristown  Ho., 

Roscommon  B 

3 

Harristown  Ho., 

Wexford  B 

4 

Harrow,  The, 

Carlow  B 

2 

Harrow,  The, 
Harry  Mount, 

Wexford  D 

2 

Armagh  C 

4 

Harry  brook. 

Armagh  D 

3 

Harrylock, 

Wexford  A 

6 

Hartslown, 

'Wicklow  A 

3 

Haulbowline  I., 

Cork  G 

3 

Hawthorn  Cott., 

West  Meath  A 

3 

Hawthorn  Hill, 

Armagh  D 

4 

Hayesiown  Ho., 
Haynestown  Ch., 

Wexford  C 

4 

Louth  B 

2 

Hays  Ho., 

Meath  E 

3 

Haystown, 
Haywood  Ho., 

Dublin  F 

2 

Queen's  Co.  D 

3 

Hazelbrook, 

Roscommon  D 

4 

Hazelhaich  Sta., 

Dublin  A 

5 

Hazlepit  Ho., 

Queen's  Co.  B 

3 

Hazlewood  Ho., 

Sligo  F 

2 

Head  L., 

Headborough  Ho., 

Fermanagh  F 

3 

Waterford  B 

3 

Headford, 

Galway  D 

2 

Headford  Ho., 

leitrim  D 

4 

Hcadfort  and  Sta., 

Kerry  E 

2 

Head  fort  Ho., 

Meath  C 

2 

Headwood  Sia.p 

Antrim  F 

4 

Healihlicid  Ho., 

Wexford  C 

3 

Heath  Hall. 

Armagh  D 

4 

Heath  He. 

Kildare  B 

4 

Heath  Ho., 
Healh  Lo., 

Heath  of  Maryborough, 

Heathfield, 
Heathfield, 
Heathlawn, 
Hebom  Ho., 
Hedgefield, 
Hedsor, 
Helens  Tower, 
Helvick  Hd., 
Hempstown, 
Hen  Mt., 
Henney  L., 
Herbertstown, 
Herbertstown  Harb., 
Herbertstown  Ho., 
Hermitage, 
Hermitage, 
Hermitage  Ho., 
Hernsbrook, 
Herondale  Ho., 
Hervey  Hill, 
Hewson  Hill, 
Hibernian  School, 
High  and  Low  Is., 
High  I., 
High  Park, 
High  Street, 
High  Street, 
High  Street, 
Highgate  Lo., 
Highpark, 
Highpark  Ho., 
Highrath, 
Hill  Cas., 
Hill  Head, 
Hill  of  Allen, 
Hill  of  Down  Sta., 
Hill  of  Ushnagh, 
Hill  Street, 
Hillbrook, 
Hillburn  Ho., 
Hillhall, 
Hillhead, 
Hillpark  Ho., 
Hillsborough, 
Hillsborough, 
Hillsborough. 
Hillsborough  Hall, 
Hillside, 
Hilltown, 
Hilltown, 
Hilltown  Cott., 
Hilltown  Ho., 
Hilton  Ho., 
Hockley  and  Lo., 
Hodgestown, 
Hodgestown  Ho., 
Hodgin's  Comer, 
Hodsons  Bay  Ho., 
Hog  I., 

Hoganswood  Ho., 
Hogs  Hd., 
Holdenstown  Ho., 
Holestone  Ho., 
Hollow,  The, 
Holly  Hill, 
Holly  HiU, 
Hollybrook, 
Hollybrook, 
Hollybrook  Ho., 
Hollybrook  Ho., 
Hollybrook  Ho., 
Hollybrook  Ho., 
Hollybrook  Ho., 
Hollyfield  Ho., 
Hollyfort, 
Hollymount, 
Hollymount, 
Hollymount, 
Hollymount, 
Hollymount  Ho., 
Hollymount  Ho., 
Hollymount  Ho., 
Holly  Park  Ho., 
Holly  Well  Ho., 
Hollywood, 
Hollywood  Ho., 
Hollywood  Ho., 
Hollywood  Ho., 
Hollywood  Ho., 
Hollywoodrath, 
Holy  or  Iniscaltra  L., 
Holycross, 
Holycross, 
Holy  Well, 
Holy  Well  Ho., 
Holywell, 
Holywell, 
Holywell  Ho., 
Holywood, 
Honor  R., 
Hookhcad, 
Horetown  Ho., 


Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Cavan  H  8 

Great, 

Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Limerick  D  3 
Sligo  E  3 
Galway  G  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Cork  E  3 
Kildare  D  1 
Down  E  2 
Waterford  D  3 
Wicklow  B  1 
Down  C  4 
Down  D  3 
Limerick  G  2 
Kildare  C  3 
Meath  G  3 
Louth  C  2 
Roscommon  D  2 
Roscommon  C  2 
Limerick  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Londonderry  F  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Cork  D  4 
Galway  A  2 
Wicklow  B  3 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Longford  B  2 
Tipperary  B  1 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Sligo  D  2 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Wexford  D  4 
Antrim  D  3 
Kildare  B  2 
Meath  C  4 
West  Meath  C  3 
Roscommon  E  2 
Wicklow  C  4 
Wexford  B  4 
Down  C  3 
Down  C  4 
Wexford  A  3 
Down  C  3 
Kildare  C  3 
King's  Co.  D  4 
Kildare  D  2 
Wexford  B  4 
Down  C  4 
Meath  F  3 
West  Meath  E  1 
Wexford  B  4 
Monaghan  A  3 
Armagh  C  2 
Kildare  C  1 
Kildare  C  2 
Armagh  C  2 
Roscommon  F  5 
Clare  C  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Kerry  B  3 
Wicklow  A  3 
Antrim  E  4 
Armagh  B  2 
Londonderry  F  4 
Tyrone  D  1 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Wicklow  JE  1 
Antrim  D  4 
Carlow  C  2 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Mayo  D  2 
Sligo  F  3 
Sli^o  F  1 
Wexford  D  1 
Leitrim  C  2 
Leitrim  C  3 
Galway  E  3 
Mayo  D  3 
Down  E  4 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Wexford  D  3 
Dublin  D  6 
Roscommon  E  3 
Wicklow  B  2 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Monaghan  B  2 
Wicklow  D  3 
Dublin  C  3 
Galway  F  4 
Limerick  F  2 
Tipperary  C  3 
Sligo  E  3 
Antrim  D  4 
Fermanagh  C  3 
Sligo  F  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Down  E  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Wexford  A  5 
Wexford  B  4 


Horn  Head, 
Horse  and  Jockey, 
Horse  I., 
Horse  1., 
Horseleap  Sta., 
Horsepark, 
Horseshoe  Ho., 
Horiland  Ho., 
Hospital, 
Hospital, 

Houndswood  Ho., 
House  of  Ward, 
Howth  Tn.,  Harb.,  & 
Howth  Cas.  and  Junct, 
Hugginstown, 
Hume  L., 
Humewood  Ho., 
Humphreystown  Ho., 
Hungry  Hill, 
Hunterstown, 
Hunting  Fort, 
Huntingdon, 
Huntingdon  Ho., 
Huntington  Cas., 
Huntly, 
Huntly  Glen, 
Huntstown  Ho., 
Huntstown  Ho., 
Huntston  Ho., 
Hurdlestown  Ho., 
Hurley  Riv., 
Hybla  Ho., 
Hyde  Park, 
Hyde  Park, 
Hydepark  Ho., 
Hymenstown  Ho., 
Hyne  Lake, 


Donegal 
Tipperary 
Cork 
Cork 
West  Meath 
Longford 
Wicklow 
Kildare 
Kilkenny 
Limerick 
Mayo 
Meath 
Hill,  Dublin 
Dublin 
Kilkenny 
Fermanagh 
Wicklow 
Wicklow 
Kerry 
Antrim 
Cork 
Queen's  Co. 
West  Meath 
Carlow 
Galway 
Down 
Dublin 
Dublin 
King's  Co. 
Meath 
Meath 
Kildare 
Antrim 
West  Meath 
Wexford 
Tipperary 


D  3 
C  3 


arconnaught,  Galway  C  2 

bane  and  Barryroe  Barony,  Cork  E  4 
brickan  Barony,  Clare  D  3 

da  Barony,  Kilkenny  D  4 

drone.  East  Barony,  Carlow  B  2 

drone.  West  Barony,  Carlow  A  2 

ffa  Sc  OflTa,  East  Barony,  Tipperary  D  4 
ffa  &  Offa,  West  Barony,  Tipperary  C  4 
ghtermurragh,  Cork  H 

keathy  &  Oughteraoy  Bar.,  Kildare  C 


kerrin  Barony, 
len  River, 
lian  master, 
llaulenearaun, 
Uaunavoley  Pt., 
Hies, 

mokilly  Barony, 
nagh  L., 

nagh  R.  and  Bri., 
nane  Ho., 
nch, 
nch, 

nch.  The, 
nch, 

nch  and  Sta., 

nch  Cas., 
nch  Ho., 
nch  L., 
nchagoill, 
nchaquire  and  Bri 
ncharmadermot, 
nchavore  R., 
nchbofin, 
nchcleraun, 
nchenagh, 
ncherky, 
nchiclogh  Ho., 
nchicronan  L., 
nchigeelagh, 
nchiquin  Barony  and  L., 
nchiquin  L., 
nchirourke  More, 
nchmalyra, 
nchmore, 

nchmore  and  Abbey, 
nchturk, 
ngard  Pt., 

niscaltra  or  Holy  L., 
nishannon, 
nishargy, 
nishark, 
nishbeg, 
nishbeg, 
nishbiggle, 
nishbofin, 
nishbofin, 
nishbroom, 
nishcoe  Ho., 
nishcorker, 
nishcorkish, 
nishcrone, 
nishdalla, 
nishdegil  More, 
niihdooey, 
nishduflf. 


Tipperary  C 
Cork  D 
Mayo  C 
Clare  B 
Limerick  C 
Donegal  F 
Cork  G 
Galway  B 
Clare  F 
Tipperary  C 
Cork  H 
Down  E 
Kerry  C 
Limerick  G 
Donegal  E 
Kildare  B  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Galway  D  3 
Galway  D  2 
Kildare  C  3 
Longford  A  3 
Wicklow  D  2 
West  Meath  A 
Longford  A 
Longford  A 
King's  Co.  B 
Cork  C 
Clare  G 
Cork  D 
Clare  F 
Kerry  C 
Limerick  D 
Limerick  B 
West  Meath  A 
Longford  D 
West  Meath  A 
Wexford  B 
Galway  F 
Cork  F 
Down  F 
Mayo  A 
Cork  C 
Donegal  C 

Mayo  B  1 
Donegal  C  2 

Mayo  A 
Galway  A 
Mayo  D 
Clare  F 
Fermanagh  F 
Sligo  B 
Mayo  A 
Mayo  A  3 
Donegal  C  2 
Donegal  B  4 


JOCKEY. 

nisheer,  Galway  C 

nishfamard,  Cork  A 

nishford,  Meath  D 

nishfree  Bay,  Donegal  B 

nishfree,  Upper,  Donegal  B 

nishgalloon,  Mayo  A 

nishglora,  Mayo  A 

nishgort.  Mayo  A 

nishkea,  S.  and  N.,  Mayo  A 

nishkeen,  Fermanagh  C 

nishkeen  and  Sta.,  Monaghan  E 

nishkeeragh,  Galway  A 

nishkeeragh.  Mayo  A 

nishloe,  Clare  F 

nishlyon,  Mayo  A 

nishlyre,  Mayo  B 

nishmaan,  Galway  C 

nishmacnaghtan  Ho.,  Clare  G 

nishmacowney,  Clare  F 

nishmacsaint,  Fermanagh  D 

nishmakill,  Fermanagh  D 

nishmicatreer,  Galway  D 

nishmore,  Clare  F 

nishmore,  Galway  B 

nishmore.  Mayo  B 

nishmurray,  Sligo  D 

nishnabro,  Kerry  A 

nishnee,  Galway  B 

nishowcn  Hd.,  Donegal  G 
nishowen,  East  Barony,  Donegal  E 
nishowen,  West  Barony,     Donegal  E 

nishrush,  Londondeny  F 

nishshark,  Mayo  A 

nishsirrer,  Donegal  B 

nishtooskert,  Kerry  A 

nishtrahuU,  Donegal  F 

nishturk,  Mayo  A 

nishvickillane,  Kerry  A 

nismore  Hall,  Fermanagh  E 

nistioge,  Kilkenny  D 

nisturk,  Galway  A 

nn  L.,  Donegal  F 

nner  Bay  (Dundrum  B.),  Down  E 

nnerL.,  Monaghan  B 

nnfield,  Meath  D 

nnishinny,  Donegal  B 

nny  R.  Source,  Meath  A 

nny  R.,  West  Meath  C 

nny  R.  and  BrL,  Kerry  B 

nver,  Donegal  C 

nver.  Mayo  B 

nver  Bay,  Donegal  B 

nver  L.,  Fermanagh  G 

nver  R.,  Antrim  E 

nverroe  Water,  Londonderry  F 

oe  L.,  Sligo  C 

raghticonnor  Barony,  Kerry  D 

re  R.,  Waterford  E 

reland's  Eye,  Dublin  G 

rishtown,  Dublin  E 

rishtown  Ho.,  Dublin  C 

rishtown  Ho.,  Kildare  C 

rishtown  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D 

ron  L.,  West  Meath  D 

ronhills  Ho.,  Kildare  B 
rvinestown  or  Lowtherstown, 

Fermanagh  E 


rwin  Mount, 
skule  Strm., 
slan  L., 
sland  Cott., 
sland  Ho., 
sland  L., 
sland  Magee, 
sland  Magee  Ch., 
sland  Ft., 
slands  Barony, 
sland  Reavy  L., 
slandbridge, 
slandeady  L., 
slanderry  Ho., 
slandmore, 
slandstown, 
veagh,  Lower  Barony, 
veagh,  Upper  Barony, 
ver  Cas. , 
veragh  Barony, 
verk  Barony, 
vy  Bri., 


Armagh  B 
Limerick  C 
Cavan  E 
Monaghan  A 
Wexford  E 
Mayo  E 
Antrim  H 
Antrim  G 
Armagh  D 
Clare  F 
Down  C 
Dublin  C 
Mayo  C 
Down  B 
Limerick  E 
Antrim  D 
Down  C 
Down  B 
King's  Co.  C 
Kerry  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Donegal  C 


Jamestown, 
Jamestown, 
Jamestown, 
Jamestown, 
Jamestown  and  Ho., 
Jamestown  Ho., 
Jane  Ville, 
Janeville, 
Jarmans  Cott., 
Jcrkinstown  Ho., 
Jtnkinstown  Ho., 
Jerpoint  Sta., 
Jockey  Hall, 


Fermanagh  E  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Leitrim  C  4 
West  Meath  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Louth  B  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Meath  E  4 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Kildare  C  3 


JOHNSBBOOK. 


INDEX 


KILLTLEA 


Johnsbrook  Ho., 
John's  Port, 
Johnsport  Ho., 
Johnston's  Bri., 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown, 
Johnstown  ana  Ho., 
Johnstown  Cas., 
Johnstown  Ho., 
Johnstown  Ho.j 
Johnstown  Ho., 
Johnstown  Ho., 
Johnstown  Ho., 
Johnswell  Ho., 
Jonesborough, 
Jonesborough  Ho. 
Jonestown  Ho., 
Jordanstown  Sta., 
Joristown  Ho., 
Joyce's  Country, 
JudgeviUe, 
Julianstown, 
JuIianstowD  Ho., 


Kantnrk, 

Kate  M'Kay's  Bri., 
Kate  ViUe, 
Keadeen, 
Keadew, 
Ready, 
Keady  Mt, 
Keale  Ho., 
Keale  R., 
Kealkill, 

Keamaneigb  Pass, 
Kearney, 
KeameystowD, 
Kedge  I., 
Keehill, 
Keel  and  Bay, 
Keel  Bri., 
Keel  Ho., 
Keel  L., 
Keel  L., 
Keel  L., 
Keeldra  L., 
Keeloge, 

Keeloge  Batteries, 
Keelrin, 
Keely, 
Keem, 
Keenagh, 
Keenagh  R., 
Keenaghan  L., 
Keenaght  Barony, 
Keenans  Cross, 
Keenrath  Ho., 


Meath  C  2 
Sligo  E  1 
Roscommon  F  4 

Longford  B 
Fermanagh  G 
Kildare  B 
Kildare  D 
Kilkenny  A 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  E 
Wexford  D 
Carlow  B 
Waterford  C 
Dublin  A 
Roscommon  E 
Tipperary  A  2 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Meath  B  2 
King's  Co.  H  1 
Antrim  F  4 
West  Meath  F  2 
Galway  C  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
Meath  G  2 
Meath  D  2 


Cork  E  2 
Down  C  4 
Clare  C  4 
Wicklow  B  3 
Roscommon  E  1 
Armagh  B  8 
Londonderry  D  2 
Cork  D  2 
Limerick  G  4 
Cork  C  3 
Cork  D  3 
Down  G  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Cork  D  4 
-   Galway  D  2 
Mayo  A  2 
Longford  C 
Kerry  C 
Donegal  G 
Donegal  D 
Mayo  A 
Leitrim  E 
Galway  F 
King's  Co.  B 
Leitrim  E 
Londonderry  F 
Mayo  A 
Longford  C  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Fermanagh  B  2 
Londonderry  D  3 
Louth  B  2 
Cork  D  8 


Keeper  Hill  or  Slievekimalta, 

Tipperary  A  8 


Keeragh  Is., 
Keeran  Ho., 
Keeran  R., 
Keerans  Cross, 
Keereen, 
Keerglen, 
Keisncorran, 
Kells, 
Kelts, 
Kelts, 

Kells  and  R., 
Kells  BaronV, 
Kells,  Lower  Barony, 
Kells,  Upper  Barony, 
Kells  Pt., 
Kellswater  Sta., 
Kelly  Cas,, 
Kelly  Cas., 
Kellybrook, 
Kellys  L., 
Kellys  Quarters, 
Kellystown  Ho., 
Kellyville  Hp.  and  L., 
Keltonstown, 
Kenmare, 
Keiimare  R., 
Kennel, 
Kenny, 

Kennycourt  Ho., 
Kenry  Barony, 
Kentstown, 
Kenure  Park, 
Keoghville, 
Kerdiffstown  Ho., 
Kemeys  Cross, 
Kerry, 
Kerry  Hd., 
Kerrycurrihy  Barony, 
Kesh, 
Kesh, 

16 


Wexford  B  4 
Meath  E  2 
Louth  A  2 
Louth  B  3 
Waterford  C  3 
Mayo  C 
Sligo  F 
Kerry  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Meath  C 
Antrim  D 
Kilkenny  B 
Meath  C 
Meath  C 
Tyrone  I 
Antrim  F 
Galway  E 
Galway  G 
Roscommon  E 
Wicklow  C  3 
Carlow  C  3 
Meath  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Down  D  4 
Kerry  D  3 
Kerry  B  3 
Kildare  D  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Kildare  D  3 
Limerick  D 
Meath  E 
Dublin  F 
Roscommon  E 
Kildare  D 
Louth  B 
Tipperary  B 
Kerry  C 
Cork  F 
Down  C 
Roscommon  E 


Kesh, 

Kesh  and  R., 
Keshcarrigan, 
Key  Lough, 
Keys  Cross  Rds., 
Kid  L, 
Kiddstown, 
Kidlawn, 
Kiggaul  B. , 
Kilbaha  and  Bay, 
Kilballyhue  Ho., 
Kilballyskea, 
Kilbane, 
Kilbeg  Cott., 
Kilbeg  Ho., 
Kilbeggan, 
Kilbeheny  and  Cas., 
Kilbelin, 
Kilbennan, 
Kilberrin  Br., 
Kit  berry, 
Kilberry  Cott., 
Kilboggin.  Ho., 
Kilboy  Ho., 
Kilbrack  Ho., 
Kilbraghan, 
Kilbrannish, 
Kilbree  Ho.. 
Kilbreedy  Ho., 
Kilbrew  Ho., 
Kilbrickan  Bri., 
Kilbride, 
Kilbride; 

Kilbride  and  Ho., 
Kilbride  Ho., 
Kilbride  Ho., 
Kilbride  Ho., 
Kilbride  Ho., 
Kilbrin, 
Kilbrittain, 
Kilbroney  Ho., 
Kilcaimin, 
Kilcaltan  Ho., 
Kilcar, 
Kilcam  Bri., 
Kilcamey  Cross  Rds., 
Kilcarra, 
Kilcarrig  Ho., 
Kilcarry  Bri.  and  Cott, 
Kilcarty, 
Kilcash, 

Kilcatherine  Pt., 
Kilcavan, 
Kilchreest 
Kildare, 
Kilclief, 
Kilcloher, 
Kilcolney  Br., 
Kilcock  and  Sta., 
Kilcogy, 
Kilcolgan, 
Kilcolgan  Cas., 
Kilcolman  Castle, 
Kilcolman, 
Kilcoltrim  Ho., 
Kilcolumb, 
Kilcomin, 
Kilconnaught, 
Kilconnell  Barony, 
Kilconnell, 
Kilconner  Ho.> 
Kilconny, 
Kilconway  Barony, 
Kilcoo  Ho., 
Kilcoo  R., 
Kilcoole  and  Sta,, 
Kilcooly  Abbey, 
Kilcop  Ho., 
Kilcor, 

Kilcoran  Ho., 
Kilcorkey, 
Kilcoman  Ho., 
Kilcomey, 
Kilcoursey  Barony, 
Kilcrea  Ho., 
Kilcredan, 
Kilcredaun  Pt., 
Kilcreen  Ho., 
Kilcrohane  Br., 
Kilcronaghan  Ch,, 
Kilcullen  and  Barony 
Kilcullen,  Old, 
Kilcully,  _ 
Kilcummin  Ho., 
Kilcummin  or  Benwee 
Kilcumney  Ho., 
Kilcurly  Ho., 
Kilcurry  R., 
Kildalkey, 
Kildangan  Cas., 
Kildare  and  Sta., 
Kildaree, 
Kildaree, 

Kildavin  and  Ho., 
Kildevin, 
Kildimo, 


Sligo  F 
Fermanagh  D 
Leitrim  D 
Roscommon  D 
Wexford  D 
Mayo  B 
Antrim  C 
Roscommon  E 
Galway  B 
Clare  A 
Carlow  B 
King's  Co.  C 
Clare  I 
Waterford  B 
Meath  D  2 
West  Meath  C  3 
Limerick  H  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Galway  E  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Meath  D  2 
Kildare  A 
Kildare  B 
Tipperary  B 
Cork  F 
Kilkenny  B 
Carlow  C 
Waterford  B 
Limerick  G 
Meath  F  3 
Queen's  Co.  C  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Wicklow  E  3 
Wicklow  C  1 
Carlow  C  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
Wexford  E  2 
Wicklow  E  4 
Cork  E  2 
Cork  E  4 
Down  B  5 
Galway  E  3 
Londonderry  B  3 
Donegal  B  4 

Meath  E 
Wicklow  C 
Wicklow  D 
Carlow  B 
Carlow  C 
Meath  D 
Tipperary  D  4 
Cork  A  3 
Wicklow  C  4 
Galway  F  3 
Leitrim  D  3 
Down  F  3 
Clare  B  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Kildare  C  1 
Cavan  E  4 
Galway  E  3 
Bang's  Co.  D  2 
Cork  F  2 
Limerick  C  2 
Carlow  B  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Carlow  D  1 
Galway  F  2 
Galway  F  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Cavan  E  2 
Antrim  C  3 
KUdare  A  4 
Leitrim  C  1 
Wicklow  E  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Waterford  G  2 
Cork  G  2 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Roscommon  C  3 
West  Meath  B 
Cork  E 
King's  Co.  E 
Dublin  E 
Cork  H 
Clare  B 
Kilkenny  C  3 
■  Cork  B  4 
Londonderry  E  4 
Kildare  C  3 
Kildare  C 
Cork  F 
King's  Co.  C 
Hd.,     Mayo  D 
Carlow  B 
Louth  B 
Armagh  D  4 
Meath  C  3 
Kildare  B  3 
Kildaie  B  3 
Galway  D  2 
Galway  F  1 
Carlow  C  2 
West  Meath  D  1 
Limerick  E  2 


Kildimo,  Old, 
Kildinan  Ho., 
Kildolagh, 
Kildoon, 
Kiidorrery, 
Kildrum, 
Kildrum  Ho., 
Kilduff  Ho., 
Kilfarrasy  Is., 
Kilfane, 
Kilfeakle  Ho., 
Kilfearagh, 
Kilfenora, 
Kilfenora, 
Kilfinnane, 
Kilfinny  Cas., 
Kilflyn, 
Kilfrush  Ho., 
Kilgarriff, 
Kilgarvan, 
Kilglass  Ho., 
Kilglass  L., 
Kilglass  Lo., 
Kilgobbin, 
Kilgobbin  Ho., 
Kilgolagh, 
Kilgorman  Ch., 
Kilgory  Ho,  and  L., 
Kilgraney  Ho., 
Kilgraney  Lo., 
Kilirellig, 

Kilkea  and  Moone  Barony, 
Kilkea  Cas., 
Kilkeasy, 
Kilkee, 
Kilkeel, 

Kilkeel  Pier  and  R.. 
Kilkeeran, 
Kilkeeran, 
Kilkelly, 

Kilkenny,  Tn.,  Sta.,  and  Bar., 

Kilkenny  C 

Kilkenny, 

Kilkenny  Race  Co., 
Kilkenny,  West  Bar., 
Kilkieran  Bay. 


Limerick  E 
Cork  F 
Londonderry  F 
Kildare  B 
Cork  F 
Donegal  E 
Antrim  D 
King's  Co.  F 
Waterford  F 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Tipperary  B  4 
Clare  C 
Clare  E 
Kerry  C 
Limerick  F 
Limerick  E 
Kerry  D 
Limerick  G 
Mayo  F 
Kerry  D  3 
Kildare  B  1 
Roscommon  E  3 
Sligo  B  2 
Dublin  E  6 
Limerick  E 
Cavan  E 
Wexford  E 
Clare  I 
Carlow  B 
Carlow  C 
Clare  B 
Kildare  B 
Kildare  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Clare  C 
Down  C 
Down  D 
Mayo  D 
Mayo  D 
Mayo  E 


Kilkinlea, 
Kilkishen, 
Kill, 
Kill, 

Kill  Ho., 

Killabeg  Ho., 

Killachor, 

Killadeas, 

Killadoon, 

Killadreenan, 

KUIadysert, 

Killagan  Sta., 

Killagan  Water, 

Killagh  Ho., 

Killagh  Ho., 

Killaghy  Cas., 

Killahaly  Br., 

Killahy, 

Killahy  Cas., 

Killakee  Ho., 

Killakee  Mt., 

Killala  and  Bay, 

Killaloe, 

Killaloo, 

Killamanagh, 

Killamery, 

Killan, 

Killane  Br., 

Killanena, 

Killaney  Ch., 

Killann, 

Killanny, 

Killanummery, 

Killard  and  Point, 

Killard  Pt.  and  Ch., 

Killare  Ho., 

Killary, 

Killarga, 

Killamey, 

Killary  Harb., 

Killasana  Ho., 

Killashandra, 

Killashee, 

Killashee  Ho., 

Killaskillan  Ho., 

Killaspug  Pt., 

Killaspy  Ho., 

Killavackan, 

Killavally, 

Killaveney  Bri., 

Killavilla  Ho., 

Killavoggy  Br., 

Killawillin, 

Killbaliyowen, 

KJIIcoo  Cross  Roads, 

Killduff  Mt., 

Killea, 

Killead, 

Killeagh  and  Sta., 
Killeague  Ho., 


West  Meath  B  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
West  Meath  B  2 
Galway  B  3 
Limerick  B  3 
Clare  H  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Waterford  F  2 
Cavan  E  3 
Wexford  C  2 
Longford  D  2 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Kildare  D  2 
Wicklow  E 
Clare  F 
Antrim  C 
Antrim  C 
Galway  F 
West  Meath  F 
Tipperary  E 
Waterford  B  3 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Dublin  D  6 
Dublin  D  6 
Mayo  D  1 
Clare  K  3 
londonderry  B  3 
Galway  D  2 
Kilkenny  B  4 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Carlow  C  2 
Clare  H 
Down  D 
Wexford  B 
Louth  A 
Leitrim  B 
Down  F 
Clare  C 
West  Meath  C 
Meath  D 
Leitrim  B 
Kerry  D  2 
Mayo  B  3 
Longford  E 
Cavan  D 
Longford  B 
Kildare  C 
Meath  B 
Sligo  E 
Kilkenny  D  5 
Roscommon  E  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
Wicklow  C  4 
King's  Co.  D  4 
Leitrim  B  2 
Cork  F  2 
Limerick  F  3 
Fermanagh  B 
Tipperary  C 
Waterford  G 
Antrim  D 
Cork  H 
Londonderry  E 


Killeany  and  Bay, 

Killeck, 

Killedan  Ho.. 

Killedmond, 

Killeedy, 

Killeelaun, 

Killeen, 

Killeen, 

Killeen  Cas., 

Killeen  Ho., 

Killeen  Ho., 

Killeen  Ho., 

Killeen  Ho., 

Killeen  L., 

Killeen  R., 

Killeenagh  Br., 

Killeenaran, 

Killeenavarra, 

Killeenboy, 
Killeenleagh, 

Killeenrevagn, 

Killeeshal  Fort, 

Killeeshill, 

Killeevan, 

Killeglan, 

Killeigh, 

Killelagh, 

Killelton, 

Killen, 

Killenagh, 

Killenaule, 

Killenna, 

Kiliennan, 

Killenure  Cas., 

Killerig  Cross  Roads, 

Killerkin  Pt., 

Killester, 

Killeter, 

KiUevy  Cas., 

Killian  Barony, 

Killimer, 

Killimor, 

Killimor  Cas., 

Killinagh  Glebe, 

Killinane  Ho., 

Killinardan  Ho., 

Killinardish, 

Killincarrig, 

Killinchy, 

KiUincooly  Ch. , 

Killine  Burial  Gd., 

Killineer  Ho., 

Killiney, 

KiUiney  Hill  and  Cas., 
Killiney  Sta.  and  Bay, 
Killinick, 
Killinkere, 

Kiilinny, 

Killinthomas  Ho., 
KiUinure  Br., 
Killinure  Ho., 
Killinure  Lough, 
Killiskey, 
Killmaboy, 
Killofin, 

Killonanan  Ho., 
Killone  Abbey, 
Kiliongford  Ho., 
Killooman  L., 
Killoran  Ho., 
Killorglin, 
Killoscobe, 
Killoscully, 
Killoskehan  Cas., 
Killoteran  Ho., 
KiUough  and  B., 


Galway  C 
DMin  D 
Mayo  D 
Carlow  B 
Limerick  C 
Galway  E 
Galway  E 
Wexford  B  2 
Meath  E  3 
Armagh  C  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Longford  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
Waterford  B 
Galway  E 
Galway  E 
Roscommon  E 
Cork  C 
Roscommon  E 
Carlow  U 
Tyrone  G  4 
Monaghan  B  2 
Roscommon  D 
King's  Co.  F 
Londonderry  E 
Kerry  C 
Tyrone  C 
Wexford  E 
Tipperary  D  3 
Leitrim  B  2 
Londonderry  B  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Carlow  C  1 
Clare  D  4 
Dublin  E  4 
Tyrone  B  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Galway  F  2 
Clare  D  4 
Galway  G  3 
Galway  F  3 
Cavan  B 
Carlow  A 
Dublin  C 
_  Cork  E 
Wicklow  E 
Down  E 
Wexford  E 
Carlow  C 
Louth  B 
Kerry  B 
Dublin  F 
Dublin  F 
Wexford  D 
Cavan  G 
Galway  E 
Kildare  A 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Wicklow  B 
West  Meath  A  3 
Wicklow  E  2 
Clare  F  2 
Clare  E  4 
Limerick  E  2 
Clare  G  3 
Waterford  C  3 
Leitrim  C  2 
Tipperary  D  2 
Kerry  C  2 
Galway  F  2 
Tipperary  A  2 
Tipperary  C  2 
Waterford  F  8 
Down  F  4 


Killoughrum  Ho.  &  Forest,  Wexford  B  2 
Killoughter  and  Sta.,  Wicklow  E  2 


Killowen, 
Killowen  Ho., 
Killowen  Ho., 
Killower, 
Killoy, 
Killrickan, 
Killua  Cas., 
Killucan, 
Killucan  Sta., 
KiUumney, 
Killuney, 
Killure, 
Killure, 

Killurin  and  Sta., 

Killurin  Ho., 

KilUimey, 

Killy  L., 

Killybegs, 

Killybegs  Ho., 

Killycolpy, 

Killycor, 

Killyfaddy, 

Killygar  and  Ho., 

Killyglen, 

Killygordon, 

Kiilygowan, 

Killyhevlin  Cott., 

KiUylea  and  Sta., 


Down  C 
Wexford  A 
Wexford  C 
Galway  E 
Roscommon  E 
Galway  C 
West  Meath  F 
West  Meath  F 
West  Meath  E 
Cork  E 
Armagh  C 
Galway  G 
Londonderry  E 
Wexford  C 
King's  Co.  E 
Tipperary  D  4 
Monaghan  B  2 
Donegal  B  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Tyrone  I  3 
Londonderry  C  3 
Tyrone  E  4 
Leitrim  F  8 
Antrim  F  3 
Donegal  D  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Armagh  B  2 


C 


KILLYLEA. 


INDEX. 


LAKE. 


Ivjllyiea  L.,  Cavan  E  2 

Killyleagh,  Down  F  3 

fultymackan  L.,  Fermanagh  E  4 

Kjllj-man,  Tyrone  H  4 

KjUymoon  Cas.,  Tyrone  H  3 

Killynan  Ho.,  West  Meath  E  2 

Killyon,  Kinc's  Co.  D  3 

Killyon  Ho.,  Meath  C  4 

KUlywillin  U,  Cavan  C  2 

Killj-wilty  L.,  Cavan  D  2 

Kilmacanoge,  Wicklow  E  2 

Kilmacart  Ho.,  Carlow  D  1 

Kilmacbrack  U,  Fermanagh  F  8 

Kilmacduagh,  Galway  E  3 

Kilmacoe  ho.,  Wexford  D  3 

Kilmacomma,  Waterford  C  2 

Kilmacow,  Kilkenny  C  6 

Kilmacow,  Upper,  Kilkenny  C  6 
Rilmacrenan  Bar.  &  Vil.,     Donegal  D  2 

Kilmactalway  Ho.,  Dublin  B  5 

Kilmacthomas,  Waterford  E  2 

Kilmaganny,  Kilkenny  B  4 

Kjlmagar  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  2 

Kilmaine  Barony,  Mayo  D  3 

Kilmaine  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  3 

Rilmainham,  Dublin  D  5 

Kilmainham  and  Sta.,  Meath  D  1 

Kilmakevogre,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Kilm.-JcUloge  Harbour,  Kerry  C  3 

Kilmakinlan,  Longford  B  3 

Kilmalkedar,  Kerry  A  2 
KUmallock,  To.,  Bar.,  and  Sta., 

Limerick  F 


Kilmanagh, 
Kilmanahan  Gas., 
Kilmannock  Ho., 
Kilmartin, 
Kil:nartin  Ho., 
Kilmartin  Ho., 
Kiimashogue  Mt., 
KilmastulTa  R., 
Kilmead  Ho., 
Kilmeadan, 
Kilmeage, 
Kilineaiiy  Ho., 
Kilmeany  Ho., 
Kilmcedy, 
Kilmeena, 
Kilmessan  and  Sta., 
Kilmichael  Ho., 
Kilmichael  Pt., 
Kilmihil, 
Kilmoney  Cott., 
Kilmood, 
Kilmore, 
Kilmorti 
Kiimore, 
Kilmore, 
KiU-nore, 
Kilmore, 
Kilmore, 

Kilmore  and  Orrery  Barony, 
Kilmore  Ho., 
Kilmore  Ho., 
Kilmore  Ho., 
Kilmore  Ho., 
Kilmore  L., 
Kilmore  L., 
Kilmore  Palace, 
Kilmorgan, 
Kilmorony  Ho.. 
Kilmoyler, 
Kilmuckbridge  Ho., 
Kiimullen  Ho., 
Kilmur  Ho., 
Kilrnurry, 
Kiliiiorri', 
Kilrnurry, 
Kilmurry, 
Kilmurry  Ho., 
Kilrnurry  Ho., 
Kilmurry  Ho., 
Kilmurry  Ho., 
Kilmurry  Ho., 
Kilmurry  McMahoQ, 
Kilmurvy, 
Kilmyshall, 
Kilnacreevy  L., 
Kilnacrott  Cott., 
Kilnagarvagh  Ho., 
K'lnagrange  Br., 
Kilnahard  Ho., 
Kilnahuc  Ho., 
Kiloalag, 
Kilnaleck, 


Kilkenny  B  3 
Waterford  C  2 
Wexford  A  4 
Wicklow  E  2 
Dublin  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Dublin  D  5 
Tipperary  A  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Waterford  F  2 
Kildare  B  2 
Carlow  B  2 
Keny  D  1 
Limerick  D  3 
M^yo  C 
Meath  E 
Wexford  E 
Wexford  F 
Clare  D 
Kildare  B 

Down  E  3 
Armagh  C  2 

Down  E 
Galway  C 
Roscommon  D 
Wexford  C 
Wexford  C 
Wicklow  C 
Cork  E 
Clare  D 
Limerick  E 
Meath  E 
Waterford  B 
Fermanagh  F 
Monaghan  B 
Cavan  E 
Sligo  F 
Queen's  Co.  F 
Tipperary  B 
Wexford  E 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Meath  C 
Clare  D  8 
Clare  H  3 
Cork  E  8 
Kilkenny  D  8 
Carlow  C  2 
Cork  G  2 
Kildare  B  1 
Wicklow  E  3 
Wicklow  E  4 
Clare  E  4 
Galway  B  3 
Wexford  C  2 
Cavan  E  3 
Cavan  F  3 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Waterford  E  2 
Cavan  E  4 
Wexford  D  1 
Galway  F  1 
Cavan  F  3 


Kilnamanagh  Ixjwer  Bar.,  Tipperary  B  3 
Kilnamanagh  Upper  Bar.,  Tipperary  B  3 
Kilnarovanagh,  Kerry  C  2 

KilnockHo.,  Carlow  C  2 

K  ■-,r.;>n  Sta.,  Limerick  F  2 

;y  Hall,  King's  Co.  D  2 

,  .'.rick,  Cork  E  8 

.  I  rick,  Kildare  A  8 

,  airick  Ho.,  Kildare  B  2 

K       trick  Ho.,  I.outh  A  3 

K.ijjcacoB  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

U 


Kiipierce, 
Kilpoole  Ho., 


Kilquade  Ho., 
Kilquane, 
Kilquiggin, 

Kilrainv  Ho.  and  Cas., 
Kilranelagh  Ho., 
Kilrea, 
Kilree  Ho., 
Kilreehill, 

Kilreesk  Ho.  and  Ch., 
Kilronan, 
Kilronan  Ho., 
Kilronane, 
Kilroot  Sta., 
Kilrossanty, 
Kilruddery, 
Kilrush  and  Ho., 
Kilru.sh  Kri., 
Kilrush  Ho., 
Kilsallaglian, 
Kilsaran, 
Kilscannell  Ho., 
Kilshanchoe, 
Kilshane  Ho., 
Kilshannig, 
Kilshannig, 
Kilshar\au  Ho., 
Kilsheelan, 
Kilshruley  Ho., 
Kilskeer, 
Kilskeery, 
Kiltabridd  Loughs, 
Kiltale, 
Kiltamagh, 
Kiltanon  Ho., 
Kiltarsaghaun, 
Kiltartan  and  Barony, 
Kiltealy, 
Kilteel, 
Kikeely, 
Kilteeven, 
Kiltegan, 
Kiltennell  Ch. 
Kiltiernan, 
Kiltimon, 
Kiltinan  Cas., 
Kiltinny,  Lower, 
Kiltober  Cas., 
Kiltoghert, 
Kiltoom, 
Kiltorcan  Ho., 
Kiltormer, 
Kiltra  Ho., 
Kiltrea  Ho., 
Kiltullagh, 
Kiltullagh, 
KilturkL., 
Kiltybane  L., 
Kiltyclogher 
Kiltycon, 
Kilure, 
Kilvine, 

Kilwaughter  Cas., 
Kilworth, 
Kimalta  Ho., 
Kimmage  Ho., 
Kinale  L., 
Kinalea  Barony, 
Kinallen, 

Kinalmeaky  Barony, 
Kinalogh, 
Kinard  Ho., 
Kinard  Lo., 
Kinawley, 

Kinbane  or  White  Hd., 
Kincon, 

Kinelarty  Barony, 
Kingarogy  L, 
Kinghill, 
King's  Mt., 
Kings  R., 
Kings  Rlv., 
Kings  Row, 
Kingsborough  Ho., 
Kingsbridge  Sta., 
Kingscourt, 
Kingsfort, 
Kingsland, 
Kingston  Br., 
Kingston  Ho., 
Kingstown  and  Harbour, 
Kingstown  Ho., 
Kingstown  R., 
Kingwilliamstown, 
Kinlough, 
Kinnafad  Cas., 
Kinnagoe  B., 
Kinnanooey, 
Kinnatalloon  Barony, 
Kinnegad  and  Riv., 
Kinncgoe  Harb., 
Kinnegoe  Pt., 
Kinnitty, 
Kitirovar, 

Kinsale  and  Barony, 


Wexford  D 
Wicklow  E 
Wicklow  E 
Cork  E 
Wicklow  B 
Kildare  A 
Wicklow  B 
Londonderry  F 
Kilkenny  C 
Galway  F 
Dublin  D 
Galway  C 
Waterford  C 
Cork  D 
Antrim  G 


Waterford  D  2 


Wicklow  E 
Clare  D 
Queen's  Co.  D 
Kilkenny  B 
Dublin  D 
Louth  B 
Limerick  C 
Kildare  B 
Dublin  D 
Cork  G 
Kerry  C 
Meath  G 
Tipperary  D  4 
Longford  D  2 
Meath  B  2 
Tyrone  C  4 
Armagh  A  3 
Meath  E  8 
Mayo  E  2 
Clare  H  2 
Mayo  C  2 
Galway  E  3 
Wexford  B  2 
Kildare  D  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Roscommon  E  4 
Wicklow  B  3 
Wexford  E  2 
Dublin  E  6 
Wicklow  E  2 
Tipperary  D  4 
Londonderry  E  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
Leitrim  C  4 
West  Meath  D  2 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Galway  G  3 
Wexford  B  4 
Wexford  B  2 
Galway  E  8 
Galway  F  2 
Fermanagh  F  8 
Armagh  C  4 
Leitrim  C  1 
Ixingford  C  1 
Galway  G  2 
Mayo  E  2 
Antrim  F 
Cork  G 
Tipperary  A 
Dublin  D 
Longford  E 
Cork  F 
Down  C 
Cork  E 
Longford  E 
Roscommon  E 
Sligo  B 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Antrim  D  1 
Mayo  C  1 
Down  D  8 

Cork  C 
Down  C 
Sligo  F 
Kilkenny  B 
Wicklow  C 
Donegal  F 


Sligo  G  3 

Dublin  D  ' 
Cavan  I 
Meath  C 
Roscommon  C 
Waterford  A 
Wicklow  D 
Dublin  F 
Dublin  D 

Galway  F  _ 

Cork  D  2 

Leitrim  B  1 

Kildare  A  1 

Donegal  G  2 

Mayo  B  2 

Cork  G  2 

West  Meath  F  3 

Armagh  D  2 

Armagh  D  1 

King's  Co.  D  3 

Mayo  A  1 

Cork  F  3 


Kinsale  Harbour, 

Kinsaley, 

Kinturk  Ho., 

Kinvarra  and  Bay. 

Kip  L., 

Kip  L., 

Kippure, 

Kircassock  Ho., 

Kircock  L., 

Kirkcubbin, 

Kirkinriola, 

Kirkistown, 

Kirwans  Cross, 

Kishawanny, 

Kishkeam, 

Kitt  St  Nicholas, 

Knappagh  Ho., 

Knappoge  Ho., 

Knapton  and  Ho., 

Knavinstown  Ho., 

Knights  Mt., 

Knights  Town, 

Knightsbrook  Ho., 

Knightstown  Ho., 

Knock, 

Knock, 

Knock, 

Knock, 

Knock  Ho., 

Knock  Cross  Roads, 

Knocka  L., 

Knocka  L., 

Knockachorra, 

Knockacuppul, 

Knockadaff, 

Knockade, 

Knockaderrj- and  Ho., 

Knockaderry  Ho., 

Knockadoo, 

Knockadoon  Hd., 

Knockadrum, 

Knockaholet, 

Knockahunna, 

Knockainy, 

Knockakiboon, 

Knockalaght, 

Knockal  isheen, 

Knockalla  Mt., 

Knockallow  Rath. 

Knockalough, 

Knockan, 

Knockanaffrin, 

Knockanally  Ho., 

Knockanare, 

Knock.inastu  mba, 

Knockanboy  Bri., 

Knockandinny, 

Knockaneill  R., 

Knockanimpaha, 

Knockaniss, 

Knockannavea, 

Knockanora, 

Knockanore  Mt.,_ 

Knockantern  Ho., 

Knockanure, 

Knockaroon, 

Knockarradaun, 

Knockarrow, 

Knockasccggan, 

Knockaskebane, 

Knockastanna, 

Knockasturkeen, 

Knockathea, 

Knockatooan, 

KnockatuUa, 

Knockaturly  L., 

Knockaunavoher, 

Knockaunbrandaun, 

Knockauncoura, 

Knockaunnagiashy, 

Knockavelish  Cott., 

Knockaville, 

Knockaviltoge, 

Knockavoe, 

Knocka  warriga , 

Knockballystine  Cross 

Knockbane  Ho., 

Knockbarragh  Pk., 

Knockbaun, 

Knockbawn, 

Knockbeg  Ho., 

Knockbeha  Cott., 

Knockboy, 

Knock  boy, 

Knockboy  Ho., 

KnocWjrack, 

Knocl4>rack, 

Knockbride  Ch., 

Knockbridge, 

Knockcarrig  Ho., 

Knockchree, 

Knockcloghrim, 

Knockcroghery  &  Sta. 

Knockdrin  Cas., 

Knockduflf  Ho., 

Knockeen  Lock, 


Cork 
Dublin 
West  Meath 
Galway 
Galway 
Leitrim 
Dublin 
Down 
Louth 
Down 
Antrim 
Down 
Louth 
Kildare 
Cork 
Waterford 
Armagh 
Longford 
Queen's  Co. 
Kildare 
Kerry 
Kerry 
Meath 
Queen's  Co. 
Clare 
Down 
Galway 
Mayo 
Waterford 
'1  ipperary 
Clare 
Galway 
Queen's  Co. 
Kerry 
Mayo 
Limerick 
Limerick 
Waterford 
Roscommon 
Cork 
Galway 
Antrim 
Tipperary 
Limerick 
Limerick 
Limerick 
Waterford 
Donegal 
Carlow 
1'ipperary 
Londonderry 
Waterford 
Kildare 
Cork 
Queen's  Co. 
Longford 
Dublin 
Londonden-y 
Limerick 
Clare 
Dublin 
Tipperary 
Kerry 
Londonderry 
Kerry 
Roscommon 
Clare 
West  Meath 
Tipperary 
Cork 
Limerick 
Cork 
Limerick 
Cork 
Meath 
"Monaghan 
Limerick 
Waterford 
Galway 
Kerry 
Waterford 
West  Meath 
Tipperary 
Tyrone 
Limerick 
Rds.,  Carlow 
Kildare 
Down 
Carlow 
Queen's  Co. 
Queen's  Co. 
Clare 
Kerry 
Waterford 
Antrim 
Kerry 
West  Meath 
Cavan 
Louth 
Wicklow 
Down 
Londonderry 
,  Roscommon 
West  Meath 
Carlow 
Carlow 


D 
F 
C 
H 
F 
C 
D 
G 
D 
B 
D 
E 
D 
B 
C 
D 
C 
E 
B 
B 
B 

F  3 
B  3 
H  2 
C  5 
B 
D 
F 
D 
E 
F 
D 
B 
G 
H 
G 
B 
D 
E 
C 
H 
C 
E 
C 
H 
E 
B 
D 
B 
D 
B 
B 
B 
D 
F 
I 

D 
D 
D 
D 
E 
H 
B 
A 
C 
F 
E 
E 


2 
1 
2 
1 

2 
2 
1 
3 
2 
2 
3 
3 
2 
4 
2 
2 
2 
3 
2 
2 
3 
3 
2 
3 
2 
4 
6 
3 
3 
3 
2 
3 
2 
3 
3 
2 
3 
2 
3 
6 
4 
4 
2 
B  8 
B  3 


Knockeevan  Ho., 
Knockfeerina, 
Knockfin  Ho. 
Knockglass, 
Knockglass  Ho., 
Knockgorm  L., 
Knockhouse, 
Knockieran  Cott, 
Knockinelde, 
Knocklayd, 
Knockletter  Cuss, 
Knockloe  Bri., 
Knockloe  Ho., 
Knocklofty  Br., 
Knocklofty  Ho., 
Knocklong  and  Sta., 
Knocklyne  Cas., 
Knockmahon, 
Knockmanus  Ho., 
Knockmeal, 
Knockmealdown  Mts., 
Knockmore  Junction,-  r 
Knockmoylan, 
Knockmoyle, 
Knockmoyle, 
Knockmulrooney  Tower, 
Knocknacarry, 
Knocknacree  Cross  Rds., 
Knocknadober, 
Knocknagann  Bri., 
Knocknagashel, 
Knocknageragh  Ho., 
Knocknagtie, 
Knocknalower, 
Knocknaman, 
Knocknamohill  Ho., 
Knocknamona, 
Knocknamoyle^ 
Knocknamunnion, 
Knocknarea 


Tipperary  C  4 
I^iiiierick  E  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Roscommon  C  2 
Mayo  C  1 
Cavan  B  2 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Wicklow  B  2 
Down  G  3 
Antrim  D  2 
Mayo  B  1 
Carlow  C  2 
Wicklow  A  4 
Waterford  C  1 
Tipperary  C  4 
Limerick  G  3 
Dublin  D  5 
Waterford  E 
Carlow  B 
Kerry  D 
Tipperary  C 
Antrim  E 
Kilkenny  C 

Galway  F  8 
Tipperary  B  4 
Kildare  E  1 
Antrim  E  2 
Kildare  C  4 
Kerry  B  2 
Carlow  C  1 
Kerry  D  1 
Waterford  C  4 
Cork  D 
Mayo  B 
King's  Co.  D 
Wicklow  D 
Louth  C 
Carlow  B 
Wicklow  B 
Sligo  E 


Knockninny  Bar.  &  Hall,  Fermanagh  E  8 


Knockor  Ho., 
Knockourha, 
Knockowen, 
Knockraha, 
Knockranny  Ho., 
Knockroe, 
Knockroe, 
Knockroe, 
Knocks, 
Knockshawn, 
Knockshigowna, 
ICnockteige, 
Knock thomas  Ho., 
Knocktopher,  Bar.,  &  Ho 
Knopoge  Cas., 
Knowth  Ho., 
Knuckbue  Sta., 
Kuliniskyduff  Ho., 
Kyle  Ho., 
Kyle  Ho., 
Kyleballintallon, 
Kylemore  L., 


Kildare  B  1 

Limerick  C  2 

Kerry  C  8 

Cork  G  3 

Roscommon  D  1 

Carlow  C  3 

Waterfoixi  C  3 

Wicklow  B  2 

Kildare  C  2 

Carlow  B  3 

Tipperary  C  1 

Tipperary  B  8 

Carlow  B  2 

Kilkenny  C  4 

Clare  H  3 

Meath  E  2 

Cork  D  3 

Wicklow  E  4 

Queen's  Co.  B  4 

Wexford  C  3 

Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Galway  B  2 


Labanstown, 
Labasheeda, 
Labe  L., 
La  Bergerie  Ho., 
Laburnum  Lo., 
Lachan  B., 
Lack, 
Lack, 
Lack  L., 
Lacka  Ho., 
Lackagh, 
Lackagh  L., 
Lackan, 
Lackan, 
Lackan, 
Lackan, 
Lackandarra, 
Lackenacoombe  Ho. 
Lacys  Canal, 
Ladestown  Ho., 
Lady's  L, 
Lady'sbridge, 
Ladycastle, 
Ladyschapel  Ho., 
Lady's  Island  I.aKe, 
Ladys  Well, 
Ladytown  Ho., 
Lag, 
Lagan, 
Lagan  R., 
Lagan  R., 

Lagan  Navigation  Canal, 
Lagha  L., 
Laghile, 

Laght  Daughybaun, 
Laghtseetin, 
Lagore  Ho., 
Lahy, 
Lake, 


Lonth  C  3 
Clare  E  4 
Sligo  F  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Wexford  E  2 
Mayo  D  1 
Fermanagh  E  1 
Roscommon  F  3 
Tyrone  C  3 
Queen  s  Co.  B  2 
Londonderry  C 
Leitrim  C 
Donegal  C 
Roscom.mon  D 
West  Meath  D 
Wicklow  C 
Waterford  C 
Tipperary  B  _ 
West  Meath  D  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
Wexford  D  4 
Cork  G  8 
Kildare  D  2 
Kildare  C  1 
Wexford  D  4 
Limerick  C  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Donegal  F 
Donegal  E 
Down  D  2  &  C 
Louth  A 
Antrim  D 
Donegal  C 
Tipperary  B 

Mayo  C  1 
Tipperary  B  3 
Mealh  F  3 
Donegal  C  4 
Tipfjerarj'  U  1 


LAKEFIELD 


INDEX. 


LOUGH. 


I^kefield, 
Lakefield, 
Lakefield, 
Lakefield  Ho., 
Lakelands, 
Lake  Mount, 
Lake  Strand, 
Lakeview, 
Lake  View, 
Lake  View, 
Lake  View, 
Lake  View, 
Lake  View, 
Lake  View, 
Lakeview  Ho., 
lakeview  Ho., 
Lakeview  Ho  , 
I^keville, 
La  Mancha, 
Lambay  L, 

Lambay  Harbour  and  Cas,, 

Lambeg, 

Lambert  Cas.  and  Lo., 
Lamberton  Ho., 
Lambcrton  Ho., 
Lambs  Head, 
Lancaster  Ho., 
Landenstown  Ho-| 
Landmore  Ho., 
Landscape  Ho., 
Landscape  Ho., 
Lane. borough, 
Lanespark, 
Laney  River, 
Langford  Lodge, 
Langfords  Lodge, 
Langley  Lo., 
Lanmore, 
Laragh, 

Laragh  and  Ho., 
Laragli  Ho., 
Laragh  Ho., 
Laragh  Ho., 
Laragh  L., 
Laragh  R., 
Larah  Ho., 
Larchfield, 
Larch  Hill, 
Larch  Hili, 
Larch  Hill, 
Larch  Hill, 
Larchhill  Ho., 
Largan, 
LargYi 
Largy  Ch., 
Largydonnell, 
Largj'nr.ore  Ho., 
Lark  Lo., 
Larkfield, 
Larkfield  Ho., 
I^kfield  Ho., 
Lark  Hill  Ho., 
Larne, 

Larne  Lough, 
Larne  Water, 
Lask  R., 

Latimerstown  Ho., 
I^atoon  Creek, 
Latteragh, 
Lattin, 

Lattone  H.  &  L., 
Lattone  R., 
Laughton  Ho., 
Laune  R., 
Lauragh, 
Lauragh, 
Laurel  Hall, 
Laurel  Hill, 
Laurel  L., 
Laurel  Lodge, 
Laurel  Lodge, 
Laurel  Mount  Ho., 
Laurel  Vale, 
Laurencetown, 
Lavey, 

Lavistown  Sta., 
Lawnsdown, 
Lawrencetown  and  Sta. 
Lea  L., 
Leabeg, 
Leabeg, 

Leabeg,  Middle, 
Lead  Mines, 
Lead  Mine, 
Leaffony  R., 
Leaghan, 
Leaghany  R., 
Lcamlara  Ho., 
Leane  K., 
Leannan  R., 
Leap, 
Leap,  The, 
Leap  Castle, 
Leap  of  Doonass, 
Learmount, 
Leary's  L., 

17 


Cavan  C  2 
Leitrim  E  4 
Tipperary  D  4 
Meath  B  2 
Monaghan  D  3 
Waterford  G  2 
Cavan  H  4 
Cavan  F  2 
Cavan  G  4 
Londonderry  F  4 
Mayo  D  3 


Roscommon  E 
Sligo  F 
Wicklow  D 
Meath  C 
Monaghan  A 
Mooaghan  C 
Cavan  D 
West  Meath  D 
Dublin  G 
Dublin  G  3 
Antrim  E  6 
Galway  E  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  3 
Wicklow  D  i 
Kerry  B  3 
Roscommon  D  6 
Kildare  C  2 
Londonderry  F  2 
Waterford  D  1 
Wexford  A  3 
Longford  B  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Cork  E  3 
Antrim  C  5 
Cork  D  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Mayo  C  2 
Roscommon  C  3 
Wicklow  D  2 
Kildare  C  1 
Monaghan  D  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Cavan  F  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Down  C  3 
Kildare  A  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Wexford  E  1 
Meath  D  4 
Sligo  D  3 
Donegal  B  4 
Cavan  B  1 
Leitrim  B  1 
Down  C  3 
Kildare  B  3 
Leitrim  B  2 
West  Meath  E 
Wexford  B 
Antrim  C 
Antrim  F 
Antrim  G 
Antrim  F 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  D 
Clare  G  3 
Tipperary  B  2 
Tipperary  A  4 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Leitrim  C  1 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Kerry  C  2 
Kerry  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Wicklow  B  4 
Armagh  C  2 
Monaghan  A  3 
Armagh  C  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Dublin  C  2 
Armagh  D  2 
Galway  G  3 
Cavan  F  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
,  Down  B  3 

Fermanagh  F  S 
King's  Co.  D  2 
wicklow  E  2 
Wicklow  E 
Down  E 
Monaghan  D 
Sligo  B 
Tyrone  F 
Tyrone  A 
Cork  G 
Kerry  D  2 
Donegal  D  2 
Cork  D  4 
Wexford  B  3 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Limerick  F  1 
Londonderry  C  3 
Wexford  E  2 


Leas  Ho., 
Leathenstown, 
Lecale,  Upper  Barony, 
Lecale,  Lower  Barony, 
Lecarrow, 
Lecarrow, 
Lecarrow, 
Leckpatrick, 
Leek  Pt., 
Lecky  Rks., 
Ledwithstown  Ho., 
Lee  R., 
Lee  R., 
Leeke  Water, 
Leekfield  Ho., 
Leenane, 
Legamaddy, 
Legan, 
Legan  Cas., 
Legavannon, 
Leggy  kelly, 
IjCgoniel, 
Legwee  Bri,, 
Lehenagh, 
Lehery  Bri., 
Lehinch, 
Leighlinbridge, 
Leinster  Ho., 
Leipsic, 
Leitrim, 

Leitrim  Barony, 
Leitrim  Bar,  and  Hamlet 
Leitrim, 
Leitrim  Ho., 
Leitrim  R., 

Leixlip,  Sta.,  and  Cas., 
Lemanaghan  Cas.  &  Ch., 
Lemineagh, 
Lemnalary, 
Lemongrove  Ho., 
Lenaboy, 
Lenadoon  Pt., 
Lenaghans, 
Lenagubbagh  Ho., 
L«nan  Hd., 
Lene  L., 
Leopardstown, 
Lerr  Riv., 
Lerrig, 
Leslie  Hill, 
Leslie  Hill  Ho., 
Letter  Ho., 
Lettera, 
Letterbeg  Ho., 
Letterbreen, 
Letterbrickaun, 
Lettercraffroe  L., 
Letterkenny, 
Lettermore  L, 
L^ttermuUan  I., 
Lettybrook  Ho., 
Levally  Ho., 
Lcvally  L., 
Levally  L., 
Leveret  L, 
Levington  Park, 
Levitstown  and  Ho., 
LewistOwn  Ho., 
Lewis  Ville, 
Leyny  Barony, 
Lickadoon  Cas., 
Lickeen  Ho., 
Lickeen  Lough, 
Licketstown, 
Licky  R., 
Liffey  Cott., 
Liffey  Head 


Dublin  D 
Antrim  E 
Down  E 
Down  F 
Leitrim  C 
Roscommon  K 
Sligo  G 
Tyrone  D 
Kerry  C 
Mayo  A 
Longford  B  8 
CorkD3  &  F  3 
Kerry  C  2 
I^Ondonderry  D  3 
SUgo  D  2 
Galway  B  2 
Down  E  4 
Longford  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Londonderry  E  3 
Cavan  E  2 
Antrim  E  5 
Cavan  E  3 
Cork  E  4 
Longford  B  3 
Clare  D  2 
Carlow  B  2 
Kildare  B  4 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Leitrim  C  i 
Leitrim  C  3 
Galway  F  3 
Longford  C  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Down  D  4 
Kildare  E  1 
,  King's  Co.  D  2 
Louth  C  1 
Antrim  E 
West  Meath  E 
Longford  C 
Sligo  B 
Longford  C 
King's  Co.  G 
Donegal  E 
West  Meath  E 
Dublin  E 
KUdare  B 
Kerry  C 
Armagh  B  S 
Antnm  B  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Galway  F  1 
Wexford  E  2 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Galway  B  2 
Galway  C  2 
Donegal  D  3 
Galway  B  3 
Galway  B  3 
King's  Co.  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  4 
Galway  E  2 
Mayo  D  2 
West  Meath  A  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Wicklow  E  4 
SUgo  D  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Kerry  C  2 
Clare  E  2 
Kilkenny  C  5 
Waterford  C  3 
Kifdare  C 
Wicklow  C 


Liffey  R.,  Dublin  and  Kildare  C  4  &  C 
Liffey  R.  (source), 
LifTord, 
Lighthouse  L, 
Lilliput  Ho., 
Limavady  Junct., 
Limerick, 
Limerick, 
Limerick  Junct., 
Linen  Hill  Ho., 
Linen  Vale, 
Linfield  Ho., 
Linford  Water, 
Lingann  R., 
Linkardstown  Ho., 
Linns, 
Linsfort, 
Lisachrin, 
Lisalea, 
Lisanelly, 
Lisanoure  Cas., 
Lisbellaw  and  Sta., 
Lisbofin  Ho., 
Lisbride, 
Lisbrine  Ho., 
Lisbryan  Ho., 
Lisburn, 
Liscan.'iiiaun, 
Liscannor  and  Bay, 


Wicklow  C 
Donegal  E 
Down  F 
West  Meath  D 
Londonderry  C  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Wexford  E  1 
Tipperary  B  3 
Armagh  B  3 
Arm'agh  C  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Antrim  F  8 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Xouth  B  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Londonderry  F  3 
Monaghan  B  8 
Tyrone  E  8 
Antrim  C  2 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Roscommon  E  4 
Galway  E  8 
Tipperary  B  1 
Antrim  E  5 
Galway  E  2 
Clare  D  2 


Liscamey  Ho., 

Liscarroll, 

Liscartan  Cas., 

Liscasey, 

Liscolman  Ho., 

Liscormick  Ho., 

Liscune, 

Lisdargan, 

Lisdoonvama, 

Lisdowney, 

Lisduane  Ho., 

Lisfelim, 

Lisfinny  Ho., 

Lisgar, 

Lisglassock  Ho., 
Lisgoole  Abbey, 
Lisheen, 
Lisheen, 
Lisheen, 
Lisheen  Br., 
Lisheen  Cas., 
Lisheen  Ho., 
Liskennett  Ho., 
Lisky, 
Lislap, 
Lislasly, 
Lislea, 

Lislea  Ho.  and  Cott., 
Lislea  Ho., 
Lislea  Ho., 
Lisleen, 
Lisleitrim  L., 
Lislevane, 

Lismacmurrogh  Ho., 
Lismacue  Ho., 
Lismaine  Ho., 
Lismoher  Ho. , 
Lismore  Cas., 
Lismore  Ho., 
Lismore  and  Sta., 
Lismoyne, 
Lismoyny, 
LismuUin  Ho., 
Lisnabin  Ho., 
Lisnabo  Ho., 
Lisnacree, 
Lisnacreevy  Ho., 
Lisnacuilia  Cas., 
Lisnadill, 
Lisnagade  Ho., 
Lisnagar, 
Lisnagowan  Ho., 
Lisnagunogue, 
Lisnamorrow, 
Lisnaroe, 
Lisnarrick, 
Lisnaskea  and  Sta., 
Lisnawully  Ho., 
Lisnevagh  Ho., 
Lispatrick, 
Lisquinlan  Ho., 
Lisrenny  Ho., 
Lisryan, 
LissadiU  Ho., 
Lissadorn  Ho., 
Lissadrone, 
Lissaha, 
Lissamota  Cas. , 
Lissan, 
Lissan  Ch., 
Lissan  Water, 
Lissanisky, 
Lissanover  Ho., 
Lissanure  Ho., 
Lilsaquill  Ho., 
Lissard  Ho., 
LissawarrifF, 
Lisselton, 
Lissenhall  Ho., 
Lissoy, 

Lissurland  Ho., 
Lissydaly  Br., 
Listerlin, 
Listoke  Ho., 
Listowel, 
Listrisnan  Ho., 
Listrolin, 
Listry, 

Little  Arrigle  R., 
Little  Bray, 
Little  Brosna  R., 
Littlefield  Ho., 
Little  Furze,  The, 
Little  L, 
Little  Island, 
Little  R., 
Littlerath, 
Little  Saltee  L, 
Little  Slaney  ELiv., 
Little  Sugar  Loaf, 
Littleton, 
Littletown  Ho., 
Lixnaw, 

Lloydsborough  Ho., 
Lobinstown, 
Lodge,  The, 


Monaghan  C 
Cork  E 
Meath  D 
Clare  E 
Wicklow  B 
Longford  C 
Galway  F 
Kerry  B 
Clare  E 
Kilkenny  B 
Limerick  E  3 
Roscommon  E  6 
Waterford  A  3 
Galway  G  '3 
Longford  C  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Clare  B 
Galway  F 
Kerry  E 
Cork  C 
Tipperary  C 
Tipperary  C 
Limerick  E 
Tyrone  D 
Tyrone  E 
Armagh  C 
Sligo  E 
Armagh  B 
Cavan  G 
Longford  C 
Down  E 
Armagh  C 
Cork  E 
Longford  C 
Tipperary  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Clare  E 
Cavan  E 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Waterford  B 
Antrim  F 
West  Meath  C 
Meath  E 
West  Meath  E 
Meath  D 
Down  C 
Down  B 
Limerick  D 
Armagh  C 
Down  B 
Cork  G 
Cavan  F 
Antrim  C 
Londonderry  F 
Monaghan  A 
Fermanagh  D 
Fermanagh  F 
Louth  B 
Carlow  C 
Cork  F 
Cork  H  3 
Louth  A  2 
Longford  E 
Sligo  E 
Roscommon  D 
Mayo  D 
Tipperary  D 
Limerick  D 
Tyrone  H 
Londonderry  E 
Tyrone  H 
Roscommon  E 
Cavan  D 
Tipperary  D 
West  Meath  B 
Longford  D 
Longford  D 

Kerry  D  1 
Tipperary  B  2 
West  Meath  A 
Limerick  C 
Roscommon  A 
Kilkenny  D 
Louth  B 
Kerry  D 
Mayo  D 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Kerry  D  2 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Dublin  F  6 
King's  Co.  B  3 
Tipperary  D  3 
Meath  E  8 
Cork  F  3 
Waterford  G 
Louth  C 
Kildare  D 
Wexford  C 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  E 
Tipperary  D  3 
West  Meath  A  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Tipperary  C  2 
Meath  E  2 
Dublin  D  4 


Lodge,  The, 
Lodge  Park, 
Lodgepark, 
Lodgepark  Ho., 
Loftus  Hall, 
Loghill, 

Lombardstown  Sta. 
Londonderry, 


Wexford  D 
Kildare  D 
Meath  C 
Kilkenny  B 
Wexford  A 
Limerick  B 
Cork  E 
Londonderry  A 


Londonderry,  N.  W.  Liberties  of, 

Londonderry  A 


Long  I., 
Long  L, 
Long  Is., 
Longfield, 
Longfield  Ho., 
Longfield  Ho., 
Longfield  Ho., 
Longford, 
Longford, 
Longford  Barony, 
Longford  Barony, 
Longford  Bri., 
Longford  Ho., 
Long  Hill, 
Longhill, 
Long  L., 
Long  L., 

Longorchard  Ho., 
Longpavement  Sta., 
Longtown  Ho., 
Longueville, 
Longwood, 
Lonsdale, 
Loo  R., 
Loobagh  R., 
Loop  Hd., 
Loran  Park, 
Lordship  of  Newry, 
LoiTha, 
Loskeran  Ho., 
Lossett, 
Lough  Allen, 
Loughan, 
Loughan  B., 
Loughananna, 
Loughanillaun, 
Loughan  illaunmore, 
Loughanleagh  L., 
Loughanmore, 
Loughanvally, 
Loughaunnavaag, 
Lbughaveena, 
Loughawee, 
Loughbane, 
Loughbawn  Ho., 
Lough  Beg, 
Lough  Boderg, 
Loughbrack  Ch., 
Loughbray  Colt., 


Cork  C 
Longford  B 
West  Meath  A 
Armagh  D 
Roscommon  E 

Tipperary  C  3 

West  Meath  B  2 

King's  Co.  D  3 

Longford  C  2 

Galway  G  3 

Longford  C  2 

Longford  C  3 

Sligo  D  2 

West  Meath  D  3 

Wicklow  D  2 

Down  D  3 

Monaghan  B  3 

Tipperary  D  ? 


Limerick  F 
Kildare  C 
Cork  E 
Meath  C 
Wexford  C 
Kerry  D 
Limerick  F  3 
Clare  A  4 
Tipperary  C  2 
Down  B  4 
Tipperary  B  1 
Waterford  D  3 
Cavan  E  3 
Leitrim  C  3 
Londonderry  F  2 
Antrim  E  1 
Limerick  H  4 
Galway  C  2 
Galway  C 
Cavan  H 
Roscommon  E 
West  Meath  C 
Galway  F 
Antrim  E 
Galway  A 
Kildare  C 
Monaghan  C 
Antrim  B 
Leitrim  D 
Kilkenny  C  3 
Wicklow  D  1 


Loughs  Bray,  Upper  and  Lower, 

Wicklow  D 


Loughbrickland, 
Loughburke  Ho., 
Lough  Carra, 
Lough  Conn, 
Lough  Cornacarta, 
Lough  Corrib, 
Loughcrew  Ho., 
Loughcurra, 
Lough  Dan, 
Lough  Derg, 
Lough  Derravaragh, 
IjOughderry, 
Lougheask, 
Lough  Emy  Ho., 
Lough  Ennel, 
Lougher, 

Loughermore  Ho., 
Loughermore  and  R., 
Lough  Erne, 
Lough  Erne,  Upper, 
Lough  Fea, 
Lough  Fea  Ho., 
Lough  Foyle, 
Loughgall, 
Lough  Gara, 
Lough  Gill, 
Loughgilly  Rectory, 
Loughglinn, 
Loughglinn  Ho., 
Lough  Gowna, 
Loughguile,' 
Loughg:ur, 
LoughiU  Ho., 
Ix>ughinisland  L,, 
Loughinn  R. 


Down  B 
Clare  F 
Mayo  D 
Mayo  D 
Roscommon  D 
Galway  D 
Meath  B 
Galway  E  3 
Wicklow  D  2 
Tipperary  A  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Donegal  C  3 
Monaghan  C  1 
West  Meath  D  3 
Meath  F  2 
Antrim  E  4 
Londonderry  C  8 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Tyrone  G  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Londonderry  C  2 

Armagn  C 
Roscommon  C 
Sligo  F 
Armagh  D 
Roscommon  B 
Roscommon  B 
Cavan  D  3 
Antrim  D  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Kilkenny  C  1 
Down  E  3 
Donegal  F 


Loughinsholin  Baronj,  Londonderry  E 
Lough  Hoe  R.,  Sligo  C 

Lough  Key,  Roscommon  D 

Loughkip  R.,  Galway  D 

Loughlinstown,  Dublin  F 

Loughlohery  Cas.,  Tipperary  C 

Lough  Macnean,  Upper  and  Lower, 

Fermanagh  C 
Loughmacrory,  Tyrone  F 

Lough  Mask,  Mayo  C 


LOUGH. 


INDEX. 


MILTOWN. 


Lough  Mask  Ho.. 
Lough  Melvin, 
Loughmoe, 
L^ughmoffue  Cott., 
Lough  Money, 
Lough  More, 
Lough  na  Kill, 
Lough  Neagh, 


Mayo  D  8 
Leitrim  C  1 
Tipperary  C  2 
Wicklow  A  2 
Down  F  3 
Monaqhan  B  1 
Mayo  D  3 
Antrim  C  6 


Lough  Nilly.or  Lough  Macnean,  Lr., 

'  Fermanagh  C  3 

Lough  O'Connell  Ho.,  Clare  H  3 

Lough  O'Flyn,  Roscommon  B  3 

Loughoony  Ho.,  Monaghan  B  2 

Lough  Oughter,  Cavan  E  2 

Lough  Owel,  West  Meath  D  2 

Lough  Park,  West  Meath  E  2 

Lough  Point,  Sligo  F  3 

Lough  Ramor,  Cavan  G  4 

Loughrea  and  Barony,  Galway  F  3 

Lough  Ree,  Roscommon  F  i 

Lough  Ree  Ho.,  West  Meath  A  3 

Loughros  Beg  Bay,  Donegal  B  3 

Loughros  More  Bay,  Donegal  B  8 

Lough  Scur,  Leitrim  D  3 

Lough  Sheelin,  Cavan  F  4 

Loughshinny,  Dublin  G  2 

Loughstown  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  2 

Lough  Swilly,  Donegal  E  2 

Lough  Tay,  Wicklow  D  2 

Loughtee,  Upper  Barony,  Cavan  E  3 
Loughtee,  Lower  Barony,  Cavan  E  2 
Loughtown,  Leitrim  D  4 

Loughtown,  Wexford  A  4 

Louisburgh,  Mayo  B  2 

Loup,  The,  Londonderry  F  4 

Louth,  Tn.,  Abbey,  and  Hall,  Louth  A  2 
Louth  Barony,  Louth  B  2 

Lowberry,  Roscommon  B  3 

Lower  Antrim  Barony,  Antrim  E  3 

Lower  Ards  Barony,  Down  F  2 

Lower  Belfast  Barony,  Antrim  F  4 

Lower  Castlereagh  Barony,  Down  E  2 
Lower  Castlereagh  Barony,  Down  E  2 
Lower  Cumber  Ch.,  Londonderry  B  3 
Lower  Deece  Barony,  Meath  D  3 

Lower  Duleek  Barony,  Meath  F  2 

Lower  Dundalk  Barony,  Louth  C  1 
Lower  Dungannon  Barony,  TjTone  G  4 
Lower  Dunluce  Barony,  Antrim  B  2 
Lowerend,  Wicklow  B  4 

Lower  Glenarm  Barony,  Antrim  E  2 
Lower  Iveagh  Barony,  Down  C  3 

Lower  Kells  Barony,  Meath  C  2 

Lower  Kiltinny,  Londonderry  E  2 

Lower  Lecale  Barony,  Down  F  4 

Lower  L.,  Longford  D  1 

Lower  Loughtee  Barony,  Cavan  E  2 
Lower  Massereene  Bar.,  Antrim  D  5 
Lower  Moyfenrath  Bar.,  Meath  C  4 
Lower  Navan  Barony,  Meath  D  3 

Lower  Orior  Barony,  Armagh  D  3 

Lower  Ormond  Bar.,  Tipperary  B  1 
Lower  Philipstown  Bar.,  King's  Co.  F  2 
Lower  Slane  Barony,  Meath  E  2 

Lower  St  MuUins  Barony,  Carlow  B  3 
Lower  Strabane  Barony,  Tyrone  D  2 
Lower  Talbotstown  Bar.,  Wicklow  B  2 
Lowertown,  West  Meath  D  3 

Lowerymore  R.,  Donegal  D  3 

Lowrys  L,  Armagh  C  2 

Lowther  Lo.,  Dublin  E  1 

Lowtherstown  or  Irvinestown, 

Fermanagh  E  2 
Lower  Toome  Barony,  Antrim  C  3 

Lowtown,  Down  C  4 

Lowtown,  West  Meath  E  3 

Lucan  and  Sta.,  Dublin  B  4 

Lucas  Bri.,  Carlow  D  1 

Lugatryna,  Wicklow  A  2 

Lugboy  Lo.,  Mayo  E  2 

Lugduff  Brook,  Wicklow  C  3 

Luggacurren,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Luggala  Lo.,  Wicklow  D  2 

Luggatarriff,  Galway  B  2 

Luggaun,  Longford  B  3 

Luglass,  Upper  &  Lower,  Wicklow  }J  2 
Lugmore,  Lelir~  B  2 

Lugnafelia  Br.,  S!igo  E  2 

Lugnaquillia  Mt.,  Wicklow  C  3 

Lugnashlnna,  Cavan  B  1 

Lugnask«agh,  Wicklow  C  2 

Lukes  Mt.,  Down  D  4 

Lukeswell,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Lullymore  Lo.,  Kildare  B  2 

Lumcloon,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Lumcloon  J3r.-,-  King's  Co.  D  2 

Lumcloon  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Lumman  L.,  Sligo  F  2 

Lumville  Ho.,  King's  Co.  H  2 

Lune  Barony,  Meath  C  3 

Lung  R.,  Roscommon  B  2 

Lurg  Barony,  Fermanagh  D  1 

Lurga  Pt.,  Clare  C  3 

Lurgan,  Armagh  E  2 

Lurgan  Lo.,  Cavan  G  3 

Lurzan  L.,  Kildare  B  2 

IS 


Lurgan  White  Ho., 
Lurgana  Ho., 
Lurganboy, 
Lurgangreen, 
Lurgantogher  Ho., 
Lurgoe  Ho., 
Lusgarboy, 
Lusk  and  Sta,, 
Lustia  L., 
Lustybeg, 
Lustymore  Is., 
Lybagh, 
Lj-nches  Cross, 
Lynchfort  Ho., 
Lynn  Ho., 
Lj-nnbury, 
Lyons  Ho., 
Lyreen  Riv., 


Louth 
Armagh 
Leitrim 
Louth 
Londonderry 
Tipperary 
Donegal 
Dublin 
Leitrim 
Fermanagh 
Fermanagh 
Wicklow 
Louth 
Galway 
West  Me.-ilh 
West  Meath 
Kildare 
Kildare 


B  2 

D  3 

B  2 

B  2 

E  3 

D  3 

E  2 

F  2 

C  3 

D  1 

C  2 

C  3 

B  3 

F  3 

E  2 

D  3 

D  2 

D  1 


M 


Maas,  Upper,  Donegal  B  8 

McBrides  Cross  Rds.,  Down  C  4 

McCone's  Bri.,  Armagh  C  3 

McCourts  L.,  Armagh  D  3 

McDowell's  Bri.,  Armagh  D  2 

McDruld  Ho.,  Roscommon  C  3 

Mace  Hd.,  Galway  B  3 

Macfinn,  Antrim  B  2 

Macgilllcuddy's  Reeks,  Kerry  C  2 

Machugh  L.,  Leitrim  D  4 

MacMurrough  Ho.,  Wexford  A  3 

Mackan,  Cavan  D  2 

Mackans,  West  Meath  C  3 

McKees  Br.,  Down  C  3 

McKinncys  Bank,  Donegal  F  2 
Mackmlne  Sta.  and  Cas.,     Wexford  C  3 

McLoulse,  Monaghan  B  2 
Macnean  Loughs,  Upper  and  Lower, 

Fermanagh  C  3 

Macosquin  and  R.,  Londonderry  E  2 

Macreddin,  Wicklow  D  3 

Macroom,  Cork  E  3 

McSwynes  Bay,  Donegal  B  4 

McTalbot  Lo.,  Roscommon  C  4 

Maddan  Ch.,  Armagh  B  3 

Madden  ErI.,  Armagh  D  2 

Maddenstown  Ho.,  Kilda're  B  3 

Maddysrulla,  Roscommon  E  4 

Madore  Sta.,  Cork  D  4 

Madstown  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Maganey  Sta.,  Kildare  B  4 

Magee  Island,  Antrim  H  4 

Magh  Ho.,  Kerry  D  2 

Maghaberry,  Antrim  E  5 

Maghan  Ho.,  Armagh  D  2 

Magharees,  The,  Is.,  Kerry  B  1 

Maghera,  Donegal  B  3 

Maghera,  Down  D  4 

Maghera,  Londonderry  F  3 

Maghera  L.,  Tyrone  C  2 

Magherabane,  Antrim  F  4 

Magheraboy,  Sligo  E  2 

Magheraboy  Barony,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Magheracreggan,  Tyrone  C  2 
Magheradernon  &  Moyashel  Barony, 

West  Meath  E  2 

M.ngheradunbar  Ho.,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Magherafelt,  Londonderry  F  4 

Magheragall  Sta.,  Antrim  E  5 

Magherahamlet,  Down  D  3 

-Magheralin,  Down  B  3 

Magherally,  Down  B  3 

Magheramenagh  Cas.,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Magheramore,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Magheramorne  Ho.,  Antrim  G  4 

Magherastephana  Bar.,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Magherban  Ch.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Maghereagh  Cross,  Louth  A  1 

Maghery,  Armagh  C  1 

Maghery  and  Bay,  Donegal  B  3 

Magiihgan  Pt.,  Londonderry  D  1 

Magilligan  Sla.  &  Ch.,  Londonderry  D  2 

Magmstown  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  4 

M.agTath  More  L.,  Donegal  C  3 

Maguin's  I.,  Sligo  E  2 
Maguires  BrI.  and  Sta.,    Fermanagh  F  3 

Magunihy  Brrony,  Kerry  D  2 

Mahanagh  L.,  Leitrim  C  2 

Mahee  Is.,  Down  F  3 

Mahon  Lake,  Cork  F  3 

Mahon  R.  and  Br.,  Waterford  D  2 

Mahonburgh  Lo.,  Clare  F  3 

Mahoonagh,  Limerick  D  3 

Mahore  R.,  Limerick  G  3 

Maidenhall,  Limerick  F  3 

Maidenhead  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.,  E  3 

Maidens,  The,  Antrim  G  3 

Maidens  Cross,  Louth  B  3 

Maidstown  Cas.,  Limerick  F  3 

Maigue  R.,  Limerick  E  2 

Main  R.,  Antrim  D  4 

Maine  Ho.,             I,  Louth  B  2 

Maine  R.,  Kerry  C  2 

Mainham,  Kildare  C  2 


Makeegan  L.,  West  Meath  B  3 

Makeeran  L.,  Galway  E  2 

Mai  Bay,  Clare  C  2 

Mall  Ho.,  The,  Wicklow  B  4 

Malahlde  and  Cas.,  Dublin  E  3 

Malcolm  Vllle,  Cariow  B  2 

Malheney  Ho.,  Dublin  E  2 

Malln,  Donegal  F  2 

Malin  Bay,  Donegal  A  3 

Malln  Head,  Donegal  E  1 

Malin  More,  Donegal  A  3 

Mallow,  Cork  E  2 

Malone  Sta.,  Antrim  F  5 

Maltown  Castle,  Cork  E  2 

Man  of  War,  Dublin  E  2 

ManaqulU  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Manch  Sta.,  Cork  D  3 

Mangerton,  Kerry  D  3 

Mann  L.,  Down  E  3 

Mannin  Bay,  Galway  A  2 

Mannin  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Mannin  Ho.  and  L.,  Mayo  E  2 

Manninard,  Galway  E  3 

Manning  Castle,  Cork  G  2 

Manor  Cott.,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Manor  Ho.,  Armagh  C  2 

Manor  Ho.,  Cork  D  3 

Manor  Ho.,  Londonderry  F  3 

Manorcunningham,  Donegal  E  3 

Manor  Hamilton,  Leitrim  C  2 

Mansfieldiown,  Louth  B  2 

Mansion  Ho.,  Waterford  F  2 

Mantua  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  2 

Manulla  and  R.,  Mayo  D  2 

Many  Burns  R.,  Fermanagh  F  2 

Mapastown  Bri.,  Louth  A  2 

Maperath  Ho.,  Meath  C  2 

Maria  Villa,  Kildare  D  1 

Marino,  Down  D  2 

Marino  Ho.,  Dublin  E  4 

Markethill  and  Sta.,  Armagh  C  3 

Markree  Cas.,  Sligo  F  2 

Mariacoo  Ho.,  Armagh  D  2 

Mariay,  Louth  B  3 

Mariey  Ho.,  _  Dublin  D  5 

Marlfield,  Tipperary  C  4 

Marlfields  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  2 

Marlow  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Mariton  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Marshtown,  Cork  G  2 

Martin  R.,  Cork  F  3 

Martins  Cross,  Louth  B  2 

Martlnstown,  Kildare  B  3 

Martinstown,  Roscommon  D  4 

Martlnstown  Ho.,  Kildare  C  3 

Marlray  Ho.,  Tyrone  F  4 

Maryborough,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 
Maryborough,  E.  Bar.,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Maryborough,  W.  Bar.,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Mary,  Cas.,  Cork  G  3 

Maryfield,  Kildare  D  2 

Mary  Fort,  Clare  H  2 

Mary  Gray  (hill),  Tyrone  E  2 

Maryvale,  Down  B  4 

Marj'ville,  Limerick  E  2 

Maryville,  Meath  E  3 

Mary  Ville,  Tipperary  A  2 

Mary  Ville,  Wexford  A  3 

Mason  I.,  Galway  B  3 

Massereene,  Upper  Bar.,  Antrim  D  5 

Massereene,  Lower  Bar.,  Antrim  D  6 

Massford,  _  Down  C  3 

Massy  Lo.,  Limerick  H  3 

Massytown,  Cork  E  3 

Mastergeehy,  Kerry  B  3 

Mattle  Is.,  Clare  C  3 

Mattock  R.,  Louth  B  3 

Mauherslleve  Mt.,  Tipperary  B  3 

Maum,  Galway  C  2 

Maumtrasna,  Mayo  C  3 

Maurice's  Mills,  Clare  F  2 

Maxwells  Cross  Rds.,  Meath  C  2 

May  Mt,,  Armagh  D  3 

May  Park,  Waterford  G  2 

Mayally  Ho.,  King's  Co.  E  1 

Maycullen,  Galway  D  2 

Maydown  Ho.,  Armagh  B  2 

Mayfield,  Cork  E  3 

M.ayficld,  Waterford  C  4 

Mayfield  Ho.,,  Kildare  A  3 

M.-iyglass,  Wexford  C  4 

Mayne,  Louth  C  3 

Mayne,  West  Meath  D  1 

Mayne  Ho.,  Limerick  D  3 

Mayne  R.,  Dublin  E  3 

Maynooih  and  Sta.,  Kildare  D  1 
Maynooth  R.  C.  College,       Kildare  D  1 

Mayo,  Leitrim  D  3 

Mayo,  Mayo  D  2 

Mayobrldge,  Down  B  4 
Maynghill,                   Londonderry  F  3 

Mazctown,  Antrim  E  6 

Meadcsbrook,  Meath  F  3 

Mcalagh  R.,  Cork  D  3 

Meela  L.,  Donegal  B  3 

Meelngh  L.,  Roscommon  E  1 


Meeldrum  Ho., 
Meelick, 
Meelick, 
Meelin, 

Meeltanagh  Ho., 

Meenard, 

Meenawaddy, 

Meeny  Hill, 

Meerscourt, 

Meeting  of  the  Waters, 

Meigh, 

Meldrum  Ho., 
Mell, 

Mellifont  Abbey, 
Mellon  Ho., 
Mellon  Pt., 
Melmore  Hd., 
Melvin  L., 
Mendon  Ho., 
Menlough, 
Menlough, 
Mentrim  L., 
Merginstown  Ho., 
Merrion, 
Merton, 
Merton  Hall, 
Merville  Ho.  and  Sta., 
Metcalf  Pk., 
Mettlcan  R., 
Mew  Is., 

Micknanstown  Ho., 


West  Meath  C  3 
Clare  H  3 
Galway  G  3 
Cork  E  2 
Longford  C  3 
Londonderry  D  3 
Tyrone  D  2 
Londonderry  C  3 
West  Meath  C  2 
Wicklow  D  3 
Armagh  D  4 
Tipperary  C  3 
Louth  B  3 
Louih  B  3 
Limerick  D  2 
Limerick  D  1 
Donegal  D  2 
Leitrim  C  1 
Dublin  E  3 
Galway  D  3 
Galway  F  2 
Meath  E  2 
Wicklow  B  2 
Dublin  E  5 
Wexford  C  3 
Tipperary  B  2 
Dublin  E  5 
Kildare  B  1 
Londonderry  E  2 
Down  G  1 
Meath  F  3 


Middle  Dungannon  Bar.,  Tyrone  H  3 
Middlemount  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Middletliird  Barony,  Tipperary  C  4 

Middle  Third  Barony,  Waterford  F  2 
Middleton,  Armagh  A  3 

Middleton  and  Sta.,  Cork  G  3 

Middleton  Ho.,  Longford  B  2 

Middleton  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  3 

Middletown,  Wicklow  C  2 

Mldfield,  Mayo  E  2 

Midlawornia,  Longford  C  3 

Mllecross,  ~        ~  " 

Milemlll, 
Mllestown  Ho., 
Milestown  Ho., 
Milford, 
Milford, 
Milford  Ho., 
Milford  Ho., 
Milford  Ho., 
Military  Rd., 
Milk  Haven, 
Milk  Haven, 
Milkpark, 
Mill  L., 

Millbank  Lodge, 
Mill  Bay  Sta., 
Millbrook, 
Mill  Brook, 
Millbrook  Ho., 
Millfall  Ho., 
Millford, 
Mill  ford  Ho., 
Millford  Ho., 
Millford  Sta., 
Millgrove  Ho.. 
Mllllcent  Ho  and  Br., 
Millin  Bay, 
Mill  Isle, 
Mlllmount, 
Millstone  Mt., 
Millstreet, 


Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Mill  Town 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown  and  R., 
Milltown, 
Milltown, 
Milltown  Br., 
Milltown  Clady, 
Milltown  George, 
Milltown  Ho., 
Milltown  Ho., 
Milltown  Ho., 
Milltown  Place, 


Down  E 
Kildare  C 
Louth  B 
Meath  D 
Cork  E 
Limerick  F 
Mayo  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  F  3 
Tipperary  B  1 
Wicklow  C  2  &  C  3 
Sligo  E  1 
Sligo  F  1 
Cariow  C  2 
Fermanagh  E  3  &  G  3 
Limerick  G  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Meath  A  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Donegal  D  2 
Armagh  B  3 
Carlow  B 
Carlow  B 
Tipperary  B 
Kildare  C 
Down  G 
Down  F 
Galway  F 
Down  D 
Cork  D  2  &  G 
Antrim  C  4  &  E  - 
Armagh  B  3,  C  1,  &  D  4 
Carlow  D  1 
Cavan  E  2  &  H  3 
Donegal  B  4  &  D  3 
Down  B  4,  B  5,  D  2,  &  D  3 
Dublin  B  5  &  E  5 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Galway  E  2"&  F  2 
Kerry  B  2  &  C  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Leitrim  B  2 
Longford  C  2  &  D  2 
Louth  C  3 
Monaghan  C  2  &  D  3 
Sligo  F  1 
Tyrone  D  2  &  F  3 
West  Meath  E  3 
Wexford  D  2 
Wicklow  B  3 
Kildare  B  2 
Armagh  C  3 
Limerick  F  3 
Kildare  A  3 
Meath  B  2 
Roscommon  D  3 
Cork  E  4 


Milltown,  Round  Tr.,  and  Abbey, 

Cavan  E  2 

Milltown  Str.,  Wexford  B  2 

Mill  Vale,  Armagh  D  3 

Mill  View  ^o.,  Armagh  B  3 

Miltown  Bri.,  Carlow  C  2 


MILTOWN. 


IN  DEX. 


MULLYCAOH. 


Miltown  Malbay, 
Milverton  Ho., 
M  inane, 

Minard  and  Hd., 
Mine  Hd., 
Mine  Riv., 
Mine  View, 
Miners  Tn., 

Mines  of  Ballymurtagh, 
Minnakesh, 
Minore  Ho., 
Mintiaghs  Lough, 
Mitchellsfort, 
Mitchelstown, 
Mitchelstown  Ho., 
Mizen  Head, 
Mizen  Head, 
Moanaha  Gleo, 
Moanmore  L., 
Moat,  The, 
Moatabower, 
Moate, 

Moate  and  Sta., 
Moatfield  Ho., 
Moat  Park, 
Mobaman  Ho., 
Mocollop  Cas., 
ModeIHgo, 
Modreeny, 
Moffats  Ford, 
Mogeely  and  Sta. , 
Moher, 

Moher,  Cliffs  of, 
Moher  L., 
Moher  Lo., 
Mohemashammer, 
Mohil  Tn.  and  Barony, 
Mohober  Ho., 
Moira  and  Sta., 
Molrenny, 
Molyneauxtown, 
Mon  L., 
Mona  Lo., 

Monaghan  Tn.,  Sta.,  and  Bar., 

Monaghan  C 

Monagbanstown  R,, 
Monahincha  Bog, 


Clare  D 
Dublin  F 
Cork  F 
Kerry  B 
Waterford  D 
Wicklow  B 
Wicklow  D  3 
Down  E  4 
Wicklow  D  3 
Armagh  C  2 
Monaghan  B  3 
Donegal  E  2 
Cork  F  3 
Cork  G  2 
Meath  C  8 
Cork  B  i 
Wicklow  E 
Tipperary  B 
Clare  D 
Longford  D 
Carlow  C 
Down  E 
West  Meath  B  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Wexford  C  3 
Tipperary  D  3 
Waterford  A  3 
Waterford  C  3 
Tipperary  B  2 
Carlow  D  1 
Cork  G  3 
Galway  C  3 
Clare  D  2 
Mayo  C 
Cavan  C 
RoKommon  F 
Leitrim  D 
Tipperary  E 
Down  B 
Mayo  B 
Antrim  D 
Down  D 
Limerick  F 


Monahincha  Ho., 
Monalour, 
Monalty  L., 
Monamolin, 
Monanveel, 
Monart, 

Monascallaghan  Ho., 
Monaseed  Ho., 
Monaster, 

Monasteranenagh  Abb€y, 


West  Meath  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Tipperary  D 
Waterford  B 
Monaghan  D 
Wexford  D 
Cork  E 
Wexford  C 
Longford  B  3 
Wexford  D  1 
Limerick  F  2 
Limerick  F  2 


Monasterboice  Ch.  and  Ho.,    Louth  B  3 


Monasterevin  and  Sta., 
Monasteroris  and  Ho., 
Monatray  Ho., 
Monavamoge, 
Monawilkin, 
Mondellihy  Ho., 
Mondrehid  Ho., 
Monea, 
Moneenally, 
Moneenlom, 
Monefelim  R., 
Monettia  Bog, 
Money  Ho., 
Money  L., 
Moneycarrie  Ho., 
Moneycashen, 
Moneydig, 
Moneygall, 
Moneyglass  Ho., 
Moneyhore  Bri., 
Moneylawn  Cott., 
Moneymore, 
Moneymore  and  Sta., 
Moneyneany, 
Moneyreagh, 
Moneyteige, 
Mongagh  R., 
Monivea  Cas., 
Monksfield, 
Monkstown, 
Monkstown  and  Cas., 
Monroe, 
Monroe, 
Montalto  Ho., 
Monte!  th, 
Montgomerys  L., 
Montiaghs  Ch., 
Montpelier, 
Montrath  Cas., 
Mooncoin, 
Moone, 

Moone  and  Kilkea  Barony, 
Mooneabbey  Ha, 
Mooneys  Bri., 
Moonlaur, 
Moonveen, 
Moor  L., 
Moore, 

19 


Kildare  A  3 
King's  Co.  H  1 
Waterford  C  4 
Cork  H  2 
Fermanjigh  C  2 
Limerick  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Galway  F  1 
Leitrim  C  2 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Queen's  Co.  C  1 
Wicklow  B  4 
Down  F  3 
Londonderry  E  2 
Kerry  C  1 
Londonderry  F  3 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Antrim  C  4 
Wexford  B  3 
Wexford  D  2 
Galway  E  8 
Londonderry  F  4 
Londonderry  D  4 
Down  D  2 
Galway  E  3 
King's  Co.  G  1 
Galway  E  2 
Galway  E  3 
Antrim  F  4 
Cork  F 
Tipperary  A 
Kilkenny  C 
Down  D 
Down  B 
Down  D 
Armagh  D 
Limerick  G 
West  Meath  D  3 
Kilkenny  C  5 
Kildare  C  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Kildare  C  2 
Kerry  C  2 
Kilkenny  C  6 
Tyrone  E  2 
Roscommon  E  6 


Moore  Bay, 
Moore  Lo., 
Mooreabbey  Ho., 
Moorechurch  Ho., 
Moorefield, 
Moore  Hall, 
Moorehill  Ho., 
Mooi^ehill  Ho., 
Mooremount  Ho., 
Mooresfort  Ho., 
Moore's  Quay, 
Moores  "Town, 
Mooretown, 
Mooretown  Ho., 
Mooretown  Ho., 
Moorfield  Ho., 
Moorfield  Ho., 
Moorfields, 
MoorhUl  Ho., 
Mooroclc  Ho., 
More  L., 
More  L., 
Moree  Ho., 
Moreen  Lo., 
Moreena  Pt., 
Morerah, 
Morett  Cas., 
Morgallion  Barony, 
Morgans  Ho., 
Morganstown  Ho., 
Morne  L., 
Momingstar  R., 
Momington  Ho., 
Moroe, 
Morpeth  Bri., 
Morristown  Ho., 
Morrows  Pt., 
Mortlestown  Cas., 
Mosney  Ho., 
Mossfield  Ho., 
Moss-side, 
Mosstown  Ho., 
Mosstown  Ho., 
Mossvale, 
Mote  Park, 
Mothel, 
Mothell  Ch., 
Moughan, 
Mount  Aaron, 
Mountain  Cas., 
Mountain  L., 
Mountain  Lo., 
Mountain  Lo., 
Mountain  R., 
Mountain  Village, 
Mountain  Water, 
Mountainstown  Ho., 
Mountainy, 
Mount  Alto, 
Mount  Anna, 
Mount  Argus, 
Mount  Armstrong, 
Mount  Avon, 
Mount  Bailey, 
Mount  Bellew, 
Mountbolus, 
Mount  Bottom, 
Mount  Briscoe, 
Mount  Browne, 
Mount  Brown  Ho., 
Mount  Bruis, 
Mount  Butler, 
Mount  Campbell  Ho., 
MountX^miel, 
Mount  Cashel  Lo., 
Mountcharles, 
Mount  Congreve, 
Mount  Coote, 
Mount  Dalton  Ho.  & 
Mount  David  and  Ho. 
Mount  Davis  Ho., 
Mount  Davys  Ho., 
Mount  Delvin, 
Mount  Dillon  Ho., 
Mount  Druid, 
Mounteagle, 
Mount  Edward  Cott., 
Moimt  Egan  and  Cott 
Mount  Equity, 
Mount  Erris, 
Mount  Falcon, 
Mouat  Falcon  Lo., 
Mountfield, 
Mountfin  Ho., 
Mountforest  Ho., 
Mount  Gabriel, 
Mountgale  Ho., 
Mount  George, 
Mount  Hamilton, 
Mount  Hanover, 
Mount  Hazel, 
Mount  Heaton, 
Mount  Henry, 
Mounthill  Ho., 
Mount  Howard, 
Mounthussey, 


Clare  B  3 
Antrim  B  3 
Kildare  A  3 
Meath  G  3 
Down  B 
Mayo  D  2 
Kildare  C  3 
Waterford  B  3 
Louth  B  2 
Tipperary  A  4 
Antrim  D  5 
Longford  D  2 
West  Meath  F  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Meath  E  2 
Kildare  C  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Antrim  E  4 
Longford  D  2 
King's  Co.  D  1 
Monaghan  B  1 
Tyrone  F  4 
Tyrone  H  3 
Dublin  E  5 
Limerick  C  2 
Leitrim  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Meath  D  2 
Limerick  C  2 
Louth  B  3 
Monaghan  C  3 
Limerick  F  3 
Meath  G  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Tipperary  B  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Armagh  D  1 
Tipperary  D  3 
Meath  G  3 
King's  Co.  C  3 
Antrim  C  2 
Longford  B  3 
West  Meath  C  3 
Longford  D  2 
Roscommon  E  4 
Waterford  E  2 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Armagh  C  3 
Cariow  C  2 
Waterford  C  3 
Limerick  H  4 
Armagh  B  3  &  D  '3 
Tipperary  B  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Galway  F  3 
Monaghan  B  1 
Meath  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
Waterford  G  2 
Wexford  C  3 
Donegal  F  2 
Kildare  C  2 
Wicklow  D  3 
Louth  B  1 
Galway  F  2 
King's  Co.  D  2 
Waterford  F  2 
King's  Co.  G  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Mayo  C  2 
Tipperary  B  4 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Leitrim  C  4 
Monaghan  C  3 
Kildare  D  3 
Donegal  C  4 
Waterford  F 
Limerick  F 
L.,  W.  Meath  C 
,,       Limerick  C 
Longford  B 
Antrim  C 
Roscommon  A 
Roscommon  F 
Waterford  G 
Queen's  Co.  .D  3 
Sligo  E  1 
Kildare  C  2 
Roscommon  E  6 
Roscommon  D  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Mayo  D  1 
Tyrone  E  3 
Wexford  C  2 
Wexford  D  2 
Cork  C  4 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Wexford  D  2 
Tyrone  F  2 
Meath  F  3 
Galway  F  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Louth  A  1 
Wexford  D  2 
Roscommon  F  6 


Mount  Ida,  Down  C  3 

Mount  Ida,  Leitrim  E  4 

Mount  Irvine,  Sligo  E 

Mount  Jessop,  Longford  C 

Mountjoy  Bar.,  Dublin  C 

Mountjoy  Bri.  Sla.,  Tyrone  D  3 

Mount  Juliet,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Mount  Kearney,  Down  B 

Mount  Keeffe,  Cork  E 

Mount  Kennedy,  Tipperary  B 

Mount  Kennedy,  Waterford  D 

Mount  Kennedy  Ho»,  Wicklow  E 

Mount  Leader,  Cork  D 
Mount  Leinsterand  Lo.,       Carlow  C 

Mount  Leinster  Lo.,  Carlow  C 

Mount  Loftus,  Kilkenny  E 

Mount  Louise,  Monaghan  B 

Mount  Lucas,  Carlow  D 

Mount  Lucas  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  2 
Mount  Melleray  Monastery, 

Waterford  B  2 


Mountmellick, 
Mount  Murray, 
Mount  Nebo, 
Mount  Neill, 
Mount  Nugent, 
Mount  Odell, 
Mount  Oriel, 
Mountpallas, 
Mount  Panther, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mount  Pleasant, 
Mountpleasant  Ho., 
Mount  Pleasant  Ho., 
Mount  Pleasant  Ho., 
Mount  Plummer, 
Mount  Plunkett  Ho., 
Mount  Prospect, 
Mbunt  Prospect, 
Mount  Prospect, 
Mount  Prospect, 
Mountrath  and  R., 
Mountrath  Ho., 


Queen's  Co.  D  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Wexford  D  1 
Carlow  D  1 
Cavan  F  4 
Waterford  C 


Louth  A  3 


Cavan  F 
Down  D 
Carlow  C 
Clare  C 
Cork  E 
Kildare  C 
Kilkenny  A 
Louth  B 
Waterford  G 
Wicklow  C 
King's  Co.  E 
Roscommon  E 
Wexford  C 
Limerick  D 
Roscommon  E 
Cavan  F 
Kildare  A 
Leitrim  B 
Roscommon  D 
Queen's  Co.  C 


Kilkenny  1>  2 


Mountrath  and  Castleton  Sta., 

Queen's  Co.  C 

Mount  Reilly, 
Mount  Rivers, 
Mount  Rivers, 
Mount  Robert, 
Mount  Rose, 
Mountrussell  Ho., 
Mount  St  Lawrence, 
Mount  Salem, 


Mount  Seskin, 
Mountshannon, 
Mountshannoo, 
Mount  Shannon, 
Mountshannon  Pt., 
Mount  Silk, 
Mount  .Sion  Cott., 
Mount  Stewart  Ho., 


Louth  B  2 
Clare  D  3 
Waterford  B  3 
Wicklow  E  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Limerick  F  4 
Limerick  F  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  3 
Dublin  B  6 
Clare  K  2 
Galway  F 
Limerick  F 
Clare  E 
Galway  F 
Carlow  B 
Down  F 


Mount  Talbot  and  Ho.,  Roscommon  D 

Mount  Tempest,  Fermanagh  E 
Mount  Temple  Old  Ho.,  West  Meath  B 

Mount  Trenchard,  Limerick  C 

Mount  Uniacke,  Cork  H 

Mount  Villa  Lodge,  Kildare  B 

Mount  William,  Limerick  C 

Mount  Windsor,  Kildare  C 

Moume,  Down  D 

Moume  Abbey,  Cork  F 

Mourae  Abbey,  Down  C 
Moume  Abbey  and  Barony,     Down  C 

Moume  Beg  R.,  Tyrone  B 

Moume  L.,  Antrim  G 

Mourae  L.,  Donegal  D  3 

Moume  Mts.,  Down  C  5 

Moume  Park  Ho.,  Down  C  5 

Mourae  R.,  Tyrone  D  2 

Movanagher  Cas.,  Londonderry  F  3 

MovUle,  Donegal  F  2 

Moy,  Tyrone  H  4 

Moy  Bridge,  Monaghan  C  1 

Moyagher  Ho.,  Meath  C  3 

Moyaliff  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Moyallan,  Down  A  3 

Moyarget  Lo.,  Antrim  C  1 

Moyarta  Barony,  Clare  C  4 
Moyashel  and  Magheraderoon  Bar., 

West  Meath  D  2 

Moycarky,  Tipperary  C  3 

Moycam  Barony,  Roscommon  E  6 
Moycashel  and  Barony,  West  Meath  C  3 

MoyclareHo.,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Moycuish  Barony,  West  Meath  C  2 

Moyeullen  Barony,  Galway  C  2 

Moydilliga,  Cork  G  2 

Moydow,  Longford  C  8 

Moydow  Toneen,  Longford  C  2 

Moydrum  Ca#.,  West  Meath  A  3 


Moyenfenrath,  Lower  Bar., 
Moyenfenrath,  Upper  Bar., 


Meath  D 
Meath  B 
Sligo  F 
Longford  C 
Meath  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Carlow  B  : 
Louth  B  ' 
Tyrone  D  ! 
Tipperary  D  4 
Sligo  D  8 
Meath  C  ~ 
Meatl  C 
Tipperary  D 
Cavan  E 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Wexford  C 
Longford  D 
Clare  K  2 
Galway  E  8 
Londonderry  F 
Mayo  C 
Mayo  D  1  &  E 
Donegal  C 
Meath  C 
Clare  G 
Clare  G 
Armagh  D  8 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Mayo  A 
Kildare  B 
Sligo  a 
West  Meath  C 
Antrim  G  3 
Galway  B  2 
Donegal  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Antrim  D 
Clare  G 
King's  Co.  B 
Clare  F 


Moygara  Cas., 
Moygh  Ho., 
Moyglare  Ho., 
Moyhora  Ho., 
Moyle, 
Moyle  Can,, 
Moyle  Ho., 
Moyle  R., 
Moy  lough, 
Moynalty, 
Moynalty  R., 
Moyne  Ch., 
Moynehall  Ho., 
Moyne  Ho., 
Moyne  Ho., 
Moyne  Cross  Rds., 
Moynoe  Ho., 
Moyode  Cas., 
Moyola  Park  and  R., 
Moyour, 
Moy  R., 
MoyTa, 

Moyrath  Cas., 
Moyree  R., 
Moyriesk  Ho., 
Moyrourkan  L., 
Moystown  Ho., 
Moyteoge  Hd., 
Moyvally,  Sta.,  and  Ho. 
Moyview, 
Moyvore, 
Muck  I., 
Muck  L., 
Muck  L., 
Muckalee  R., 
Muckamore  Abbey, 
Muckanagh  L, 
Muckinish, 
Muckinish  Ho., 
Muckinish  Pt., 
Muckish, 
Mucklagh, 
Mucklagh  Br., 
Muckno  Lake, 
Muckros  Hd. , 
Muckross  Abbey  and  Lake, 
Mucksna, 
Muddock  R., 
MuflF, 
Muff, 
Muff 
Mufn 
Muih^, 
Muingnabo, 
Mulberry  Lane, 
Muldonagh, 
Mulgeeth  Ho., 
Mulgravo  Bri., 
Mulhollandstown, 
Mulhuddart, 
Mulkear  Ho., 
Mulkear  R., 
Mullaca,sh  Ho., 
Mullacloe  Ho., 
MuUacrew, 
Mullafernaghan  Sta., 
MuIIagh, 
Mullagh, 
Mullagh  Ho., 
Mullagh  L., 
Mullaghanatti'n, 
MuUaghanoe  R., 
Mullaghareirk  Mts., 
Mullaghash, 
MuUaghboy  L., 
Mullaghcara, 
Mullaghcleevaun  Mt., 
MuUaghclogha,  Tyrone  F 

Mullaghderg  L.,  Donegal  B 

Mullaghinshigo  Loughs,   Monaghan  B 


^merick  E 
D< 


onegal  C 
Fermanagh  C 
Wicklow  C 
Monaghan  D  3 
Donegal  B  4 
Kerry  D  2 
Kerry  D  3 
Down  C  4 
Cavan  H 
Donegal  F 
Londonderry  C 
Roscommon  D 
Mayo  B 
Mayo  B 
Cork  G 
Londonerry  C 
Kildare  B 
Tipperary  B 
Londonderry  F  3 
Dublin  B  4 


Tipperary  A 
Limerick  G 


Kildare  D 
Louth  A 
Louth  A 
Down  B 
Cavan  H 
Clare  D 
King's  Co.  E 
Sligo  E 
Kerry  C 
Sligo  C 
Limerick  C 
Londontjerry  D  3 
Leitrim  E  3 
Tyrone  E 
Wicklow  C 


MuUaghmore, 
Mullaghmore, 
MuUaghmore  Ho., 
Mullaghmore  L.,' 
Mullaghmore  L., 
Mullaghroe, 
Mullaghturk, 
MuUaleam, 
Mullamast  Ho., 
Mullan  Ho., 
MullanacTOss, 
Mullanadarragh  L., 
Mullanalaghta, 
MuUany's  Cross, 
Mullary  Cross, 
Mullavilly  Ho., 
MuUinabro  Ho., 
Mullinahone, 
Mullinam, 
Mullinavat, 
Mullingar, 
MuUingar  Barracks. 
Mullurg  Cott., 
Mullycagh, 


2 
2 
2 
2 

,   „   2 

Londonderry  D  3 
Sligo  F  1 
Tyrone  E  8 
Armagh  D  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Donegal  F  2 
Tyrone  G  2 
Fermanagh  D  8 
Kildare  B  3 
Monaghan  C  8 
Donegal  C  4 
Leitnm  E  4 
Longford  D  1 
Sligo  C  8 
Louth  B  8 
Armagh  D  2 
Kilkenny  D  6 
Tipperary  E  3 
Meath  F  4 
Kilkenny  D  4 
West  Meath  E  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Armagh  C  3 
Wicklow  B  2 


MULLYLEA.  INDEX-  0WENB0LI8KA. 


Mullylea, 
Muliyloughan, 
Mulnaver  Ho., 
Mulreavy  L., 
Mutroy  B., 
Mulshane  L., 
Multeen  R., 
Muleyfarnham, 
Mulvin, 
MulvohiU  Ho., 
Munakill  L., 
Mungret, 
Munnilly  Ho., 
Munster  R., 
Munter  Eolus  L., 


West  Meath  E  2 
Armagh  B  2 
TjTone  C  3 
Donegal  D  4 
Donegal  D  2 
Fermanagh  F  2 
Tipperary  B  3 
West  Meath  D  2 
Tyrone  D  2 
Clare  F  3 
Leitrim  C  2 
Limerick  E  2 
Monaghan  .\  3 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Leitrim  D  3 


Muntetvary  or  Sheep  Hd.,  Cork  B  4 

Murglash  R.,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Mu-fin  R.,  Donegal  A  3 

Murlough  B.,  Antrim  E  1 

Murlough  Ho.,  Down  D  4 

Mumgh,  Cork  E  3 

Murren,  Donegal  E  2 

Murrisk  and  Bar.,  Mayo  B  2 

M'jrroe,  Donegal  C  2 

Musheramore  Mt.,  Cork  E  2 

Musketry,  East  Barony,  Cork  E  3 

Muskerry,  West  Baiooy,  Cork  D  3 

Mutton  Is.,  Clare  C  3 

Mweelaun  Is.,  Mayo  A  2 

Mweenish  B.,  GaKvay  B  3 

Mylerspark,  Wexford  A  3 

Mylerstown  Ho.,  Kildare  B  1 

M>Ta  Cas.,  Down  F  3 

Myshall  Tn.,  Ho.,  and  Br.,  Carlow  C  2 


N 

Naan  I.,  Fermanagh  E  3 

Naas,  Kildare  D  2 

Naas,  North  Barony,  Kildare  C  2 

Naas,  South  Barony,  Kildare  C  3 

Nabaclc  L.,  Lon^ord  D  1 

Nabellbeg  L.,  Leitrim  D  3 

Nabelwry  L.,  Leitiim  E  4 

Nablahy  L.,  Roscommon  E  2 

Nabracn  L.,  Leitrim  B  1 

Nacallagh  L.,  Fermanagh  F  4 

Nacorra  L.,  Mayo  C  2 

Nacung  L.,  Upper,  Donegal  C  2 

Nad  and  River,  Cork  E  2 

Nadregeel  L.,  Cavan  G  3 

Nafooey  L.,  Gal  way  C  2 

Nagamaman  L.,  Monaghan  D  3 

Nageoge  L.,  Donegal  D  4 

Naglare  L.,  Cavan  G  3 

Nagles  Mts.,  Cork  F  2 

Nags  Hd.,  Dublin  D  2 

Nahanagan  L.,  Wicklow  C  2 

Nahelwy  L.,  Longford  C  1 

Nahillion  L.,  Galway  B  2 

Nahinch  L.,  Galway  F  2 

Nahoo  L.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Nalughraman  L.,  Donegal  B  3 

Naman  L.,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Nambrack  L.,  Leitnm  D  3 

Naminna  L.,  Clare  E  3 

Naneagh  L.,  Meath  A  2 

Nanny  R.,  Meath  G  2 

Nantinan  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Naptown,  Dublin  D  2 

Naran,  Donegal  B  3 

Naroon  L.,  Antrim  C  3 
Narragh  and  Reban,  East  Barony, 

Kildare  B  3 
Naragh  and  Reban,  West  Barony, 

Kildare  A  3 

Narraghmore  and  Ho.,  Kildare  C  3 

Narrow  Water  Ho.,  Down  B  5 

Nash,  Wexford  A  4 

Nasvol  L.,  Slipo  G  3 

Natire  L.,  Leitrim  C  2 

Natroey  L.,  Fermanagh  G  3 

Naul,  Dublin  D  1 

Navan,  Meath  D  3 

Navan,  Ix)wer  Barony,  Meath  D  3 

Navan,  Upper  Barony,  Meath  D  3 

Navan  Fort  (Emania),  Armagh  B  2 

Navar  L.,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Navaria,  Roscommon  D  2 

Neagh  Lough,  Antrim  C  6 

Neale,  Mayo  D  3 

Nealstown,  Queen's  Co.  A  3 

NccamCas.,  Fermanagh  E  2 

Needleford  Bri.,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Nep.agh  and  R.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Nenagh  Road  Sta.,  Limerick  G  1 

Ntphin,  Mayo  C  1 

Ncphin  Bef;,  Mayo  B  1 

Ncthercross  Barony,  Dublin  D  3 

Nethcrtown,  'Wexford  D  4 

Netley  Ho.,  Mayo  D  1 

New  Abbey  Ho.,  Kildare  C  3 

Newbawn  Ho.,  Wexford  B  3 

Newbay  Ho.,  Wexford  C  4 

Newberry,  Kildare  C  3 
20 


Newberry  Hall, 
New  Birmingham, 
Newbliss  and  Sta,, 
Newbliss  Ho., 
Newborough  Ho., 
New  Bridge, 
New  Bridge, 
New  Bridge, 
Newbridge  and  Sta., 
Newbridge, 
Neybridge, 
New  Bridge, 
Newbridge  and  Sta., 
Newbridge  Lo., 
Newbridge  Sta., 


Kildare  E  1 
Tipperary  D  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Monaghan  A  3 
Limerick  E  2 
Cavan  G  3 
Galway  G  3 
Kildare  B  1 
Kildare  C  2 
Limerick  C  -  2 
Wexford  C  4 
Wicklow  B  4 
Wicklow  D  3 
Wexford  D  2 
Kildare  C  2 


Newbridge  Ho.  and  Cos.,      Dublin  E  3 

Newbrook  Ho.,  Mayo  D  2 

New  Buildings,  Londonderry  A  3 

Newbum  Ho.,  Dublin  D  3 

Newcastle,  Down  G  3 

Newcastle  and  Barony,  Dublin  B  5 

Newcastle,  Limerick  C  3 

Newcastle,  Longford  C  3 

Newcastle,  Tipperary  C  4 

Newcastle,  West  Meath  D  1 

Newcastle,  Wicklow  E  2 

Newcastle  and  Sta.,  Down  D  4 

Newcastle  Ho.,  Meath  B  2 

Newcastle  Ho.  and  Lo.,  Meath  D  1 

Newcastle  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  3 

Newcourt,  Wicklow  E  1 

Newells  Bri.,  West  Meath  D  3 

Newfarm  Village,  Roscommon  D  4 

Newforest  Ho.,  Galway  F  2 

Newfort,  Wexford  D  3 

Newfoundland  Bay,  Cork  F  4 

Newgarden  Ho.,  Carlow  B  1 

Newgarden  Ho.,  Limerick  F  1 

Newgrange  Ho.,  Meath  F  2 

New  Grove,  Meath  B  2 

Newgrove,  West  Meath  B  3 

Newgrove  Ho.,  Clare  H  2 

Newgrove  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  4 

New  Haggard  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Newhall  Ho.,  Clare  F  3 

Newhall  Ho.,  Kildare  C  2 

Newinglon  Ho.,  Kildare  B  2 

New  Inn,  Cavan  F  3 

Newinn,  Tipperary  C  4 

Newland  Ho.,  Kildare  C  2 

Newlawn  Ho.,  Dublin  E  2 

Newmarket,  Cork  E  2 

Ne\vmarket,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Newmarket  Ho.,  Cork  D  2 

Newmarket-on-Fer(fus,  Clare  G  3 

New  Mills,  Monaghan  C  2 

Newmills,  Cork,E  4 

New  Mountain,  Roscommon  E  4 

New  Park,  Longford  B  3 

New  Park,  Monaghan  B  8 

New  Park,  Roscommon  E  5 

Newpark,  Galway  G  3 

Newpark,  Kildare  C  1 

Newpark,  Kildare  C  3 

Newpark,  Limerick  D  2 

Newpark  Ho.,  Kildare  B  2 

Newpark  Ho.,  Sligo  F  3 

Newpark  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Newpass,  West  Meath  C  2 

Newport  and  Riv.,  Mayo  C  2 

Newport  and  Riv.,  Tipperary  A  3 

Newport  Bay,  Mayo  B  2 

New  Quay  Ho.,  Clare  F  1 

Newrath  Bri.,  Wicklow  E  2 

New  Ross,  Wexford  A  3 

Newry  Canal,  Down  A  4 

Newry  Town  and  R.,  Down  B  4 

Newry,  Lordship  of,  Down  B  4 

Newstone  Cas.,  Meath  D  1 

Newstown  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Newtown,                  Carlow  B  2  &  B  3 

Newtown,  Cork  E  1 

New  Town,  Donegal  D  2 

Newtown,  Dublin  E  1 

Newtown,  Down  B  3  &  D  3 

Newtown,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Newtown,          Galway  E  3,  F  2,  &  F  3 

Newtown,    Kildare  C  1,  C  4,  D  2,  &  E  1 

Newtown,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Newtown,  King's  Co.  C  3 

Newtown,  Longford  B  3 

Newtown,  ^Icath  C  2 

Newtown,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Newtown,       Roscommon  C  4,  D  3, 

D4,  E5,  E6,  &  F  3 

New  Town,  Sligo  C  3 

Newtown,  Wexford  A  4 

Newtown  Ards,  Down  F  2 

Newtown  Bellew,  Galway  F  2 

Newtown  Butler  &  Sta.,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Newtown  Csb.,  Clare  E  1 

Newtown  Cott.,  Kildare  B  3 

Newtown  Crommelin,  Antrim  D  3 

Newtown  Cross  Roads,  Waterford  E  2 

Newtown  Cunningham,       Donegal  E  3 

Newtown  Daly,  Galway  F  8 


Newtown  Darver,  -  Louth  B  2 

Newtown  Forbes  and  Sta.,  Longford  C  2 
Newtown  Ford,  Down  F  2 

Newtown  Gore,  Leitrim  F  3 

Newtown  Hamilton,  Armagh  C  8 

Newtown  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Newtown  Ho.  and  Lo.,  Cork  G  2 

Newtown  Ho.,  Dublin  E  3 

Newtown  Ho.,  Kildare  CI,  C 2,  &  D  2 
Newtown  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Newtown  Ho.,  King's  Co.  F  2 

Newtown  Ho.,  Limerick  H  2 

Newtown  Ho.,  Louth  C  3 

Newtown  Ho.,  Meath  B  2,  C  1,  &  F  8 
Newtown  Ho.,  Waterford  B  4  &  G  3 
Newtown  Ho.,  Wexford  A  3 

Newtown  Limavady,  1-ondonderry  D  2 
Newtown  Lo.,  Longford  D  3 

Newtown  Lo.,  Wexford  E  1 

Newtown  L.,  West  Meath  E  2 

Newtown  Monasterboice,  Louth  B  3 
Newtown  Mt.  Kennedy,  Wicklow  E  2 
Newiown  Morris,  Galway  E  2 

Newtown  Park,  Meath  D  3 

Newtown  Ft.,  Limerick  E  1 

Newtown  R.,  Tipperary  A  2 

Newtown  Sandes,  Kerry  D  1 

Newtown  Saville,  Tyrone  F  4 

Newtown  Stalaban,  Louth  C  3 

Newtown  Stewart,  Tyrone  D  2 

Newtown  "Trim  and  Sta.,  Meath  D  3 
Newtown  Vevay,  Wicklow  E  1 

Newtownanner  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  4 
Newtownbalregan  L.,  Louth  B  1 

Newtownbarry,  Wexford  B  2 

Newtonbond  Ho.,  Longford  C  2 

Newtonbreda,  Down  D  2 

Newtownfortescue,  Meath  E  2 

Newtownhill  Cott.,  Waterford  G  3 

Newtownsaunders,  Wicklow  A  3 

New  Twopothouse  Village,  Cork  E  2 
Neynoe  Cas.,  ,    Sligo  F  2 

Nicker,  Limerick  G  2 

Nicholastown  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  2 
Nier  R.,  Waterford  C  2 

Nilly  L.,  or  L.  Macnean,  Lower, 

Fermanagh  C  3 
Ninemilehouse,  Tipperary  E  4 

Nixon  Lo.,  Cavan  D  2 

Nobber,  Meath  D  2 

Nohaval,  Cork  F  3 

Nore  R.,  Kilkenny  C  2,  & 

Queens  Co.  C  3 
Nonnanby  Lo.,  Kildare  B  3 

Normans  Grove  Ho.,  Meath  F  4 

Norris  Mount,  Armagh  T>  3 

Norris  Mount,  Wexford  D  2 

N.E.  Liberties  of  Coleraine  Bar., 

Londonderry  F  2 
North  Sound,  galway  B  3 

N.W.  Liberties  of  Londonderry  Bar., 

Londonderry  A  2 
Northgrove,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

North  Naas  Barony,  Kildare  C  2 

North  Salt  Barony,  Kildare  D  1 

Northlands,  Cavan  H  3 

Norton's  Cross  Roads,  Armagh  B  3 
Noughaval,  Clare  F  1 

Noughaval  Ho.,  West  Meath  B  2 

Nuenna  R.,  Kilkenny  B  2 

Nun's  Is.,  West  Meath  A  2 

Nurney,  Carlow  B  2 

Nurney  Cas.,  Kildare  B  3 

Nurney  Ho.,  Kildare  B  1 

Nursery  Cott..  Carlow  C  3 

Nut  Grove,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Nutstown  Ho.,  Dublin  C  2 


o 

Oak  Grove, 
Oak  Park, 
Oakficld, 
Oakfield  Ho., 
Oaklands, 
Oaklands  Ho.| 
Oakley, 
Oakley, 
Oakley  Ho., 
Oakley  Park, 
Oakpark  Ho., 
Oakport  Ho., 
Oatfield  Ho., 
Oatland  Ho., 
Oatlands, 
Oatlands  Ho., 
O'Brian's  Bri., 
O'Brien's  Big  Lough, 
O'Brien's  Tower, 
O'Briensbridge, 
O'Dea's  Cas., 
Odell  Ville, 
O'Donevan's  Cove, 
Offaly  Cas., 
Offaly,  East  Barony, 


Cork 
Kerry 
Fermanagh 
Sligo 
Tyrone 
Antrim 
Down 
Kildare 
King's  Co. 
Meath 
Carlow 
Roscommon 
Queen's  Co. 

Wicklow 
Roscommon 
Wexford 
Clare 
Clare 
Clare 
Clare 
Clare 
Limerick 
Cork 
Kildare 
KUdare 


E  3 

C  2 

G  3 

F  2 

G  3 

D  3 

E  4 


D  2 

I  3 

F  2 

D  3 

B  4 

B  2 

B  2 


Offaly,  West  Barony, 
O'Flyn  Lough, 
O'Gallaghan'smills, 
Oghil, 
Oghill, 


Kildare  A  8 
Roscommon  B  3 
Clare  I  2 
Galway  G  3 
Galway  B  3 


Oghill,  Londonderry  C  3 

Oghill  Ho.,  Sligo  C  2 

O  Grady  L.,  .  Clare  I  2 

O'Hara  Brook  Ho.,  Antrim  B  2 

Oilgate,  Wexford  C  3 

Oily  R.,  Donegal  B  3 

Old  Pallybrittas,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Old  Bridge,  Meath  F  2 

Old  Yard,  Carlow  B  3 

Oldabbey  Ho.,  Limerick  C  2 

Oldbridge,  Wicklow  D  2 

Oldcarton,  Kildare  D  1 

Old  Connaught,  Dublin  F  6 

Oldca-stle,  ileath  B  2 

Oldchapel,  Cork  E  3 

Oldconnell  Ha,  Kildare  C  2 

Old  Court,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Oldcourt,  Kildare  B  1 

Oldcourt,  Wicklow  C  1 

Oldcourt  Ho.,  Dublin  C  5 

Oldderrig  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  F  3 

Oldglass,  Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Oldgrange,  Kildare  B  3 

Old  Head,  Mayo  B  2 

Old  Head  of  Kmsale,  Cork  F  4 

Old  Kilcullen,  Kildare  C  3 

Oldleighlin,  Carlow  A  2 

Old  Ross,  Wexford  B  3 

Old  Town,  Donegal  D  3 

Oldtown,  Donegal  C  2 

Oldtown,  Dublin  D  2 

Oldtoivn,  Longford  C  2 

Old  Town,  Queen'r;:"o.  C  3 

Old  Town,  Roscommon  E  6 

Old  Town,  Sligo  C  3 

Oldtown,  Wicklow  D  2 

Oldtown  Bri.,  Carlow  B  2 

Oldtown  Ho.,  Kildare  D  2 

Oldtown  Ho.,  Oueen'sCo.  B  4 

Oldtown  Ho.,  •  West  Meath  C  2 

Old  Yard,  Carlow  B  3 

Ollatrim  R.,  Tipperary  B  2 

O'Loughlin's  Cas..  Clare  E  I 

Omagh,  Tyrone  D  3 

Omagh,  East  Barony,  Tyrone  D  3 

Omagh,  West  Barony,  Tyrone  C  8 

Omeath,  Louth  C  1 

Omey  I.,  Galway  A  2 

Onagh,  Galway  B  3 

Onagh,  Wicklow  D  1 
Oneilland,  East  Barony,  Armagh  D  2 
Oneilland,  West  Barony,      Armagh  C  2 

Oola,  Limerick  H  2 

Oolagh  R.  and  Bri.,  Limerick  B  3 

Oona  Water,  Tyrone  G  4 

Oorid  L.,  Galway  C  2 

Ora  L.,  Fermanagh  C  3 

Ora  More,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Orange  Field,  Cavan  E  4 

Orangefield,  Down  D  2 

Oranmore,  Sta.,  and  Bay,     Galway  E  3 

Orchard  Bri.  and  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Orior,  Lower  Barony,  Armagh  D  3 

Orior,  Upper  Barony,  Armagh  D  4 

Oristown,  Meath  D  2 

Oritor,  Tyrone  H  3 

Orlands  Cas.,  Antrim  G  4 

Ormeau,  Down  D  2 

Ormond,  Lower  Bar.,  Tipperary  B  1 

Ormond,  Upper  Bar.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Ome  L.,  Down  B  4 

Orrery  and  Kilmore  Barony,     Cork  E  2 

Osberstown  Hill  and  Ho.,      Kildare  C  2 

Osierbrook  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  3 

Otway  Cas.,  Tipperary  B  2 
Oughterany  and  Ikeathy  Barony, 

Kildare  C  1 

Oughterard,  Galway  C  2 

Oughterard,  Kildare  D  2 

Oughtmore,  Londonderry  D  4 

Oulart,  Wexford  D  2 

Oulartleigh  Ho.,  Wexford  C  3 

Ouler  L.,  Wicklow  C  2 

Ourtnagapple,  Galway  B  3 

Ouske  L.,  Londonderry  D  4 

Ouver  L.,  Galway  K  2 

Ovens,  Cork  E  3 

Ovoca  Lo,,  Wicklow  D  3 

Ow  Riv,,  Wicklow  C  3 

Owbeg  R.,  Waterford  B  3 

Owel  L.,  West  Meath  D  2 

Owen  Hill,  Cork  D  3 

Owenaher  R.,  Sligo  C  3 

Owenamarve  R,,  Donegal  C  3 

Owenass  R.,  Queen  s  Co.  C  2 

Owenavorragh  and  R,,  Wexford  E  2 

Owenbcg,  Tipperar>'  C  3 

Owcnbeg  R.,  Donegal  D  3 

Owenbeg  R.,  Londonderry  D  3 

Owenbeg  R.,  Queens  Co.  D  3 

Owenboliska  R..  GaUvay  D  3 


OWENBOT. 


INDEX. 


BATHOILBERT. 


Owenboy  R., 
Owenboy  R., 
Owenbream  R., 
Owenbrin  R., 
Owencarrow  R., 
Owendalulleegh  R., 
Owenduff  R., 
Owenduff  R., 
Owenea  R., 
Owenerk  Bay, 
Owengar  R,, 
Owengarr  R., 
Owengarve  L., 
Owengarve  R., 
Owenglin  R,, 
Owengowla, 
Oweniny  R., 
Owenkeal  R., 
Owenkillew  R., 
Owenkiltew  R., 
Owenmore  R., 
Owenmore  R., 
Owenmore  R.  and  Bri., 
Owenmore  R., 
Owennacurra  River, 
Owennashad  R., 
Owennayle  R., 
Owenogamey  R., 
Owenrigh  R., 
Owenreagh  R., 
Owenreagh  R., 
Owen  riff, 
Owenriff  R., 


Donegal 
Sligo 
FeiTnanagh 
Galway 
Donegal 
Galway 
Mayo 
Wexford 
Donegal 
Donegal 
Leitrina 
Fermanagh 
Galway 
Sligo 
Galway 
Galway 
Mayo 
Cork 
Tyrone 
Donegal 
Cavan 
Mayo 
Mayo 
Sligo 
Cork 
Waterfoid 
Leitrim 
Clare 
Londonderry 
Kerry 
Tyrone  D  3  & 
Galway 
Galway 


B  2 


G  3 
B  2 


Owensallagh  or  Swanlibar  R.,  Cavan 


Owenskaw  R., 
Owenteskiny  R., 
Owentocker  R,, 
Owenwee, 
Owenwee  R., 
Owenwee  R., 
Owey  I., 

Owney  and  Arra  Bar., 
Owneybeg  Barony, 
Ow-veg  R., 
Owveg  R., 
Owyane  River, 
Ox  Mountains, 
Oyster  Hall, 
Oyster  Haven, 
Oyster  Is., 


Limerick 
Donegal 
Donegal 
Galway 
Donegal  B  4  & 
Mayo 
Donegal 
Tipperary 
Limerick 
Kerry 
Queen's 'Co. 
Cork 
Sligo 
Kerry 
Cork 
Sligo 


D  2 

D  3 

C  3 

C  3 

C  2 

F  4 

E  2 


Paget  Priory, 
Pamstown  Ho., 
Pakenham  Hall, 
Pakenham  Hall, 
Palace, 
Palace, 
Palace  Ho., 
Palatine  and  Lo^ 
Palatine  Street, 
Pallas, 
Pallas, 
Pallas  Cas., 
Pallas  Ho.  and  L., 
Pallas  Sta., 
P.illas  Grean, 
Pallas  Grean,  New, 
Pallaskenry, 
Palmerston, 
Palmerstown, 
Palmerstown, 
Palmerstown, 
Palmerstown  Ho., 
Palmira  Ho., 
Palratree  Cott., 
Panther  Mount, 
Paps,  The, 
Paradise  Ho., 
Park  Bri., 
Park  Ho., 
Park  Ho., 
Park  Ho., 
Park  Ho., 
Park  Ho.  and  Lo., 
Park  Mt., 
Park  Place, 
Parkanaur, 
Parker's  L., 
Parkfelim, 
Parkgate, 

ParkhiU  L.  and  Abbey, 
Parkraore, 
Park  more, 
Parkmore  Pt., 
Parknashaw  Ho., 
Parkrow  Hp., 
Parkstown  Ho., 
Parsonstown, 
Parsonstown, 
Parsonstown  or  Birr, 
Parsonstown  Ho., 
Partry  Mountains, 
Pass  Br., 

21 


Meath  D  4 
Kildare  C  1 
Louth  A  2 
West  Meath  D  1 
Cork  C  3 
Down  B  3 
Wexford  B  3 
Carlow  B  1 
Tipperary  D  3 
Galway  F  3 
Longford  C  3 
Tipperary  A  2 
King's  Co.  E  2 
Limerick  H  2 
Limerick  G  2 
Limerick  H  2 
Limerick  D  2 
Dublin  C  4 
Antrim  D  0 
Dublin  C  2 
Mayo  D  1 
Kildare  D  2 
Cavan  H  3 
Wicklow  D  4 
Down  D  4 
Kerry  E  2 
Clare  F  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Kildare  C  3  &  D  3 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Longford  C  3 
Wicklow  B  4 
Antrim  F  5 
Longford  C  3 
'Tyrone  G  3 
Cavan  G  3 
Galway  F  2 
Antrim  E  4 
,    Fermanagh  E  1 
Antrim  E  2 
Galway  E  3 
Kerry  B  2 
Wicklow  D  3 
Down  C  3 
Meath  C  3 
Kildare  D  1 
Meath  E  4 
King's  Co.  C  3 
Meath  E  2 
Mayo  C  3 
Kildare  A  3 


Pass  Ho., 
Pass  of  Kilbride, 
Passage, 
Passage,  West, 
Pastorville, 
Patrick  L., 
Patrick's  B., 
Patrickstreet  Ho., 
Pattens  Fall, 
Paulstown  Cas., 
Paulsworth, 
Paulville  Ho., 
Peacefield, 
Pellipar  Ho., 
Pembrokestown, 
Pennybum, 
Peppards  Cas., 
Pepperstown  Ho., 
Percy  Lo., 
Percy  Mt., 
Peters  L., 
Petersville, 
Pettigoe  and  Sla., 
Pharis, 

Phepotstown  Ho., 
Philipstown, 
Philipstown, 
Philipstown  R., 
Phillipsburgh, 
Phillipstown  Ho., 
Philpotsto^vn  Ho., 
Phcenix  Park, 
Piedmont  R., 
Piercetown, 
Piercetown  Ho., 
Plerpoint, 
PigL, 

Pigeon  Rock  Ml., 
Pike,  The, 
Pikestone, 
Pilltown, 
Pilltown  Ho., 
Pilltown  Ho., 
Pirn  Br., 
Pimlico, 
Pipers  Well, 
Plantation  Ho., 
Platin  Ho., 
Plesk  Water, 
Pluck, 
Plumb  Bri., 
Pointstown  Ho., 
Pointzpass, 
Polehore  Ho., 
Poliboy, 
Pollagh, 
Pollagh  R., 
Pollan  B., 
Pollanass  R., 
Pollanass  Waterfall, 


Queen's  Co.  D  3 
West  Meath  E  3 
Waterford  H  2 
Cork  F  3 
Tipperary  C  4 
Armagh  C  4 
Wexford  A  6 
Carlow  D  2 
Antrim  E  2 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Waterford  C  4 
Carlow  C  1 
Armagh  D  2 
Londonderry  D  3 
Waterford  F  2 
Londonderry  A 
Wexford  E 
Louth  A 
Wexford  C 
Sligo  F 
Armagh  C 
Meath  C 
Donegal  D 
Antrim  C 
Meath  E 
King's  Co.  G 
Louth  B 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Queen's  Co.  B  4 
Carlow  C 
Meath  D 
Dublin  C 
Louth  C 
West  Meath  E 
Kildare  C 
Cork  F 
Mayo  B 
Down  C 
Tipperary  C 

Down  E  3 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Meath  G  2 
Wexford  A  4 
Kildare  B 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Kildare  C 
Down  D 
Meath  F 
Antrim  C 
Donegal  D  3 
.  Tyrone  E  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Armagh  D  3 
,     Wexford  C  3 
Galway  G  3 
Galway  E  3 
Mayo  D  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Wicklow  C  3 


Pollaphuca  Br.  &  Waterfall,  Wicklow  B 


Pollardstown  Hill, 
Pollbrock, 
Pollduff, 

Pollerton  Cas.  and  Ho., 
Pollglass, 
Pollmounty  R., 
Pollrone  Ho., 
Pollshone  Har.  and  Ild., 
Pomeroy  and  Ho., 
Ponds, 

Poolbeg  L.  H., 
Poplar  Hall, 
Poplar  Vale, 
Port, 
Port, 

Port  Hall  Sta., 
Port  Stewart, 
Portacloy  and  Bay, 
Portadown  and  Sta., 
Portaferry, 
Portal  een, 
Portallintra, 
Portar>ington  and  Sta., 
Portavoe  Ho., 
Portglenone, 
Portglenone  and  Ho., 
Portu-oe, 
Portland  Ho., 
Portlaw, 

Portlick  Cas.  and  Bay, 
Portloman, 
Portmagee, 
Portmarnock  Ho., 
Portmore  L., 
Portmuck  Cas., 
Portna, 

Portnafrankagh, 


Kildare  B 

Louth  B  2 

Wexford  E  2 

Carlow  B  1 

Galway  F  2 

Wexford  A  3 

Kilkenny  C  6 

Wexford  E  2 

Tyrone  G  3 

Dublin  D  6 

Dublin  F  4 

Kildare  C  3 

Monagban  C  2 

Donegal  C  4 

Louth  C  2 

Donegal  E  3 

Londonderry  E  1 

Mayo  B  1 

Armagh  D  2 

Down  F  3 

Donegal  F  2 

Antrim  B  1 

Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Down  F  2 

Londonderry  G  3 

Antrim  C  3 
Cork-  C 
Tipperary  B 
Waterford  F 
West  Meath  A 
West  Meath  D 
Kerry  A 
Dublin  F 
Antrim  D 
Antrim  G 
Londonderry  F 
Mayo  A 


Portnahinch  Bar.  &  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D 

Portnahully,  Kilkenny  C  5 

Portnard  Ho.,  Limerick  G  2 

PortnascuUy,  Kilkenny  C  5 

Portnashangan,  West  Meath  D  2 

Portnelhgan,  Armagh  B  3 

Ponobello  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  2 

Portraine  Ho.,  DubUn  F  3 


Portrinard, 
Port  roe, 
Portrunny, 
Portrush, 
Portumna, 
Portwilliam, 
Potters  Riv., 
Potterswalls, 
Potterys, 
Pottlerath, 
Pottore, 
Poulacapple, 
Poulanishery  Bay, 
Poulaweala  CrJc, 
Poulnaniucky, 
Pound  Hill, 
Powells  borough, 
Power  Head, 
Powerscourt  Ho,, 
Powerscourt  Waterfall, 
Powersgrove  Ho., 
Powerstown, 
Powerstown  Ho., 
Prehen, 
Preston  BrooV, 
Prettybush, 
Priest  Br., 
Priest  Town  Ho., 
Priesthaggard, 
Priestsleap, 
Primatestown, 
Primrose  Hill, 
Primrose  Ho., 
Prince  William's  Seat, 
Prior  Park, 
Priorland  Ho'., 
Prohust  Ho., 
Prospect, 
Prospect, 
Prospect, 
Prospect, 
Prospect, 
Prospect  Cott., 
Prospect  Hall, 
Prospect  Hill, 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prospect  Ho., 
Prosperous, 
Prumplestown  Ho., 
Pubblebrien  Barony, 
Puckaun, 
Puffin  Is., 
Pulfarris  Ho., 
Punchestown  Ho.  and 

Purple  Mt., 
Purdysbum, 
Pyrmont, 


Quagmire  R., 
Quaker's  Br., 
Quarrymount, 
Queensborough, 
Queenstown, 
Quignalahy, 
Quilly  Ho., 
Quin, 

8uinsborough, 
uintagh, 
Quintin  Cas., 
Quiwy  L., 
Quoile  Br.  and.R., 
QuoUe  Water, 


Limerick  B  3 
Tipperary  A  2 
Roscommon  E  4 
Antrim  A  1 
Galway  G  3 
Cork  E  2 
Wicklow  E  3 
Antrim  E  4 
Carlow  C  3 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Leitrim  D  3 
Tipperary  E  4 
Clare  C  4 
Limerick  C  2 
Tipperary  C  4 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Cork  G  3 
Wicklow  D  1 
Wicklow  D  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Tipperary  D  4 
Londonderry  B  3 
Kildare  A  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Wicklow  C  2 
Meath  F  4 
Wexford  A  4 
Kerry  D  3 
Meath  F  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Carlow  B  2 
Dublin  E  6 
Tipperary  B  2 
Louth  B  2 
Cork  E  2 
Kildare  B  3  &  D  2 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Longford  C  3 
Louth  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  C  4 
Cavan  B  1 
Limerick  E  2 
Limerick  B  2 
Antrim  G  4 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Galway  E  3 
Kilkenny  C  3 
King's  Co.  D  1 
Sligo  F  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Wexford  C  1 
Wicklow  E  2 
Kildare  C  2 
Kildare  B  4 
Limerick  E  2 
Tipperary  B  2 
Kerry  A  3 
Wicklow  B  2 
Race  Course, 

Kildare  D  2 
Kerry  D  2 
Down  D  2 
Kerry  D  1 


Kerry  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  A  3 
Galway  E  2 
Ixjuth  C  3 
Cork  G  3 
Sligo  B  2 
Down  B 
Clare  G 
Kildare  A 
Wicklow  C 
Down  F 
Cavan  E 
Down  E 
Antrim  £ 


Rabbit  I., 
Racecourse  Hall, 
Raconnell, 
Raderaart  Ho., 
Rafinny  L., 
Raford  R., 
RagR., 
Raghlin  More, 
Rahan  Lo., 
Rahan  R.  C.  College 

Rahanna  Ho., 
Rahans, 
Rahans  L., 
Rahara  Ho., 
Rahamey, 
Raheen, 
Raheen, 
Raheen, 


Cork  D  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
Monaghan  C  2 
Down  E  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Galway  F  3 
Cavan  D  2 
Donegal  E  2 
King's  Co.  E  2 
and  Ch., 

King's  Co.  E  2 
Louth  A  2 
Monaghan  E  4 
Monaghan  D  4 
Roscommon  E  4 
West  Meath  F  2 
Carlow  D  1 
Galway  G  8 
Mayo  C  1 


Raheen  and  Ho., 
Raheen  Cas., 
Raheen  Ho., 
Raheen  Ho., 
Raheenahown  Ho., 
Raheenakeeran  Cas., 
Raheendoran, 
Raheenduff  Ho., 
Raheengraney  Ho., 
Raheens  Ho., 
Raheny, 
Rahill  Cott., 
Rahillakeen, 
Rahin, 
Rahin  Ho., 
Rahin  Ho., 
Rabins, 

Rahinstown  Ho., 

Raholp, 

Rahona, 

Rahoughtragh  Br., 

Rahugh, 

Raigh, 

Rainsford  Lo., 
Rake  Street, 
Rakenny  Ho., 
Raleigh  Ho., 
Ralphsdale  Ho., 
Ram  Hd., 
Ramoan  Ch., 
Ramor,  Lough, 
Rampart, 
Rams  I., 
Ramsfort  Ho., 
Ramsgrange, 
Ranaghroe  Pt, 
Randalstown, 
Randalstown  Ho., 
Ranelagh, 
Ran  ta  van, 
Rapemills, 
Raphoe, 
Raphoe  Barony, 
Rapla  Ho;, 
Rappa  Cas., 
Rasharkin, 
Rashee, 

Rasheen  Wood, 

Ratesh, 

Rath, 

Rath  and  R., 
Rath  Ho., 
Rath  Ho., 
Rath  L., 
Rath  Mahon, 
Rath  Meave, 
Rath  of  Mullamast, 
Rathangan  and  Ho., 
Rathanna, 
Rathahny  Ho., 
Rathargid  Ho., 
Rathattin  Ho., 
Rathbaun  Ho., 
Rathbeal  Ho., 
Rathboumes  Bri., 
Rathbrack, 
Rathbraghan  Cott., 
Rathbride  Ho.  and  Cott, 
Rathbrist  Ho., 
Rathcabban, 
Rathcarrick  Ho., 
Rathcastle, 
Rathclarish, 
Rathcline  Barony, 
Rathcoffey  Ho., 
Rathconnell  Court, 
Rathconrath  Barony, 
Rathcoole, 
Rathcoole  Ho., 
Rathcor, 
Rathcore, 
Rathcormack, 
Rathcormick  Ho., 
Rathcoursey, 
RathcTogne  Ho., 
Rathdangan, 
Rathdown  Barony, 
Rathdown  Cas., 
Rathdowney, 
Rathdrum  and  Sta., 
Rathdrumin, 
Rathduane  Uo., 
Rathduff, 
Ratheahill, 
Rathedan  Ho., 
Ratheline  Ho., 
Rathenny  Ho.  and  Cott, 
Ratheman  Ho., 
Ratheroghan, 
Rathfamham, 
Rathfeigh, 
Rathfeston  Ho., 
Rathfran  Bay, 
Rathfriland, 
Rathgar  and  Ho., 
Rathgilbert  Ho., 


Queen's  Co.  C  3 

Galway  F  2 

Clare  K  2 

Roscommon  D  3 

Queen's  Co.  E  3 

King's  Co.  G  2 

Carlow  B  2 

Wexford  B  4 

Wicklow  B  4 

Mayo  C  2 

Dublin  F  4 

Carlow  C  1 

Kilkenny  D  4 

Leitrim  B  2 

Kildare  A  1 

Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Galway  F  2 

Meath  D  4 

Down  F  3 

Clare  B  4 

Waterford  E  2 

West  Meath  D  3 

Galway  C  2 

Wexford  B  1 

Mayo  C  1 

Cavan  F  2 

Cork  Dl  3 

West  Meath  E  2 

Waterford  C  4 

Antrim  D  1 

Cavan  G  4 

Louth  D  1 

Antrim  D  6 

Wexford  E  1 

Wexford  A  4 

Donegal  C  2 

Antrim  D  4 

Meath  D  2 

Dublin  E  6 

Cavan  H  4 

King's  Co.  C  3 

Donegal  E  3 

Donegal  D  3 

Tipperary  B  2 

Mayo  D  1 

Antrim  C  3 

Antrim  E  4 

Tipperary  B  ? 

Galway  D  2 

King's  Co.  D  3 

Longford  C  3 

Louth  C  3 

Wicklow  A  4 

Donegal  C  4 

Carlow  C  2 

Meath  E  3 

Kildare  B  3 

Kildare  B  2 

Carlow  C  3 

Limerick  G  3 

KUdare  C  3 

Wicklow  B  2 

Clare  E  1 

Dublin  D  8 

Cavan  H  3 

West  Meath  D  2 

Sligo  F  2 

,,      Kildare  B  2 

Louth  A  2 

Tipperary  B  1 

Sligo  E  2 

West  Meath  C  2 

Tipperary  E  4 

Longford  B  3 

Kildare  C  2 

West  Meath  E  2 

West  Meath  C  2 

Dublin  B  5 

Louth  B  3 

Louth  C  2 

Meath  C  4 

Cork  G  2 

Meath  C  8 

^  Cork  G  3 

Carlow  B  2 

Wicklow  B  3 

Dublin  E  5 

WickloW  E  2 

Queen's  Co.  B  3 

Wicklow  D  3 

Louth  C  3 

Cork  D  2 

West  Meath  C  2 

King's  Co.  C  3 

Carlow  B  2 

Longford  B  3 

,,  King's  Co.  B  4 

Kildare  C  2 

Roscommon  D  3 

Dublin  D  6 

Meath  F  3 

King's  Co.  G  2 

Mayo  D  1 

Down  C  4 

Dublin  D  6 

Queen's  Co.  E  8 


RATHGLASS.  '  INDEX.  ST  ANKS. 


Rathglass  Ho.  and  Br.,  Carlow  C  2 

Raihgormuck,  Watcrford  E  2 

Raihgmnagher,  Mayo  D  3 

Raihingle  Ho.,  Dublin  D  3 

Raihinure,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Rathkeale  and  Abb.,  Limerick  D  2 

Ralhkenny,  Meath  D  2 

Rathlackan,  Mayo  D  1 

Rathlaheen  Ho.,  Clare  G  3 
Rathleague  Ho.  &  Lo.,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Rathleash  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Rathleash  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Ratl.lee  Hd.,  Sligo  B  2 

Rathlin  Island,  Antrim  £  1 

Rathlin  O'Birne  Is.,  Donegal  A  4 

Rathluby  L.,  Clare  H  3 
Raihmacknee  Ho.  and  Ch.,  Wexford  C  4 

Rathmanna  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  3 

RathmeltoD,  Donegal  D  2 

Rathmichael  Ch..  Dublin  F  6 

Rathmines,  Dublin  D  6 

Rathmolyon,  Meath  D  4 

Rathmoon  Ho.,  Wicklow  A  3 

Rathmore,  Kildare  D  2 

Rathmore,  Wexford  B  8 

Rathmore  Ho.,  Carlow  C  1 

Rathmore  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  3 

Rathmore  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 

Rathmore  Sta.,  Kerry  E  2 

Rathmoyle  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  1 

Rathmoyle  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Rathmovle  Ho.,  Roscommon  C  3 

Rathmullan,  Donegal  E  2 

Rathmullan,  Down  E  4 

Rathnacusherao,  Wexford  A  4 

Rathnageeragh  Cas.,  Carlow  C  3 

Rathmagurry  Ho.,  Sligo  C  3 

Rathnally  Ho.,  Meath  D  3 

Rathnew,      _  Wicklow  E  3 

Rathoman  Bti,  Carlow  B  2 

Rathorp  Ho.,  Clare  G  1 

Rathowen,  West  Meath  C  2 

Rathpatrick  Ho.,  Kilkenny  A  2 

Rathpeak  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  6 

Rathrobiu  Ho.,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Rathronan  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  4 
Rathrush  Ho.,  Upper  and  Lower, 

Carlow  C  2 

Rathsallagh  Ho.,  Wicklow  A  2 

Rathtoe  Bri.  and  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Rachumney  Ca^.,  Wexford  A  4 

Rathurles  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  2 

Rathvilla,  King's  Co.  H  2 

Rathvilly  and  Barony,  Carlow  C  1 
Rathvilly  Bri.  and  Moat,       Carlow  C  1 

Rathvinden,  Carlow  A  2 

Rathwade  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Rathwire,  West  Meath  F  2 

Ratoath,  Meath  F  8 

Ratoath  Barony,  Meath  F  4 

Ratra,  Roscommon  C  2 

Ratrass,  West  Meath  F  2 

Rattin  Cas.,  West  Meath  E  3 

Rattoo  Ho.,  Kerry  C  1 

Raveagh  Ha,  Tyrone  E  i 

Ravel,  Tipperary  C  8 

Raven  Pt.,  The,  Wexford  D  3 

■Ravensdale,    _  Kildare  D  1 

Ravensdale  Bri.  and  Lo.,  Louth  C  1 

Ravensdale  Ho.,  Louth  B  1 

Ravenswood  Ho.,  Carlow  C  3 

Ravemet  R.,  Down  D  3 

Raymount,  King's  Co.  C  3 

Rayoganagh,  Clare  C  8 

Rea  L.,  Galway  F  3 

Reagh  I.,  Down  F  2 

Reagh  L.,  Kerry  C  3 

Reaghstowo,  Loutn  A  2 

Reane  L.,  I^ittim  D  3 

Reanies  Bay,  Cork  F  8 

Rearyvale  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Reaskmore,  Galway  G  3 

Reban  Cas.,  Kildare  A  3 

Red  Bay,  Antrim  E  2 

Red  CasUe,  Donegal  F  2 

Red  Cas.,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Red  Cow,  The,  Armagh  D  1 

Red  Ford,  Tyrone  H  4 

Red  Hill,  SUgo  D  2 

Red  Ho.,  Louth  A  2 

Red  I.,  Dublin  F  1 

Red  Lion,  Cavan  B  1 

Red  Park,  Wicklow  E  3 

Redcow,  Dublin  C  6 

Redcross  and  Riv.,  Wicklow  E  8 

Redford,  Wicklow  E  2 

Redforge  Cross  Roads,  Cork  H  3 

Redgap,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Redi;ap  Pl,  Clare  E  4 

Redpate,  Wexford  D  3 

Redhall  Ho.,  Antrim  G  4 

Redhill,  Sligo  F  4 

Redhill  and  Sta.,  Cavan  F  2 

RedhilU,  Kildare  B  2 

Redmondiiown.  West  Meath  C  3 

Redmondsiown  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  4 
22 


Redstone  Ho., 
Ree  Lough, 
Reedy  Is., 
Reelan  R., 
Reen  Pt., 
Reens, 
Reens  Ho., 
Relagh, 
Relane  Pt., 
Renaghmore, 
Rerrin, 
Retreat, 
Retreat, 
Reuben's  Glen, 
Reynella  Ho., 
Reynoldstown, 
Reynoldstown, 
Reynoldstown  Ho., 
Rich  Hill  and  Sta., 
Rich  View, 
Richardstown  Cas., 
Richfield  Ho., 
Richfort, 
Richmond  Ho., 
Richmond  Ho., 
Richmond  Ho., 
Richmont  Hill, 
Ricketstown  Ho., 
Riddlestown  Park, 
Ridge, 

Ridge  of  Capard, 
Ridge  Pt., 
Riffey  R., 
Rinardoo  Bay, 
Rindaly  Cotts., 
Rinekirk  Pt., 
Rinevella  B., 
Ring, 
Ring, 
Ring,  The, 
Ringabella  Bay, 
Ringboy, 
Ringdufferin, 
Ringmoylan  Quay, 
Ringrash, 
Ringsallin  Pt 
Ringsend, 
Ringville, 
Ringville  Ho., 
Ringwood  Ho., 
Rinmore  Pt., 
Rinn, 

Rinn,  Lough,  Cas.,  and  R, 
Rinn  Mt.  and  R., 
Rinville, 

Rinvyle  Ho.  and  Ft., 
River  View, 
River  View, 
Riverchapel, 
Riverdale, 
RIverdale  Ho., 
Riverpark  Ho., 
Riversdale, 
Riversdale, 
Riverstown, 
Rivers  Town, 
Riverstown, 
Riverstown, 
Riverstown  Ho., 
Riverstown  Ho., 
Riverstown  R., 
Roachtown, 
Roadford, 
Roadstown, 
Roaninish, 
Roaringwater  Bay, 
Robe  R., 
Roberts  Cove, 
Robert's  Hd.. 
Robertstown, 
Robertstown  Riv., 
Robins  L., 
Robinstown, 
Robinstown  Ho., 
Roche  Cas., 
Roche  Cas.  and  Ho., 
Roches  Pt., 
Rochestown, 
Rochestown  Ho., 
Rochestown  Ho., 
Rochfort  Ho., 
Rochfort  Ho., 
Rochfortbridge, 
Rock, 
Rock,  The, 
Rock  Ho., 
Rock  Ho., 
Rock  I., 

Rock  Island  C.-G.  Sta., 
Rock  Lo., 
Rock  Lo., 
Rock  Lo., 
Rock  of  Dunamase, 
Rock  View, 
Rock  View, 
Rock  View, 


Meath  C  2 
Roscommon  F  4 
Armagh  D  1 
Donegal  C  3 
Cork  C  4 
Limerick  D  2 
Limerick  C  8 
Leitrim  E  4 
Cork  C 
Tipperary  E 
Cork  B 
Armagh  C 
West  Meath  A 
Londonderry  E 
West  Meath  E 
Longford  D 
Louth  C 
Dublin  D 
Armagh  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Louth  B 
Wexford  C 
Longford  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Tipperary  A 
Waterford  E 
Longford  C 
Carlow  C 
Limerick  C 
Carlow  A 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Mayo  A 
West  Meath  D 
West  Meath  A 
Sligo  F 
Limerick  E 
Clare  B 
Cork  G 
Longford  D  2 
Kildare  D  3 
Cork  G  3 
Down  G  3 
Down  F  3 
Limerick  D  1 
Londonderry  E  2 
Down  E  4 
Londonderry  E  2  &  E  3 
Waterford  D  3 
Kilkenny  D  5 
Kilkenny  E  4 
Donegal  D  2 
Galway  E  3 
Leitrim  D  4 
Longford  B 
Galway  E 
Galway  A 
Cavan  E 
Tipperary  3 
Wexford  E 
Roscommon  E 
West  Meath  F 
West  Meath  B  8 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Limerick  H  8 
Cork  F  3 
Leitrim  E  4 
Sligo  F  3 
Tipperary  C  1 
Kildare  A  8 
Louth  A  2 
West  Meath  F  2 
Meath  B  2 
Clare  D  1 
Louth  C  2 
Donegal  B  3 
Cork  C  4 
Mayo  D  8 
Cork  F  3 
Cork  G  3 
Kildare  C  2 
Limerick  C  2 
West  Meath  A  8 
Meath  D  8 
Wexford  A  8 
Limerick  F  2 
Louth  B  1 
Cork  G  3 
Wexford  B  3 
Kilkenny  D  B 
Tipperary  C  4 
West  Meath  D  8 
Wexford  C  3 
West  Meath  E  3 
Tipperary  C  3 
Monaghan  B  2 
Monaghan  D  4 
Wicklow  B  4 
Galway  B  3 
Cork  B  4 
Limerick  B  2 
Meath  D  3 
Waterford  H  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Wicklow  E  8 
Limerick  F  2 


Rockabill, 
Rockbarton  Hp., 
Rockbrook, 
Rockbrook  Ho., 
Rockcorry, 
Rockdale  Ho., 
Rockfield, 
Rockfield, 
Rockfield, 


Dublin  G  1 
Limerick  F  2 
West  Meath  E  1 
SUgo  F  8 
Monaghan  B  3 
Tyrone  G  8 
Kildare  A  4 
Meath  C  2 
Roscommon  13  4 


Rockfield,  West  Meath  C  2  &  C  3 

Rockfield,  Wicklow  E  2 

Rockfield  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  1 

Rockfield  Ho.,  Longford  D  2 

Rockfield  Ho.,  Meath  D  2 

Rockfield  Ho.,  Monaghan  D  2 

Rockfield  Ho.,  Waterford  C  3 

Rockfield  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Rockfield  L.,  Cavan  D  3 

Rockfield  L.,  Leitrim  F  4 

Rockforest  Ho.,  Clare  G  1 

Rockforest  Ho.,  Cork  F  2 

Rockhill,  Limerick  E  3 

Rockhill,  Roscommon  E  6 

Rockingham  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  2 

Rockingham  Ho.,  Wicklow  C  4 

Rockland,  Armagh  D  2 

Rockland,  West  Meath  E  1 

Rockland  Ho.,  West  Meath  B  2 

Rocklow  Ho.,  Tipperary  D  4 

Rockmarshall  Ho.,  Louth  C  1 

Rockmills,  Cork  F  2 

Rockmount,  Down  E  3 

Rocksavage,  Monaghan  E  4 

Rocksavage,  Roscommon  D  4 

Rockspring,  Londonderry  F  4 

Rockspring  Ho.,  Wexford  D  2 

Rockstown  Harb.,  Donegal  E  2 

Rockstown  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

Rockvale,  Cork  F  2 

Rockvale  Ho.,  Clare  G  1 

Rockview  Ho.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Rockville  Ho.,  Roscommon  E  2 

Rockwell  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  4 

Rocky  Hill,  Armagh  D  3 

Rocky  Mt.,  Down  C  6 

Rocky  R.,  Down  C  4 

Rodanstown  Ho.,  Meath  E  4 

Roddenagh  Br.,  Wicklow  C  3 
Roe  Ho.,  Park,  &  R.,    Londonderry  D  2 

Roebuck,  Cavan  F  4 

Roesborough  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  4 

Roestown  Ho.,  Louth  B  2 

Roevehagha,  Galway  E  3 

Rogerstown  Ho.,  Louth  A  2 

Rokeby  Hall,  Louth  B  3 

Roney  Pt.,  Wexford  E  2 

Roogagh  R.,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Rookery,  Wexford  A  4 

Rookery,  Wicklow  E  2 

Roositagh,  Roscommon  E  5 

Roosky,  Roscommon  F  2 

Roristown,  Meath  D  3 

Rosbercon,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Roscall  Ho.,  Dublin  E  2 

Roscavey,  Tyrone  F  3 

Rosclogher  Barony,  Leitrim  B  1 

Roscommon,  Roscommon  D  4 
Roscommon  Barony,      Roscommon  D  3 

Roscrea,  Tipperary  C  2 

Roscroe  L.,  Clare  H  3 

Roscunnish  L.,  Leitrim  C  3 

Rosdaul,  Galway  F  2 

Rose  Lawn,  Kildare  D  2 

Rose  Mount,  West  Meath  C  3 

Rose  ViUa,  Wicklow  B  4 

Roseboro,  Kildare  D  2 

Rosebrook  Ho.,  Armagh  B  2 

Rosefield,  Monaghan  B  2 
Rosegarland  Ho.  &  Cott.,    Wexford  B  4 

Rosegreen,  Tipperary  C  4 

Rosehill  Bri.,  Cavan  H  4 

Rosemead  Ho.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Rosemeade  Ho.,  Galway  E  3 

Rosemount,  Waterford  F  2 

Rosemount  Lo.,  Wexford  A  8 

Rosenallis,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Rosepenna  Sands,  Donegal  D  2 

Rosetown,  Kildare  C  3 

Roseville  and  Cott.,  Waterford  B  8 

Rosguill  (District),  Donegal  D  2 

Roshin,  Donegal  C  4 

Roskeeragh  Pt,  Sligo  D  1  &  E  1 

Roskill  Ho.,  Limerick  G  2 

Roslee  Cas.,  Sligo  C  2 

Rosmore  Cas.,  Monaghan  C  2 

Ross  Bay,  Clare  A  4 

Ross  Barony,  Galway  C  2 

Ross  Cas.,  Kerry  D  2 

Ross  Ho.,  Clare  K  3 

Ross  Ho.,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Ross  Ho.,  Meath  A  2 

Ross  Lo.,  Antrim  E  4 

Ross  L.,  Armagh  C  4 

Ross  L.,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Ross  L.,  Galway  D  2 

Ross  L.,  L«ulh  A  2 


Rossagh, 
Rossan  Pt., 
Rossana  Ho., 
Rossbehy  and  Crk., 
Ross  Carbery, 
Rosscarbery  Bay, 


Cork  F  2 

Donegal  A  3 

Wicklow  E  2 

Kerry  B  2 

Cork  D  4 

Cork  E  4 


Rosscor  Ho. ,  Fermanagh  ii  2 

Rossdohan,  Kerry  C  3 

Rossenarra  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Rosserk  Ab.,  Mayo  D  1 

Rosses,  Sligo  E  2 

Rossfad,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Rossinan,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Ros.skeen  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  3 

Ros.skirk,  Doneg<a  E  2 

Rosskit  Is.,  Fermanagh  B  2 

Rosslare  Ho.  and  Pt.,  Wexford  D  4 

Rosslea  and  Manor,  Fermanagh  G  3 

Rossline,  Cork  E  2 

Rossminoge  Ch.,  Wexford  D  2 

Rossmore,  Cork  E  3 

Rossmore  Cott.,  Monaghan  C  2 

Rossmore  Ho.,  Limerick  D  3 

Rossmore  Is. ,  Kerry  C  8 

Rossmore  Lo.,  Kildare  B  2 

Rosnaree  Ho.,  Meath  E  2 

Rossnowlagh,  Donegal  C  4 

Rossole  L.,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Rosstrevor  and  Quay,  Down  B  5 

Rossnakill,  Donegal  E  2 

Rostellan  Cas.,  Cork  G  8 

Rothescar,  Louth  B  3 

Roths  Mt.,  Cork  G  8 

Rough  Is.,  Fermanagh  C  2 

Rough  Pt.,  Kerry  C  2 

Roughty  R.,  Kerry  D  3 

Round  O  Rath,  Carlow  D  3 

Round  'Tower,  Antrim  D  4 

Round  Tower,  Louth  B  1 
Round  Tower  and  Cas. ,      Kilkenny  A  2 

Roundfort,  Mayo  D  3 

Roundstone,  Galway  B  2 

Roundwood  and  Park,  Wicklow  D  2 

Roundwood  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

Rousky,  Tyrone  F  2 

Rowan  L.,  Leitrim  D  3 

Rower,  The,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Rowesmount  Ho.,  Wexford  D  4 

Rowlestown  Ho.,  Dublin  D  3 

Roxborough,  Armagh  C  4 

Roxborough,  Galway  E  3 

Roxborough,  Roscommon  D  4 

Roxborough  Cas.,  Tyrone  H  4 

Roxborough  Ho.,  Limerick  F  2 

Roxborough  Ho.,  I^uth  B  3 

Roxton  Ho.,  Clare  F  2 

Roy  L.,  Donegal  D  2 

RoyR.,  Donegal  C  2 
Royal  Canal,  Dublin  C  4,  Meath  D  4, 

West  Meath  B  2 

Royaloak,  Carlow  A  2 

Ruan,  Clare  G  2 

Rubane  Ho.,  Down  G  3 

Ruddan  L.,  West  Meath  D  1 

Rue  Pt.,  Antrim  D  1 

Runabay  Hd.,  Antrim  E  1 

Runnastoat,  Roscommon  D  3 

Rush,  Dublin  F  2 

Rush  Hall  Court,  Queen's  Co.  B  8 

Rush  Harbour,  Dublin  G  2 

Rushen  L.,  Fermanagh  C  1 

Rushestown,  Galway  F  2 

Rushfield,  Roscommon  D  2 

Rushwee,  Meath  E  2 

Rusk  Ho.,  Meath  F  4 

Russborough  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  2 

Russellstown  Ho.,  Kilkenny  E  4 

Russellstown  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  2 
Russellstown  Lo.  and  Park,    Carlow  C  1 

Russellstown  R.,  Waterford  C  2 

Rutland  I.,  Donegal  B  3 

Rutland  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Rutland  Lo.  and  Ho.,  Carlow  B  1 

Rye  Water,  Kildare  D  1 

Ryefield,  Roscommon  D  2 

Ryefield  Ho.,  Cavan  G  4 

Ryehill,  Galway  E  2 

Ryevale,  Kildare  E  1 

Rylagh,  Tyrone  E  8 

Ryndville,  Meath  C  4 

Ryston,  Kildare  C  2 

Ryves  Cas.,  Limerick  G  3 


Sabine  Field, 

Sackinstown, 

Saddle  Head, 

Saddle  Hill, 

Sadleirswells  Ho., 

Saggart, 

Saggart  Hill, 

St  Andrews  Well, 

St  Anne's, 

St  Anns  Grave  Yd., 


Queen's  Co.  E  2 

Kilkenny  E  S 

Mayo  A  1 

Leitrim  C  1 

Tipperary  B  4 

Dublin  B  6 

Dublin  B  6 

Cariow  B  2 

Wexford  C  3 

Dublin  C  6 


ST  AKNS. 


INDEX. 


St  Anns  Ho., 

St  Aubyns  Ho., 

St  Braagh  s  Well, 

St  Bridgets  Ch., 

St  Catherines, 

St  Cloud  Ho., 

St  Columb's, 

St  Denis's  Well, 

St  Doalaghs, 

St  Edans, 

St  Edmonds, 

St  Edmondsbury  Ho., 

St  Finan's  Bay, 

St  Hubert. 

St  Johns  Ho., 

St  Johns  L., 

St  Johns  Pt., 

St  Johns  Pt., 

St  Johnstown, 

St  Johnstown  Gas., 

St  Kenny's  Well, 

St  Macdara's  I., 

St  Margaret's  Ho., 

St  Michaels  Ch., 

St  Mullins  and  Lock, 

St  Mullins,  Lower  Bar. 

St  Mullins,  Upper  Bar. 

St  Nalery, 

St  Nicholas  Well, 

St  Patrick's  L, 

St  Patricks  Well, 

St  Patricks  Well, 

St  Patrickswell, 

St  Thomas  Island  (Shan 

St  Wolstans  and  Aobey, 

Saintfield  and  Ho., 

Saints  L., 

Salem  Lodge, 

Salem  Mt., 

Salialean, 

Salisbury  Ho., 

Salisbury  Lo., 

Sallagh  L., 

Sallaghan  Bri., 

Sallins  and  Sta., 

Sallow  1., 

Sallowglen, 

Sally  Bog, 

Sally  Gap, 

Sally  Park, 

Sallybrook, 

Sallyfield, 

Sallymount, 

Sallymount, 

Sallymount  Ho., 

Sallymount  Ho., 

Sallyview, 

Salrock, 

Salt  L., 

Salt  Hill, 

Salt  Hill, 

Salt  Rock, 

Salt,  North  Barony, 

Salt,  South  Barony, 

Saltee  Islands, 

Salterbridge  Ho., 

Salterstown, 

Saltmills, 

Salville  Ho., 

Sand  Bay, 

Sand  L., 

Sandbrook  Ho., 

Sandeel  Bay, 

Sandfield  Ho., 

Sandfords  Cott., 

Sandhole  Ho., 

Sandville, 

Sandy  Ford, 

Sandymount, 

Sandymount, 

Santry  and  Ho., 

San  try  R., 

Sapperton  Ho.( 

Sarahville, 

Sarshill  Ho., 

Saugville  Ho., 

Saul, 

Sauls  For3, 

Saunders  Bri., 

Saunders  Court, 

Saundersville, 

Sawel  Mtn., 

Scalp, 

Scalp, 

Scalp, 

Scalp,  The, 

Scarawalsh  Barony, 

Scardan, 

Scariff, 

Scarnagh  CrosJ  Roads, 

Scarriff, 

Scarriff  Bay, 

Scartaglin, 

Scartana  Ho., 

Scarteen  Ho., 

Scartlea, 

28 


Dublin  E  4 
Dublin  F  5 
Wexford  D  4 
Carlow  B  2 
Clare  I  2 
Meath  E  3 
Londonderry  B  2 
Louth  C  3 
Dublin  E  4 
Wexford  C  2 
Wexford  D  3 
Dublin  B  4 
Kerry  A  3 
Fermanagh  E  3 
Kildare  C  4 
Leitrim  D  3 
Donegal  B  4 
Down  F  4 
Donegal  E  3 
Tipperary  D  3 
Dublin  D  2 
Gal  way  B  3 
Wexford  D  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Carlow  B  4 
Carlow  B  3 
Carlow  D  2 
Wicklow  E  1 
Wexford  D  3 
Dublin  G  1 
Down  F  2 
Carlow  D  1 
Limerick  E  2 
non).    Clare  I  3 
Kildare  D  1 
Down  D  3 
Longford  B  3 
Armagh  C  2 
Monaghan  A  2 
GaTway  C  2 
Kildare  B  3 
Longford  A  3 
Leitrim  E  4 
Cavan  D  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Kildare  A  3 
Kerry  D  1 
Kilkenny  D  3 
Wicklow  D  2 
.Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Cork  F  3 
Roscommon  F  2 
Monaghan  C  2 
Roscommon  E  3 
Kildare  C  3 
West  Meath  E  1 
West  Meath  F  2 
Galway  B  2 
Donegal  D  2 
Donegal  C  4 
Galway  D  3 
Wexford  E  2 
Kildare  D  1 
Kildare  D  2 
Wexford  C  5 
Waterford  B  3 
Louth  C  2 
Wexford  A  4 
Wexford  C  3 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Wexford  A  5 
Roscommon  E  4 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Wicklow  C  3 
Dublin  E  5 
Louth  B  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Dublin  E  4 
Waterford  B  3 
Waterford  E  2 
Wexford  C  4 
Clare  F  3 
Down  E  3 
Carlow  D  1 
West  Meath  E  2 
Wexford  D  3 
Wicklow  A  3 
Londonderry  C  4 
Donegal  E  2 
Galway  F  4 
Wicklow  B  2 
Dublin  E  6 
Wexford  C  2 
West  Meath  F  2 
Kerry  B  3 
Wexford  E  1 
Clare  I  2 
Clare  K  2 
Kerry  D  2 
Tipperary  C  4 
Limfcrick  G  3 
Cork  C  3 


Scarva, 

Scarva  and  Junct., 
Scarvy  Ho., 
Scattery  I., 
Scilly  Cove, 
Scion  Hill, 
Scogh, 
Scolban  L., 
Scolboa, 
Scollogs  Tn., 
Scotch  Street, 
Scotch  'Town, 
Scotchrath  Ho., 
Scotland  Bri., 
Scotsborough, 
Scotshouse, 
Scotstown, 
Scottsborough  Ho. 
Scrabby, 
Scrabo  Hill, 
Scramoge  R., 
Scrawtown, 
Screenagh  R., 
Scregg  and  Ho., 
Scregg,  E.  and  W  , 
Screggan, 
Scullaboge  Ho., 
Scullane  Ft., 
Scur  L., 
Scurlocks  Leap, 
Seabank  Ho., 
Seacor  Big, 
Seaficid, 
Seafield, 
Seafield  Ho., 
Seafield  Ho., 
Seafield  Ho,i 
Seafield  Hp., 
Seafin, 
Seafin  Cas., 
Seaforde, 
Seaforde  Ho  , 
Seafort, 
Seal  Rocks, 
Sea  Park, 
Sea  Park, 
Seapark  Ho., 
Seasons  Ho., 
Seatown  Cas.. 
Seaview, 
Sea  View, 
Sea  View, 
Seaview, 
Seaview  Cott., 
Sea  View  Cott., 
Seaview  Ho., 
Seaville  Ho., 
Seaweed  Pt., 
Seecon  I., 
Seefin, 
Seefin  Mt., 
Seefingan  Mt., 
Segrave  Cas., 
Selloo  Ho., 
Seltan  L., 

Semlockstown  Cas., 
Sentry  Lodge, 
Scskin  Ho., 
Seskinore, 
Sessiagh  L., 
Seven  Churches, 
Seven  Churches, 
Seven  Heads  and  Bay, 
Seven  Stars,  The, 
Shad  L., 
Shacn  Ho., 
Shallee  R., 
Shalwy, 
Shamrock  Hill, 
Shamrock  Lodge, 
Shamrock  Lo., 
Shanafaraghaup, 
Shanagarry, 
Shanagh, 
Shanaglish, 
Shanagolden, 
Shanbally, 
Shanbally, 
Shanbally  Cas.> 
Shanbally  Ho., 
Shanballymore, 
Shanderry, 
Shanes  Cas., 
Shanganagh  Cas., 
Shanganny  Cas. , 
Shanid  Barony  and  Cas. 
Shankill  Cas., 
Shankill  Ho., 
Shankill  Riv., 
Shankill  Sta., 
Shanlieve, 
Shanlis  Ho., 
Shannagh  L., 
Shannon  Bridge, 
Shannon  Harb., 
Shannon  Lawn, 


Down 
Armagh 
Monaghan 
Clare 
Cork 
Down 
Kilkenny 
Fermanagh 
Antrim 
Down 
Armagh 
Tyrone 
Queen's  Co. 
Carlow 
Kilkenny 
M.onaghan 
Monaghan 
Fermanagh 
Cavan 
Down 
Roscommon 
Kildare 
Fermanagh 
Roscommon 
Galway 
King's  Co. 
Wexford 
Cork 
Leitrim 
Wicklow 
Wicklow 
Donegal 
Dublin 
Louth 
Clare 
Sligo 
Waterford 
Wexford 
Meath 
Down 
Down 
Down 
Cork 
Sligo 
Antrim 
Dublin 
Wicklow 
Kildare 
Dublin 
Mayo 
.  Sligo 
Wicklow 
Waterford 
Louth 
Waterford 
Wexford 
Sligo 
Galway 
Galway 
Waterford 
Limerick 
Dublin 
Kildare 
Monaghan 
Leitrim 
West  Meath 
Queen's  Co. 
Kilkenny 
Tyrone 
Donegal 
King's  Co. 
Wicklow 
Cork 
Kildare 
Roscommon 
Queen's  Co. 
Clare 
Donegal 
Meath 
Dublin 
Kildare 
GaKvay 
Cork 
Cork 
Galway 
Limerick 
Cork 
Down 
Tipperary 
Tipperary 
Cork 
Queen's  Co. 
Antrim 
Dublin 
Kilkenny 
Limerick 
Kilkenny 
Waterford 
Wicklow 
Dublin 
Down 
Louth 
Down 
King's  Co. 
King's  Co. 
Limerick 


i 

2 
3 
4 

3 
3 
4 
2 
4 
4 
2 
2 
3 
1 
3 
3 
2 
3 
3 
2 
3 
2 
2 
4 
2 
2 
3 
4 
3 
1 
4 
3 
3 
2 
3 
2 
3 
1 
2 
4 
4 
4 
4 
1 
4 
3 
3 
3 
3 
2 
2 
4 
3 
2 
3 
2 
2 
3 
2 
2 
4 
6 
2 
2 
4 
2 
3 
2 
3 
2 
2 
2 
4 
3 
3 
2 
2 
4 
3 
4 
3 
2 
3 
4 
3 
2 
3 
4 
4 
2 
2 
3 

D  4 
F  6 
C  2 
C  2 
D  2 
D  2 
C  1 
F  6 
C 
A 
C 
B 
C 
6 


Shannon  R.,  source. 
Shannon  R.,  mouth. 
Shannon  View, 
Shannongrove  Ho., 
Shannonvale  Ho., 
Shanow  R., 
Shantonagh, 
Shanvally, 
Shanvally, 
Sharaghan, 
Sharavogue  Ho., 
Shark  L., 
Shaws  L., 
Shean,  North, 
Shee  Bridge, 
Shee  L., 
Sheenamore, 
Shee^un, 
SheefTry  Mines, 
Shechaunrevagh, 
Sheehills  Ho,, 
Sheelin,  Lough, 
Sheen  R. , 
Sheep  Haven, 
Sheep  I., 
Sheep  I., 
Sheepland  Har., 
Sheeptown  Cas., 
SheeptQwn  Ho., 
Sheepwalk  Ho., 
Sheerin  Street, 
Sheetrim  L., 
Sheever  L., 
Sheffield  Ho., 
Shehy  Mt., 
Shelburne  Barpny, 
Shelmaliere,  East  Bar., 
Shelmaliere,  West  Bar., 
Shelton  Abbey, 
Shenick's  I., 
Shercock, 
Sheriffhill/ 
Sherkin  I.,  C.-G.  S., 
Sherky  I., 
Sherlockstown, 
Sherwood  Ho.  and  Park, 
Sheshia, 
Sheskinmore  L., 


Cavan  B  1 
Clare  C  4 
Limerick  D  2 
Limerick  D  1 
Tipperary  A  2 
Kerry  D  1 
Monaghan  C  3  &  D  3 
Galway  G  3 
Roscommon  F  3 
Donegal  B 
King's  Co.  C 
Down  A 
Armagh  C 
Fermanagh  C 
Kildare  B 
Monaghan  B 
Wicklow  C 
Galway  D  3 
Mayo  C  2 
Roscommon  E 
1'ipperary  D 
Cavan  F 
Kerry  D 
Donegal  D 
Antrim  C 
Waterford  F 
Down  F 
Kilkenny  C  4 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Wicklow  D  4 
Roscommon  F  3 
Armagh  C  4 
West  Meath  E  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Cork  D  3 
Wexford  A  4 
Wexford  D  3 
%Vexrord  B  4 
Wicklow  D  4 
Dublin  G  2 
Cavan  H  3 
Kildare  C  4 
Cork  C  4 
Kerry  C  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Carlow  C 
Clare  F 
Donegal  B 


Shillelagh  Tn.,  Bar.,  &  Sta.,  Wicklow  B 


Shillelogher  Barony, 
Shinan  Ho., 
Shindilla  L., 
Shinglis  Cott., 
Shinina  R., 
Shinrone, 
Shippool, 
Shiven  R., 
Shortstone  Ho., 
Shot  Head, 
Shoumagh  River, 
Shrigley, 
Shrule  Barony, 
Shrule, 
Shrule  Cas., 
Shuddan, 


ddan, 

gginstown  Is., 
Han  L., 
Uees  R., 

Iver  and  Lead  Mines, 
Iver  Bridge, 
Iver  Brook, 
Iver  Hill, 
Iver  Hill, 
Iver  Mine, 
Iver  R., 
Ivcrfield, 
Iverfort  Ho., 
Iverhili, 
Ivermine  Mts., 
Ivermines, 
Ivcrspring, 
Iverspring  Ho., 
ngland  Ho., 
ngle  Street, 
ngleton  Fort, 


on  Ho., 

on  Mills  Sta., 

xmilebridge, 

xmilebridge, 

X  Mile  Cross, 

X  Mile  L., 

X  Mile  Pt.  and  Sta., 

X  Mile  Water, 

X  Road  Ends, 

X  Towns,  The, 
Skady  Tower, 
Skahugh, 
Skannive  L., 
Skate  L., 
Skea  and  Ho., 
Skeagh  L., 
Skeaghatooreen, 
Skeahoges, 
Skean  C, 


Kilkenny  B 
Cavan  H 
Galway  C 
West  Meath  B 
Down  D 
King's  Co.  C 
Cork  F 
Galway  F 
Louth  A 
Cork  C 
Cork  E 
Down  F 
Longford  C 
Mayo  D 
Queen's  Co.  F 
Donegal  F 
Meath  E 
Wexford  D 
Cavan  H 
Fermanagh  D  2 
Clare  G  2 
Armagh  C  4 
Tyrone  E  1 
Fermanagh  D  2 
King's  Co.  C  4 
Clare  D  1 
King's  Co.  D  2  &  E  2 
Roscommon  B  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Louth  A  2 
Tipperary  A 
Tipperary  A 
Wexford  D 
Kilkenny  C 
Limerick  F 
Donegal  C 
Monaghan  C 
Tyrone  D  2 
Wexford  C  3 
Tyrone  D  2 
Clare  H  3 
Limerick  F  2 
Tyrone  F  3 
Monaghan  C  2 
Wicklow  E  2 
Antrim  E  4 
Down  F  2 
Londonderry  D  4 
Antrim  C  4 
West  Meath  C  2 
Galway  B  2 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Fermanagh  D  S 
Cavan  H  3 
Tipperary  C  4 
Leitrim  E  4 
Roscommon  D  1 


SUSH. 

Skehanagh, 
Skellig  Rocks, 
Skenakilla  Cross  Roads, 
Skerdmore, 
Skernaghan  Pt., 
Skerries,  The, 
Skerries  and  Sta., 
Skerries  Ho., 
Skerry  Ch., 
Skibbereen, 
Skirk, 

Skreen  and  Barony, 
Skreen, 
Skreen  Hill, 
Skreeny  Ho., 
Skull, 
Slade, 
Slade  Burn, 
Slaght  Bridge, 
Slaheny  R., 
Slane, 

Slane  and  Cas., 
Slane,  Lower  Barony, 
Slane,  Upper  Barony, 
Slaney  Park  and  R., 
Slaney  R., 
Slaney  R., 
Slate  Pt., 
Slate  R., 
Slea  Hd., 
Sleady  Cas., 
Slean  More, 
Sleatygraigue, 
Slemish  Mount, 
Slevins  L., 
Slevoir  Ho., 
Slevoy  Cas., 
Sliddery  Bay, 
Slievbingian, 
Slieve, 
Slieve  AIjj, 
Slieve  Anierin, 
Slieve  Aughty  Mts., 
Slieve  Beagh, 
Slieve  Bearnagh, 
Slieve  Bernagh  Mts., 
Slieve  Bloom, 
Slieve  Bregh, 
Slieve  Croob, 
Slieve  Daeane, 
Slieve  Dart, 
Slieve  Elva, 
Slieve  Fyagh, 
Slieve  Gamph  Mts., 


Galway  E  8 
Kerry  A  3 
Cork  F  2 
Galway  A  3 
Antrim  G  3 
Antrim  B  1 
Dublin  F 
Kildare  B 
Antrim  E 
Cork  C 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Meath  E 
Wexford  D 
Fermanagh  D  3 
Leitrim  C  2 
Cork  C 
Wexford  A 
Dublin  C 
Antrim  C 
Kerry  D 
Antrim  E 
Meath  E 
Meath  E 
Meath  E 
Wicklow  A 
Carlow  C 
Wexford  C  3 
Waterford  G  3 
Kildare  A 
Kerry  A 
Waterford  C 
Mayo  A 
Queen's  Co.  F 
Antrim  E 
West  Meath  D 
Tipperary  B 
Wexford  B 
Down  F 
Down  D 
Roscommon  C  8 
Mayo  B  1 
Leitrim  D  3 
Galway  F 
Tyrone  E 
Down  D 
Clare  I 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Meath  E 
Down  D  3 
Sligo  F  2 
Roscommon  A  3 
Clare  E  1 
Mayo  B  1 
Sligo  C  3 


Slieve  Gadoe  or  Church  Mt., 

Wicklow  B  2 

Slieve  Gallion,  Londonderry  E  4 

Slieve  Glah,  Cavan  F  3 

Slieve  Gullion,  Armagh  D  4 

Slieve  Gullion,  Meath  B  2 

Slieve  League,  Donegal  A  4 

Slieve  Mish,  Kerry  C  2 

Slieve  Miskish  Mts.,  Cork  B  3 

Slieve  Muckj  Down  C  5 

Slieve-na-  Calliagh,  Meath  B  2 

Slieve  Naglogh,  Louth  C  1 

Slieve  Rushen,  Fermanagh  E  4 

Slieve  Snaght,  Donegal  E  2 

Slieveanard,  1'ipperary  B  4 

Slieveanorra,  Antrim  D  2 

Slieveardagh  Barony,  Tipperary  D  3 

Slieveatooey,  Donegal  B  3 

Siieveavaddy,  Londonderry  D  4 

Slieveboy,  Wexford  D  2 

Slievebrack,  Armagh  D  4 

Slievebuck,  Donegal  E 

Slievecallan,  Clare  E 

Slievecarran,  Clare  F 

Slievecommedagh,  Down  D 

Slievecorragh,  Wicklow  B 

Slievefelim  Mts.,  Limerick  H 

Slievegarran,  Down  D 

Slieveglass,  Kerry  B 

Slievemaan,  Wicklow  C 

Slievemargy  Bar.,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Slievemartin,  Down  B  6 

Slievemeel,  Down  C 

Slievemore,  Tyrone  F 

Slievenaboley  Mt.,  Down  C 

Slievenaglough,*  Down  D 

Slievenahanaghan,  Antrim  D 

Slievenakilla,  Cavan  B 

Slievenaman,  Tipperary  D  4 

Slievenamuck,  Tipperary  A  4 

Slievenanee,  Antrim  D  2 

Slievenisky,  Down  D  4 
Slievekimalta  or  Keeper  Hill, 

Tipperary  8 

Slievekirk,  Tyrone  E  1 

Slievelamagan,  Down  D  5 

Slieveroe,  Kilkenny  D  5 

Sligo^  Sligo  F  2 

Sligo  Bay,  Sligo  D  2 

Sliguflf  Lock,  Carlow  B  8 

Slihaunmore,  Galway  F  3 

Slish  Mt.,  Sligo  F  2 


SLTNE. 


INDEX. 


TINHAT.T.A 


Slyne  Head, 
Small  County  Barony, 
Smarmore  Cas., 
Smearlagh  R., 
Smerw  ick  Harb., 


Galway  A  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Louth  A  3 
Kerry  D  1 
Kerry  A  2 


Smithborough  and  Sta.,     Monaghan  B  2 

Smithstown,  Kilkenny  D  4 

Smithstown  Ho.,  Clare  E  2 

Smythbrook  Ho.,  Longford  C  3 

Snave  Br.,  Cork  C  3 

Sneem,  Kerry  C  3 

Snowhill,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Snowhill  Ho.,  Kilkenny  D  5 

Snugboro,  Meath  F  3 

Snugborough  Bridge,  Wicklow  B  2 

Snugborough  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Snugburrow,  Kildare  B  4 

Soarns  Hill,  Antrim  E  3 

Sockar,  Donegal  D  3 

Soldierstown,  Antrim  D  5 

Solsborough  Ho.,  Tipperary  A  2 

Solsborough  Ho.,  \Ve.\ford  C  2 

Somerset,  Londonderry  E  2 

Somerton,  Sligo  E  3 

Somerton  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  2 

Somenille  Ho.,  Meath  E  3 

Sonna  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  2 

Sonnagh,  Galway  F  2 

Sopwell  Hall,  Tipperary  B  2 

Sorrel  Hill,  Wicklow  C  2 

Sorrel  Ho.,  Clare  E  3 

SorrelhiU  Ho.,  Tipperary  C  2 

Sorrento  Pt.,  Dublin  G  5 

South  Hill,  West  Meath  F  2 

South  Lodge,  Tipperary  E  4 

Southfield  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  E  3 

Southpark  Ho.,  Koscommon  C  3 

Sovereign  Is.,  Cork  F  4 

Sow  R.,  Wexford  C  3 

Spa  Cott.,  Down  D  3 

Spa  Hill,  Limerick  B  2 

Spancelhill,  Clare  G  2 

Spanish  Pt.,  Clare  D  2 

Spear  Vale,  Cavan  G  3 

Spences  Mt.  and  R.,  Down  D  5 

Sperrin  Mt£.,  Londonderry  C  4 

Spiddle,  Galway  D  3 

Spike  1.,  Cork  G  3 
SpinansCrossRds.  and  Bri.,  Wicklow  B  3 

Spink,  King's  Co.  E  3 

Spittle,  Limerick  G  3 
Sporthouse  Cross  Rds.,     Waterford  F  2 

Spring  Farm,  Armagh  C  2 

Spring  Garden  Ho.,  King's  Co,  D  1 

Spring  Ho.,  Tipperary  B  4 

Spring  L.,  Monaghan  D  4 

Spring  Lodge,  Kildare  B  4 

Spring  Mount,  Limerick  D  3 

Spring  Mount,  Monaghan  C  1 

Spring  Park,  Lon^ord  D  2 

Spring  Vale,  Cork  F  2 

Spring  Valley,  Meath  D  4 

Spring  Villa,  Longford  D  2 

Springfield,  Cavan  F  3 

Springfield,  Fermanagh  D  2 

Springfield,  Kildare  D  1 

Springfield,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Springfield,  Wicklow  B  4 

Springfield  Cas.,  Limerick  D  3 

Springfield,  East,  Sligo  F  2 

Springfield  Ho.,.  Kilkenny  D  6 

Springfield  Ho.,  King's  Co.  G  2 

Springford  Ho.,  Carlow  B  2 

Springhill,  Londonderry  F  4 

Springhill,  Tyrone  D  4 

Springhill  Ho.,  Louth  A  2 
Springhill  Ho.,     Queen's  Co.  B  3  &  F  4 

Springlawn,  Galway  F  2 

Springmount,  Antrim  D  3 

Springmount,  Tipperary  B  2 

Springmount  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  C  8 

Springtown,  Fermanagh  E  8 

Springvale  Ho.,  Down  O  2 

Spunkanc,  Kerry  B  3 

Square,  Down  C  4 

Squires  Hill.  Antrim  E  6 

Sragh  Bridge,  Carlo*  C  2 

Srah,  King's  Co.  D  2 

Srah,  Mayo  C  2 

Srahan  Cas. ,  Queen's  Co.  B  2 

SrahduflTHo.,  Tipperary  B  1 

Srahduffy  R.,  Leitrim  C  1 

Sraid,  Longford  C  2 

Sralea  Ho.,  Roscommon  D  6 

Srahnalong,  Galway  C  2 

Sriflr  Cott.,  Leitrim  B  2 

Sruh  Bridge,  Waterford  B  3 

Sruh  Croppa  R.,  Fermanagh  C  3 

Sruhraungloragh  Br.,  Carlow  B  3 

Stabanoan,  Louth  B  2 

Stackallan,  Meath  E  2 

.Stacks  Mts.,  Kerry  D  2 

Stacumny,  Kildare  E  1 

Stadalt,  Meath  G  8 

Sufford  Lodge,  Waterford  E  2 

Stafford!  Bri..  Meath  D  1 
24 


Staffordstown  Ho.,  Meath  E  3 

Staffordstown  Sta.,  Antrim  C  4 

Siagdale,  Limerick  H  3 

Stags  of  Broad  Haven,  Mayo  B  1 

Stahohnog,  Meath  D  2 

StamuUin,  Meath  G  3 

Stand  Ho.,  Kildare  B  2 

Staplestown  and  Ho.,  Kildare  C  2 

Stapletown  Lo.,  Carlow  B  2 

Starinagh,  Meath  F  2 

Steamstown  Ho.,  Sligo  D  S 

Steeple,  The,  Tipperary  B  4 

Stepaside,  Dublin  E  5 
Stephenstown  Bri.  and  Ho.,     Louth  B  2 

Stephenstown  Ho.,  Meath  D  2 

Stewart  Lodge,  Carlow  B  2 

Stewarts  Town,  Cavan  G  2 

Stewartstown,  Tyroiie  H  3 

Stickillin  Ho.,  Louth  A  2 

Stifyans  Cross,  Louth  B  3 
Stillorgan,  Cas.,  and  Sta.,  Dublin  E  5 
Stokestown  Ho.  and  Cas.,    We.\ford  A  3 

Stone  Bridge,  Monaghan  A  2 

Stone  Ho.,  Louth  B  3 

Stone  Park,  Fermanagh  F  3 

Stonebrook  and  Cott.,  Kildare  D  3 

Stonefield  Ho.,  Me.ith  B  2 

Stonehall,  Limerick  D  2 

Stonehall,  West  Meath  D  2 

Stonestown  R.,  West  Meath  F  2 

Stoneville  Ho.,  Limerick  D  2 

Stony  R.,  Leitrim  D  3 

Stonybatter,  Wicklow  C  4 

Stonyford,  Antrim  E  5 

Stonyford,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Stonyford  R.,  Meath  C  3 

Stormont  Cas.,  JDown  E  2 

Storraount,  Armagh  D  2 

Stormount  Ho.,  Wicklow  B  2 

Storren  L.,  Sligo  C  2 

Strabane,  Tyrone  D  2 
Strabane,  Lower  Barony,  Tyrone  D  2 
Strabane,  Upper  Barony,       Tyrone  F  2 

Stracum  R.,  Antrim  C  2 

Stradarran,  Londonderry  C  3 

Stradbally,  Galway  E  3 

Stradbally,  Kerry  B  2 

Stradbally,  Waterford  E  3 

Stradbally  Barony,  Queen's  Co.  D  2 

Strade,  Mayo  D  2 

Stradone,  Cavan  F  3 

Straffan  and  Ho.,  Kildare  D  2 

Straghan's  L.,  Armagh  B  3 

Stra^  R.,  Donegal  B  3 

Straid,  Antrim  F  4 

Straid  Donegal  E  2 

Straid  Hill,  Londonderry  C  3 

Straid  R.,  Donegal  F  2 

Straidkilly,  Antrim  E  3 

Stranagalwilly,  Tyrone  F  1 
Strantally  Cas.  and  Ho.,    Waterford  B  3 

Strand  Bridge,  Wicklow  C  3 

Strand  I.,  Galway  C  2 

Strandfield,  Louth  B  1 

Strangford  and  Lough,  Down  F  3 

Stranmore,  Down  A  3 

Stranocum,  Antrim  C  2 

Stranorlar,  Donegal  D  3 

Stratford  and  Lo.,  Wicklow  A  3 

Straw  Hall,  Carlow  B  1 

Strawberryhill  Ho.,  King's  Co.  C  2 

Streamhill  Ho.,  Cork  F  2 

Streamstown  Ho.,  Kildare  C  3 

Streamstown  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  3 

Streamstown  Ho.,  Louth  A  2 
Streamstown,  Ho.,  and  Sta., 

West  Meath  C  3 

Streamstown  Ho.,  West  Meath  E  2 

Streedagh  Pt.  and  Ho.,  SEgo  E  1 

Street,  West  Meath  C  1 

Streeve  Ho.,  Londonderry  D  2 

Streeve  Mt.,  Londonderry  D  3 

Strogue,  Tipperary  C  2 

Strokestown  and  Ho.,  Roscommon  E  3 

Stroove,  Donegal  G  2 

Struell,  Down  E  4 

Strule  R.,     ,  Tyrone  E  2 

Struwaddacon  Bay,  Mayo  B  1 

Stuake,  Cork  E  3 

Stuart  Hall,  Tyrone  I  3 

Sturrakeen,  Tipperary  B  4 

Sturrall,  Donegal  A  3 

Sturrin,  Tyrone  A  3 

Suck  R.,  Roscommon  D  5 

Suffolk,  Antrim  E  5 

Sugar  Hill,  Limerick  B  3 
Sugar  Loaf,  Gt.  and  Lit.,     Wicklow  E  2 

Sugarloaf  Mt.,  Cork  C  3 

Suir  Cas.,  Tipperary  C  i 

Suir  Mount,  Waterford  C  2 
Suir  R.,  Tipferary  C  4  &  Waterford  F  2 

Sullane  R.,  Cork  D  3 

Summer  Grove,  Queen's  Co.  C  2 

Summer  Islatia,  Armagh  C  2 

Summer  Ville,  Cork  E  2 

Summerhill,  Fermanagh  G  3 


Summerhill, 
Summerhill, 
Summerhill, 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerhill  Ho., 
Summerseat, 
Summerstown  Ho., 
Summer\'ille, 
Summerville, 
Sun  Ville, 
Suncroft, 
Sunderlin  L., 
Sunlawn  Ho., 
SunnyhiU  Cott., 
Sutherland, 
Sutton  and  Ho., 
Suttons  Bridge,. 
Swallow  L., 
Swan, 
Swan  L., 

Swanli'oar  and  R., 
Swanlibar  or  Cladagli 
Swatragh, 
Sweep,  The, 
Sweep,  The, 
Swectbank, 
Swectmount, 
Swilly  Burn  and  R., 
Swillj-  Lough, 
Swineford, 
Swinehill, 
Swine's  Head, 
Swords, 

Sybil  Hd.  and  Pt., 
Sydenham, 
Sylvanpark  Ho., 
Syngfield, 
Sybnan  Cas., 


Tacker  L., 
Tacumshin  L., 
Taghadoe, 
Taghboy, 
Taghmon, 
Taghmon  Ch., 
Taghmores, 
Taghshinny, 
Tagoat, 
Tahilla, 
Talbot  Hall, 
Talhotstown  Ho., 


Kilkenny  D  2 
Meath  D  1  &  D  4 
Meath  D  4 
Armagh  B  2 
CUre  I  3 
Kilkenny  D  3 
King's  Co.  D  4 
Mayo  D  1  &  D  2 
Meath  D  4 
Roscommon  F 
Tipperary  C 
Meath  F 
Meath  D 
Cavan  "E 
Waterford  G 
Limerick  F  3  &  G 
Kildare  B 
West  Meath  B 
Waterford  C 
Kildare  C 
Meath  F 
Dublin  F 
Wicklow  E 
West  Meath  D 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Cavan  D  3 
Cavan  C  1 
R.,  Fermanagh  D  3 
Londonderry  F  3 
Kilkenny  C 
Waterford  F 
Wicklow  E 
Wexford  A 
Donegal  E 
Donegal  E 
Mayo  E 
Tjpperary  A  2 
Waterford  G  3 
DubUn  E  3 
Kerry  A  2 
Down  D  2 
Meath  C  2 
King's  Co.  C 


West  Meath  C  3 


Cavan  H  2 

Wexford  D  4 

Kildare  D  1 

Roscommon  D  5 

Wexford  C  4 

West  Meath  E  2 

Londonderry  E  2 

Longford  C  3 

Wexford  D  4 

Kerry  C  3 

Wexford  A  3 

Wicklow  C  1 


Talbotstown,  Lower  Bar.,  Wicklow  B  2 
Talhotstown,  Upper  Bar.,    Wicklow  B  3 

Tall  R.,  Armagh  C  2 

Tallaghought,  Kilkenny  B  4 

Tallaght,  Dublin  C  5 

Tallanstown,  Louth  A  2 

Tallow,  Waterford  B  3 

Tallowbridge,  Waterford  B  3 

Tallyho,  Wicklow  C  4 

Talt  L.  and  R.,  Sligo  C  3 

Tamaghore,  Antrim  D  4 

Tamlaght,  Fermanagh  E  3 

Tamlaght,  Londonderry  F  3 

Tamlaght  Ch.,  Londonderry  F  5 
Tamlaght  Finlagan,       Londonderry  D  2 

Tamnagh  Lo.,  Londoiulerry  C  3 

Tamur  Lo.,  Donegal  C  3 

"Tanderagee  and  Sta.,  Armagh  D  2 

Taney  Lo.,  Dublin  E  5 

Tang  R.,  West  Meath  B  2 

Tankard  Ville,  Dublin  E  1 

Tankardstown,  Carlow  C  2 

Tankard^own  Ho.,  Meath  E  2 

Tankersley  Ho.,  Wicklow  C  3 

Tanrego  Ho.,  Sligo  E  2 

Tap  L.,  Roscommon  F  2 

Tappaghan  Mt.,  Tyrone  C  3 

Tar  R.,  Tipperary  C  4 

Tara,  Down  G  3 

Tara  and  Hall,  Meath  E  3 

Tara  Cott.,  Cavan  E  4 

Tara  Hill,  Wexford  E  1 

Tarbert,  Kerry  D  1 

Tassagh,  Armagh  B  3 

Taughblane,  Down  C  3 

Taur,  Cork  D  2 

Tawin  L.,  Galway  D  3 

Tawlaght  Sta.,  Roscommon  E  2 
Tawnagh,            Roscommon  E  3  &  E  5 

Tawnrush  Ho.,  Kildare  B  3 
Tawny  and  Bay,        Donegal  B  4  &  D  2 

Tawnyard  L.,  Mayo  B  3 

Tawnybrack  Ho.,  Antrim  D  4 

Tawnyinah,  Mayo  E  2 

Tawnylea,  Leitrim  C  2 

Tay  Lodge,  Waterford  D  2 


Tay  R., 
Taylor  Cas. , 
Taylorstown, 
Tearaght, 
Tedavnet, 
Teelin  Bay, 


Waterford  E  3 

Galway  E  3 

Down  A  4 

Kerry  A  2 

Monaghan  C  2 

Donegal  A  4 


Teerelton  Cross  Road  ,  Cork  E  3 

Teiges  Mountain.  Fermanagh  F  3 

Teltown  Ho.,  Meath  D  2 

Temora  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  2 

Temple,  Louth  B  3 

Temple  Ho.,  Sligo  E  3 

Temple  Mills,  Kildare  D  2 

Temple  Molasha,  Carlow  B  3 

Templeboy  Ch..  Carlow  C  1 
Templecarrig,  Upper  and  Lower, 

Wicklow  E  2 

Templegowran  Ho.,  Down  B  4 

Templehouse  Lake,  Sligo  E  3 

Templekieran  Abbey,  King's  Co.  E  2 

Templelusk  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  3 

Templelyon  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  3 

Templemary  Ho.,  Cork  E  2 

Templemichael  Ho.,  Waterford  B  4 

Templemoneen  Ch.,  Carlow  C  2 

Templemore  and  Sta.,  Tipperary  C  2 
Templemoyle  Agricultural  Seminary, 

.  Londonderry  B  2 

Templeogue  Ho.,  Dublin  C  5 

Templeoran,  West  Meath  D  3 

Templeorum,  Kilkenny  C  4 

Templepatrick  Sta.,  Antrim  E  4 

Templeport  L.,  Cavan  D  2 

Templerany  Ho.,  Wicklow  E  4 

Templetouhy,  Tipperary  D  2 

Templetown,  Louth  D  2 

Tempo  R.  and  Ho.,  Fermanagh  F  2 

Templevanny,  Sligo  F  3 

Tents  L.,  Cavan  B  1 

Tercheen,  Wexford  D  5 

Terenure  and  Ho.,  Dublin  D  5 

Termalin,  Londonderry  D  3 

Termon,  Mayo  A  1 

Termon  Cott.,  Clare  F  1 

Termon  R.,  Donegal  D  4 

Termonamongan,  Tyrone  C  2 

Termonbarry,  Roscommon  F  3 

Termoncarragh,  Mayo  A  1 

Termoneeny  Ch.,  Londonderry  F  4 

Termonfeckin,  Louth  C  3 

Terpointchurch  Ho.,  Kilkenny  C  3 

Terryglass,  Tipperary  B  1 

Tervoe  Ho.,  Limerick  E  2 

Thistle  Lodge,  Louth  B  1 

Thistletown,  Wexford  A  4 

Thomas  Street  Roscommon  D  5 

Thomastown,  Kildare  B  1 

Thomastown,  Mayo  D  2 

Thomastown,  ,  Meath  F  8 

Thomastown,  West  Meath  F  3 

Thomastown  and  Sta.,  Kilkenny  D  3 

Thomastown  Cas.,  Louth  A  2 

Thomastown  Cas.,  Tipperary  B  4 

Thomastown  Ho.,  King's  Co.  D  3 

Thomastown  Ho.,  Roscommon  E  5 

Thomastown  Ho.,  Wicklow  D  4 

Thomondtown  Ho.,  Dublin  E  2 

Thonoge  R.,  Tipperary  C  4 

Thorn  Hill,  Tyrone  D  1 

Thorn  Vale,  King's  Co.  C  4 

Thomberry,  Kildare  D  2 

Thornberry  Ho.,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Thomfield  Ho.,  Limerick  G  1 

Thomford,  Monaghan  D  3 

Thomhill,  Galway  E  2 

Thornhill,  Sligo  E  3 

Thomhill  Ho.,  Carlow  C  2 

Thomhill  Ho.,  Monaghan  B  2 

Thomogs,  L^uth  C  3 

Thornton,  Kildare  C  3 

Thomtown  Lodge,  Dublin  C  3 

Thomville  Ho.,  Carlow  B  1 

Three  Castle  Hd.,  Cork  B  4 

Three  Lakes,  Wicklow  C  2 

Three  Mile  Water,  Wicklow  E  3 

Three  Rock  Mt.,  Dublin  E  6 

Three  Tops,  Donegal  D  3 

Three  Wells,  Wicklow  D  3 

Threecastles  Ho.,  Kilkenny  B  2 

Thurles  and  Sta.,  Tipperary  C  3 
Tiaguin  Ho.  and  Barony,      Galway  F  2 

Tibradden  Mt.,  Dublin  D  6 

Tildarg,  Antrim  E  4 

Tiltinbane,  Cavan  B  1 

"Timahoe,  Queen's  Co.  D  3 

Timahoe  and  Ho.,  Kildare  C  1 

Timahoe  Bridge,  Kildare  B  1 

Timoleague,  Cork  E  i 

Timolin,.  Kildare  C  1 

Timoney  Park,  'Tipperary  D  2 

Tinacarra,  Roscommon  C  2 

Tinahely  and  Sta.,  Wicklow  C  4 

Tinakelly,  Upper,  Wicklow  E  3 

Tinarana  Ho.,  Clare  K  2 

Tincoora,  Cork  E  2 

Tinhalla  Ho..  Waterford  E  2 


TDTKERSLANE. 


INDEX. 


WEST. 


TInkersfane, 
Tinnacross  Ho., 
Tinnaglogh, 
Tinnahinch, 
Tinnahinch  Bifony, 
Tinnakelly  Ho., 

Tinnakill, 

Tinnakill  Ho., 

Tinnapark  Ho., 

Tinnapark  Ho., 

Tinnaranny, 

Tinnasaggart, 

Tinnaslutty  Ho., 

Tinnehinch, 

Tinnock  Bridge, 

Tinny  Park, 

Tinnypark  Ho., 

Tinriland  Ho., 

Tintem  Abbey, 

Tintine, 

Tinure  Cross, 

Tinvaun, 

Tipper  Ho., 

Tipperarj", 

Tiranny  Barony, 

Tirawley  Barony, 

Tircahan  Lo., 

Tireragh  Barony, 

Tirerrill  Barony, 

Tirhugh  Barony, 

Tirkeeran  Barony, 

Tirkennedy  Barony, 

Tirnaneill, 

Tirnaskea  Ho., 

Tithewer, 

Tivoli  Ho., 

Tober, 

Tober  Ho. , 

Tober  Patrick, 

Toberanierin  Bri., 

Toberaviller, 
Tobercurry, 
Toberdan, 
Toberlady  Ho., 
Tobermore, 
Tobemaskeha, 
Toberogan, 
Toberpatrick  Ho., 
Toberreendoney, 
Toberroe, 
Toberscanavan, 
Tobertynan  Ho., 
Tobinstown  Cross  Roads 
Toe  Head  and  Bay, 
Togher, 
Togher, 
Togher, 
Togher, 
Togher,  The, 
Tolka  R., 
Tollymere  Paric, 
Tomacork  Barrack, 
Tombeola  Br., 
Tombrack, 
Tombreen  Ho., 
Tomduff  Ho., 
Tomgar  Ho., 
Tomgraney, 
Tomhaggard, 
Tomies  Mt., 
Tonduff, 
Tonduff,  South, 
Tonet  R., 
Tonlegee  Ho., 
Tonnagh  Ho., 
Toolestown, 
Toom  R., 
Toomaline  Ho., 
Tooman  Ho., 


Me.ith  B 
Wexford  D 
Wexford  A 
Carlow  B 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Tipperary  C 

aueen's  Co.  B 
ueen's  Co.  C 
Carlow  B 
Wicklow  E 
Kilkenny  E 
Waterford  D 
\    Kilkenny  B 
Wicklow  E 
Wexford  E 
Roscommon  C 
Kilkenny  C 
Carlow  B 
Wexford  A 
Kilkenny  E 
Louth  B 
Kilkenny  C 
Kildare  D 
I'ipperary  B  4 
Armagh  A  3 
Mayo  C  1 
Cavan  C  1 
Sligo  C  2 
Sligo  F  3 
Donegal  C  4 
Londonderry  B  3 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Monaghan  C  2 
Tyrone  G 
Wicklow  D 
Cork  F 
Cavan  A 
Wicklow  A 
Fermanagh  B 
.Wexford  D 
Wicklow  E  3 
Sligo  D  8 
Roscommon  E  4 

King's  Co.  G 
Londonderry  E 
Roscommon  E 
Kildare  C 
Wicklow  C 
Galway  E 
Gal  way  F 
Sligo  F 
Meath  C 
Carlow  C 
Cork  D 
Cork  F 
Louth  C 
Meath  C 
Wicklow  B 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Dublin  D  4 
Down  D  4 
Wicklow  C  4 
Galway  B  2 
Wexford  C  2 
Wicklow  B  4 
Wexford  E  2 
Wexford  D  2 
Clare  I  2 
Wexford  D  4 
Kerry  D  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Wicklow  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  B 
Kildare  A 
Monaghan  B 
Kildare  D 
Cork  D 
Limerick  H 
Wicklow  E 


Toome  and  Toome  Bridge  Sta., 

Antrim  C 

Toome,  Lower  Barony,  Antrim  C 

Toome,  Upper  Barony,  Antrim  C 

Toomona  Ho.,  Roscommon  D 

Toomore  Bay  and  Cottage,        Cork  C 


Tooraour, 
Toomyvara, 
Toonagh  Ho.,> 
Toor, 
Toor  Ho., 
Tooraneena 
Tooreen, 
Tooreendonnell, 
Toormore  Bay, 
Toomfulla, 
Topped  Mountain, 
Toppin, 
Toprass  L., 
Tore  Mt., 
Tomdarragh  Ho., 
Tomoge, 
Torpan  I5eg, 
Torr  and  Hd., 
Torrent  R., 
Torsaghaunmore  R., 
Tory  Hill, 

«■  25 


4 
3 
4 
3 
4 

Mayo  E  1 
Tipperary  B  2 
Clare  F  2 
Wicklow  B  2 
West  Meath  D  3 
Waterford  C  2 
_  Mayo  D  2 
Limerick  B  3 
•    Cork  C  4 
Rostommon  E  6 
Fermanagh  E  2 
Antrim  F  4 
Louth  A  1 
Kerry  D  3 
Wicklow  D  2 
Tyrone  E  1 
Roscommon  D  6 
Antrim  E  1 
Tyrone  H  3 
_  Mayo  B  1 
Limerick  E  2 


Tory  Isl.md, 
Tourig  R., 
Tourin, 

Tourmakeady  L. , 
Tournore  Ho., 
Tower  Hill, 
Tower  Village, 
Towlerton  Ho., 
Town  View, 
Townley  Hall. 
Tracarta, 
Tracton, 

Trafalgar  Lodge, 
Traheen  Br., 
Traholgan, 
Tralee  and  Bay, 
Trallie  Lodge, 
Tramore  and  Bay, 
Tranagh, 
Tranarossan  Bay, 
Tranish, 
Traverston  Ho., 
Trawbrega  Bay, 
I'rawenagh  Bay, 
Trawmore  Bay, 
Trean, 
Treanlaw, 
Treanlewis  Ho., 
Treantagh, 
Tremblestown  R., 
Tremone  Bay, 
Triangle,  The, 
Triermore  Ho., 
Trillick, 
Trillickacurry, 
Trim, 

Trinamadan, 
Triogue  R., 
Tristernagh  Ho., 
Tromaun, 

Troopers  Lane  Sta., 
'Trooperstown  Hill, 
Trory  Ch., 
Trostan, 

Trough  and  Cas. 
Trough  Barony, 
Trubley  Cas., 
Trudder  Ho., 
Truemoy  and  Sta., 
Trughanacmy  Barony, 
Trusk  L., 
Trusklieve, 
Truskmore, 
Truskmore  Mt., 
Trustia, 
Tuam, 

Tubbrid  Cas., 

Tubridd, 

Tuck, 

Tultestown, 
Tulla, 
Tulla  Ho., 

Tulla,  Lower  Barony, 
Tulla,  Upper  Barony, 
Tullagh  Pt., 
Tullaghan, 
Tullaghan, 
Tullaghan  Bay, 
Tullagher  and  Ho., 
Tullaghgarley, 
Tullaghmedan  Ho., 
Tullaghoge, 
Tullaghought, 
Tullaher  L., 
Tullamain  Cas., 
Tullamore, 
Tullamore  and  Riv., 
Tullaroan, 
Tullaun  Bri., 
Tullig, 

Tullig  and  Pt., 
Tullighan  B., 
Tullira  Cas., 
Tullokyne, 
Tullomoy  Ho., 
Tullow  and  Cott., 
Tullowclay  Ho., 
TuUy, 
Tully, 

Tully  Cas.  and  Bay, 
Tully  Ho., 
Tully  Ho., 
Tully  Ho., 
Tully  Ho., 

Tully  L.,  ' 

Tully,  South  L., 

Tullyallen, 

Tullyallen, 

Tullyard, 

TuIIyard, 

Tullyboy, 

TuUycanna, 

TuIIydonnell  Ho., 

Tullydowey  Ho., 

Tullyecnta, 

Tullyclmer  Ho.. 


Donegal  C 
Waterford  B 
Waterford  B 
Mayo  C 
Waterford  D 
Limerick  G 
Cork  F 
Queen's  Co.  E 
Wicklow  C 
Louth  B  4 
Cork  D  4 
Cork  F 
Mayo  C 
Galway  B 
Cork  G 
Kerry  C 
Dublin  D 
Waterford  G 
Tipperary  D  3 
Donegal  D  2 
Fermanagh  F  3 
Tipperary  B 
Donegal  E 
Donegal  B 
Mayo  B 
Galway  C 
Longford  C 
Limerick  F 
Donegal  J)  2 
Meath  C  3 
Donegal  F 
Mayo  C 
Meath  B 
Tyrone  D 
Longford  C 
Meath  D 
Tyrone  E 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
West  Meath  C  2 
Roscommon  E 
Antrim  F 
Wicklow  D 
Fermanagh  E 
Antrim  E 
Clare  I 
Monaghan  B 
Meath  D 
Wicklow  E 
Tyrone  H  4 
Kerry  D  2 
Donegal  D  3 
Clare  B  4 
Leitrim  A  1 
Sligo  F  1 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Galway  E  2 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Fermanagh  D  1 
Carlow  C  2 
West  Meath  D  2 
Clare  H  2 
Tipperary  A  2 
Clare  I  3 
Clare  H  2 
Donegal  E  2 
Leitrim  A  1 
West  Meath  D  2 
Mayo  B  1 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Antrim  D  3 
Meath  D  4 
Tyrone  H  3 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Clare  C  3 
Tipperary  C  4 
Tipperary  A  2 
King's  Co.  F  2 
Kilkenny  B  3 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Kerry  C  2 
Clare  B  4 
Mayo  B  1 
Galway  E  3 
Galway  D  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Carlow  C  2 
Wicklow  B 
Armagh  C 
Galway  A 
Fermanagh  D 
Antrim  D 
Kildare  B 
Roscommon  E 
Sligo  F 
Galway  B 
Longford  C 
Louth  B 
Tyrone  G 
Louth  C 
Meath  D 
Roscommon  D 
Wexford  C 
Louth  B 
Tyrone  H  4 
Fermanagh  C  2 
Armagh  B  2  | 


Tullygarran  Ho., 
TuUygarvan, 
Tullygarvey  Baro  y, 
Tullyhaw  liarony, 
Tullyhunco  Barony, 
Tullyleague, 
Tullylease, 
Tullylish, 
Tullylost, 
TuUymagawIy, 
Tullymore  Ho., 
Tullymore  Lodge, 
Tullymurry  Sta., 
TuUynakill  Ch., 
Tullynawood  L., 
TuIIyneill, 
Tullyniskan, 
Tullynure, 
Tullyree, 
Tullyroan  Corner, 
Tullystown, 
Tullyveery  Ho., 
Tullyvellia  Loughs, 
Tullyvin  and  Ho., 
Tullywill, 
Tulsk, 
Tunny, 
Turbot  L, 
Turbotstown  Ho., 
Ture  Lodge, 
Turf  Lodge, 
Turkenagh  Mt.', 
Turkstown, 
Turlesbeg  Bri., 
Turlough, 
Turlough, 

Turlough  More  and  Beg, 
Turloughs  Hill, 
Turners  Rock  and  Tunnel, 
Turnings  Ho., 
Turnings  Lower, 
Turtulla  Ho., 
Turvey  Ho., 
Twelve  Pias.  The, 
Two  Mile  Riv.  Bri., . 
Twomile  Bri., 
Twomileborris, 
Twomileditch, 
Two  Rock  Mountain 
Twy  L., 
Twyford  Ho., 
Tynagh, 
Tynan  and  Riv., 
Tynan  Abbey, 
Tynte  Park, 
Tyredagh  Cas., 
Tyrella, 
Tyrellspass, 
Tyrellstown  Ho., 
Tyrrelstown  Ho., 


Kerry  D  2 
Down  D  3 
Cavan  F 
Cavan  C 
Cavan  D 
Limerick  A 
Cork  E 
Down  A 
Kildare  B 
West  Meath  B 
Armagh  B 
Antrim  D 
Down  E 
Down  E 
Armagh  B 
Armagh  C  3 
Tyrone  H  3 
Sligo  G  3 
. .  .  Down  C 
Armagh  C 
Louth  A 
Down  E 
Sligo  D 
Cavan  G 
Armagh  C  3 
Roscommon  D  3 
Antrim  D 
Galway  A 
West  Meath  D 
Cavan  D 
Kildare  B 
Clare  I 
Kilkenny  C 
Tipperary  C 
Clare  F 
Mayo  D  2 
Sligo  D  3 
Down  D  5 
Kerry  D  3 
Kildare  D  2 
Kildare  D  2 
Tipperary  C  3 
Dublin  E  3 
Galway  B  2 
Louth  C  1 
Queen's  Co.  C  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Galway  E  3 
Dublin  E  6 
West  Meath  A  8 
West  Meath  B  8 
Galway  F  8 
Armagh  B  3 
Armagh  A  3 
Wicklow  A  2 
Clare  H  2 
Down  E  4 
West  Meath  D  3 
West  Meath  D  3 
Dublin  C  8 


u 


UUatd  Church, ' 
Ullid, 

Ulster  Canal, 
Ultan  L., 
Umbra,  The, 
Umfin  I., 
Umma  Ho., 
Ummeracam  R., 
Ummeras  Bridge, 
Umrygar  Ho., 
Unionhall, 
Unna  L., 
Unshin  L., 
Unshin  R., 
Unshioagh, 
Upper  Antrim  Barony, 
Upper  Ards  Barony, 
Upper  Belfast  Barony, 
Upper  Castlereagh  Barony, 
Upper  Court, 
Upper  Deece  Barony, 
Upper  Duleek  Barony, 
Upper  Dundalk  Barony, 
Upper  Dungannon  Barpny, 
Upper  Dunluce  Barony, 
Upper  Fews  Barony, 
Upper  Glenarm  Barony, 
Upper  Iveagh  Barony, 
Upper  Kells  Barony, 
Upper  Lecale  Barony, 
Upper  L., 
Upper  Lough  Erne, 
Upper  Loughtee  Barony, 
Upper  Massereene  Barony, 
Upper  Moyenfenrath  Bar., 
Upper  Navan  Barony, 
Upper  Orior  Barony, 
Upper  Ormond  Barony, 
Upper  Philipstown  Bar. 


Kilkenny  E 
Kilkenny  C 
Monaghan  A 
Donegal  D 
Londonderry  D 
Donegal  B 
West  Meath  B 
Armagh  C 
Kildare  A 
Wicklow  C 
Cork  D 
Donegal  B 
Donegal  C 
Sligo  F 
Leitrim  B 
Antrim  E 
Down  G 
Antrim  E 
Down  D 
Kilkenny  B 
Meath  D 
Meath  F 
Louth  B 
Tyrone  H 
Antrim  C 
Armagh  C 
Antrim  F 
Down  C 
Meath  C 
Down  E 
Kerry  D 
Fermanagh  E 
Cavan  E 
Antrim  D 
Meath  B 
Meath  D 
Armagh  D 
Tipperary  B 
King's  Co.  G 


Upper  St  Mullins  Barony,  Carlow  D 
Upper  Slane  Barony,  Meath  E 

Upper  Strabane  Barony,        Tyrone  F 


Upper  T?lbotstown  Bar. 

Upper  Third  Barony, 

Upper  Toome  Barony, 

Upper  Woods  Barony, 

Upperchurch, 

Uppercross  Barony, 

Upton  Cas., 

Upton  Ho., 

Upton  Ho., 

Uregare  Ho., 

Urelands  Ho., 

Urlaur  L., 

Urlingford, 

Urrin  R., 

Usna, 


,     Wicklow  B  3 
Waterford  E  2 
Antrim  C  4 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
Tipperary  B  3 
Dublin  C  5 
Antrim  E 
Carlow  B 
Wexford  E 
Limerick  F 
Wicklow  B 
Mayo  E 
Kilkenny  A 
Wexford  B  2 
Roscommon  D  2 


Valclusa, 

Vale  of  Glendalough, 
Vale  of  Glendasan, 
Valencia  L  and  Harb.. 
Vartry  R., 
Vearty  L., 
Velvetstown  Ho., 
Ventry  and  Harb., 
Vermont, 
Verner's  Bri.  Sta., 
Verona  Bri.  and  Ho., 
Vesingstown  Ho., 
Vicars  Cam, 
Vicarstown  Bri., 
Victoria  Bri,  S:a., 
View  Mount, 
View  Mount, 
Viewmount, 
Villierstown, 
Violet  Hill, 
Violetstown  Ho., 
Virginia, 

Virginia  Rd.  Sta., 


Wicklow  D 
Wicklow  C 
Wicklow  C 
Kerry  A 
Wicklow  D 
Fermanagh  B 
Cork  F 
Kerry  A  2  &  B 
Limerick  E 
Armagh  C 
Wexford  C  3 
Meath  E  4 
Armagh  C  3 
Queen's  Co.  E  2 
Tyrone  D  2 
Carlow  B  1 
Kilkenny  D  2 
Kildare  C  2 
Waterford  B  8 
Kilkenny  A  2 
West  Meath  E  3 
Cavan  G  3 
Meath  B  2 


W 

Wallaces  Hill  Hd., 
Wallaces  Row, 
Wallers  L, 
Walshestown, 
Walshpark  Ho., 
Walshtown, 
Walterstown, 
Walworth  Ho.'. 
War  Hill, 
Ward  Ho., 
Ward  R., 

Wardenstown  Ho., 
Waringsford, 
Waringstown, 
Warren, 
Warrenpoint, 
Warrenstown  Barony, 
Warrenstown  Ho., 
Wa.shel  L., 
Washing  Bay, 
Washington, 
Washpin  Bri., 
Watch  House, 
Watch  House  Cross  Rds. 


Down  B  4 
Louth  B  3 
Limerick  D  1 

Louth  C 
Tipperary  B 
Cork  G 
Meath  E 
Londonderry  C  2 
Wicklow  D  2 
Dublin  C  3 
Dublin  D  3 
West  Meath  F  2 
Down  C  3 
Down  B  3 
Donegal  G  2 
Down  B  5 
King's  Co.  G  1 
Meath  E 
Donegal  B 
Tyrone  I 
Kildare  B 
Tipperary  C  2 
Wexford  C  1 
Kildare  D 
Queen's  Co.  C 
Fermanagh  C  1 
Cork  F  3 
Donegal  D  4 
Waterford  G  2 
Waterford  H  2 
Cork  F  2 
Cavan  G 
Cork  E 
Meath  C 
Wicklow  D 
Londonderry  B 
W.  Meath  A  3 
Kerry  B  3 
Limerick  C  2 
Fermanagh  E 
Kilkenny  D 
Louth  C 
Kilkenny  C  2 
Antrim  F  4 
Kildare  D  3 
Tyrone  H  2 
Kilkenny  B  2 
Limerick  B 
Kildare  D  3 
Meath  D  3 
Kilkenny  B 
Limerick  D  2 
Carlow  A  2 
Wexford  D  2 
West  Carbery,  East  Division  Bar., 

Cork  D 

West  Carbery,  West  Division  Bar., 

Cork  C  4 

West  Cott.,  )  Kilkenny  B  3 


Water  Cas. , 
Water  Foot, 
Waterfall  Ho., 
Waterfoot  R., 
Waterford, 
Waterford  Harb., 
Watergrasshill, 
Waterloo, 
Waterloo, 
Waterloo  Lodge, 
Waters  Br., 
Waterside, 

Waterstown  Ho.  &  Lo. 
Waterville, 
Waterville, 
Watsons  L., 
Weatherstown, 
Weavers  Hall, 
Webbsborough  Ho., 
Wee  Collin, 
Wellbank  Ho., 
Wellbrook, 
Wellbrook  Ho., 
Wellesley  Farm, 
Wellfield  Ho., 
Wellington, 
Wellington  Ho., 
Wellmount  Ho., 
Wells, 
Wells  Ho. 


WEST. 


INDEX. 


TOUMOSTOWH. 


Wet  Cove,  Kerry  B 

West  Ho.,  West  Meath  E 

West  Idrone  Barony,  Carlow  A 

West  Inishowen  Barony,  Donegal  E 
West  Longfield,  Tyrone  C 

West  Muskerry  Barony,  Cork  D 

West  Narragh  and  ReDao  Barony, 

Kildare  A 

West  Offaly  Barony, 
West  Otnagh  Barony, 
West  Shelmalieve  Bar., 
West  Town 


West  VilUge, 
Westaston  Ha, 
Westfield, 
Westland  Sta., 
Westland  Ho., 
WestonparW  Ho.i 
Westown  Ho., 
Westpalstown, 
Westport  Tn.,  Bay,  &  Quay 


Wejdorti  and  Bay, 
Wexford  Harbour, 
Wheat6eld, 
Wheelam  Ho., 
Whiddy  I., 
WTiigsborough  Ho., 
White  Abbey  Sia., 
White  Ball  Hd., 
White  Chapel, 
WTiite  Hall, 
White  HaU, 
White  I., 
White  L., 
White  L., 


Kildare  A 
Tyrone  C 
Wexford  B 
Donegal  C 
Cork  F 
Wicklow  E 
Cork  C 
Dublin  D 
Meath  C 
Dublin  B 
Dublin  D 
Dublin  D 
Mayo  C 


Wexford  D 
Wexford  D 
Londonderry  D 
Kildare  B 
Cork  C 
King's  Co.  C 
Antrim  F 
Cork  A 
Carlow  B 
Kildare  B 
Wicklow  D 
Fermanagh  D 
Cavan  H 
Monaghan  C 


White  Lough,  West  Meath  E  1  &  E 
White  Mountain,  Londonderry  D 


White  Mountain, 
White  Park, 
White  Park  Bay, 
White  R., 
White  R., 
White  Strand  B., 
White  Water, 
White  Water, 
Whitechurch, 
Whitechurch, 
Whitechurch  and  Ho., 
Whitechurch  Ho., 
Whitefort, 


Louth  A 
Fermanagh  F 
Antrim  C 
Limerick  B 
Louth  B 
Donegal  E 
Down  C 
Londonderry  £ 
Cork  F 
Wexford  A 
Waterford  C 
Kilkenny  B 
Kildare  D 


Whitefort  Ho.,  Wexford  C  8 

Whitegate,  Cork  G  8 

Whitegate,  Galway  G  4 

Whitehall  Ho.,  Wicklow  A  8 

Whitehall  or  Paulstown,  Kilkenny  D  2 

Whitehead  and  Sta.,  Antrim  G  4 

Whitehill  Ho.,  Longford  D  2 

Whitehouse,  Antrim  F  6 

Whitehouse,  Kildare  B  8 

Whiteleas  Ho.,  Kildare  D  8 

Whiterath  Cross  Rdi,  Louth  B  2 

Whites  Town,  Louth  D  2 

Whitestown  Bridge,  Wicklow  B  3 

Whitestown  Ho.,  Waterford  E  2 

\Vhitewell  Ho.,  West  Meath  D  3 

Whitewood  L.  and  Ho.,  Meath  D  1 

Whitfield,  Waterford  F  2 

Whiting  Bay,  Waterford  C  4 

Wicklow,  Tn.,  Sta,,  and  Head, 

Wicklow  E  3 

Wicklow  Gap, 
Wildgoose  Lo., 
Wilford  Ho., 
WilkinstowQ  and  Sta., 
Willbrook 


Williamson's  Bri., 
Williamstown, 
Williamstown  Cas., 
Williamstown  Ho., 
Williamstown  Ho., 
Williamstown  Ho., 
Willington  Ca-s., 
Willistown  Ho., 
Willmount, 
Willmount  Ho., 
Willow  Brook, 
Willowbrook  Ho., 
Willowfield, 
WilU  Grove, 
Willsborough, 
Willsbrook  Ho., 
Willville  Ho., 
WiUybrook, 
WiUybrook, 
Wilmount  Ho., 
Wilson's  bridge, 
Wilson's  Hospital, 
Wilton  Ho., 
Wilton  Ho., 
I  Wiudgates, 


Wicklow  C 
Louth  A  2 
Tipperary  D  3 
Meath  D  2 
Dublin  D 
Cavan  H 
Meath  C 
Limerick  F 
Kildare  B 
Louth  B 
Waterford  G 
Tipperary  B 
Louth  K 
Tipperary  D  3 
Wicklow  B  2 
Leitrim  F  4 
Sligo  F  2 
Leitrim  E  8 
Roscommon  C  3 
Roscommon  A  3 
Roscommon  B  3 
Louth  D  2 
Donegal  C  4 
West  Meath  C  2 
Wexford  B  2  &  D  3 
Kildare  B  4 
West  Meath  D  2 
Kilkenny  A  2 
Wexford  C  8 
Kildnre  D  1 


Wingfield, 
Wingfield  Ho., 
Windgap, 
Windgate, 

Windmill  Cross  and  Lo. 
Windy  Harbour, 
Windy  Harbour, 
Winter  Lodge, 
Woarwoy  Bay, 
Wobum  Ho,, 
WolfhiU, 
Wolftrap  Mt., 
Wood, 
Wood  Bank, 
Wood  bank, 
Wood  Ho., 
Wood  Lo., 
Wood  Vale, 
Wood  View, 
Wood  Ville, 
Wood  Ville, 
Woodberry  Ho., 
Woodbine  Cotr., 
Woodbine  Cott., 
Woodbine  Hill, 
Wood  brook. 
Wood  brook, 
Woodbrook  Ho., 
Woodcliff, 
Wooden  Bri., 
Wooden  Bri., 
Woodfield,' 
Woodfield, 
Woodfield  Ho., 
Woodfield  Ho.,  Ki; 
Woodfield  Ho., 
Woodfield  Ho., 
Woodford  and  R.. 
Woodford  R., 
Woodfort, 
Woodfortj 
Woodgraigue  Ho., 
Woodinstown  Ho., 
Woodland  Cott., 
Woodland  Ho., 
Woodlands  Ho., 
Woodlands  Ho., 
Woodlands  Lodge, 
Woodlawn, 
Woodlawn, 


Wicklow  E  1 
Wexford  D  1 
Kilkenny  B  4 
Wicklow  E  1 
Kildare  B  1 
Dublin  E  6 
Meath  E  2 
Dublin  E  1 
Wexford  A  5 
Down  F  2 
Queen's  Co.  E  3 
Queen's  Co.  B  2 
King's  Co.  H  1 
Down  A  3 
Londonderry  E  8 
Waterford  E  8 
Cavan  F  2 
Wicklow  D  3 
Monaghan  B  3 
Cork  F  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Roscommon  E  5 
Kildare  A  4 
Louth  A  1 
Waterford  C  4 
Roscommon  D  2 
Wexford  B  2 
Queen's  Co.  D  2 
Limerick  B  2 
King's  Co.  H  2 
Wicklow  D  4 
King's  Co.  F  2 
Wexford  C  2 
Clare  H  8 
g's  Co.  C  3  &  E  1 
Mayo  £  2 
Roscommon  D  2 
Galway  F  8 
Cavan  D  2 
Meath  C  1 
West  Meath  E  2 
Wexford  C  4 
Tipperary  C  4 
.Waterford  C  3 
King's  Co.  C  2 
Carlow  D  2 
Dublin  B  4 
Kildare  B  4 
Cavan  F  4 
Longford  B  2 


Woodlawn  Sta.  and  Ho. 
Woodmount, 
Woodmount, 
Woodmount  Ho., 
Wood  Park, 
Wood  park. 
Wood  park, 
Woodpark  Ho., 
Woodrooff  Ho., 
Woodsgift  Ho., 
Woodside, 
Woodside  Ho., 
Woodside  Ho., 
Woodstock  Ho., 
Woodstock  Ho., 
Woodstown, 
Woodstown  Ho., 
Woodstown  Stream, 
Woodtown  Ho., 
Woodtown  Ho., 
Woodtown  Ho., 
Woodvale, 
Woodview, 
Woodville, 
Woodville, 
Woodville, 
Woodville, 
Woodville, 
Woodville  Ho., 
Woodville  Ho., 
Woodville  Ho., 
Woodville  Ho., 
Wrixon  Castle, 
Wykeham  Ho., 


Yearly  L., 
Yellow  Fune, 
Yellow  R., 
Yellow  R., 
Yellow  R., 
Yellow  R., 
Yeomanstown  Ho., 
Yewtree  Ho., 
Youghal, 

Youghal  and  Harbour, 
Young  Grove, 
Youngstowo  Ho., 


Galway  F 
Roscommon  D 
Wicklow  C 
Clare  E 
Mayo  D 
Armagh  B 
Meath  E 
Dublin  E 
Tipperary  C 
Kilxenny  A 
Cork  F  8 
Carlow  D  1 
Kildare  C  2 
Kilkenny  D  4 
Wicklow  E  2 
Waterford  H  2 
Limerick  F  2 
Waterford  F  3 
Dublin  D  6 
Louth  B  2 
Meath  B  3 
Armagh  C  4 
Kilkenny  C 
Down  B 
Leitrim  A 
Longford  D 
Wexford  A 
King's  Co.  C 
Kildare  C 
Sligo  E 
Tipperary  B 
Wicklow  E 
Cork  F 
Carlow  B 


Donegal  D  4 
Meath  E  2 
Donegal  C 
King's  Co.  G 
Leitrim  D 
Meath  D 
Kildare  C 
Wicklow  B 
Tipperary  A  _ 
Cork  H  3 
Cork  G  8 
Kildare  B  3 


16 


J 


STORY  OF  IRELAND. 

BY 

A.  M.  SULLIVAN. 

BEING  A  COMPLETE  AND  AUTHENTIC  HISTORY  OF  IRELAND  FROM 
THE  EARLIEST  AGES  TO  1867. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


This  little  book  is  written  for  young  people. 
Tit  does  not  pretend  to  the  serious  character  of  a 
History  of  Ireland.  It  does  not  claim  to  be 
more  than  a  compilation  from  the  many  admira- 
ble works  which  have  been  published  by  pains- 
taking and  faithful  historians.  It  is  an  eifort  to 
.  interest  the  j'oung  in  the  subject  of  Irish  his- 
tory, and  attract  them  to  its  study. 

I  say  so  much  in  deprecation  of  the  stern 
judgment  of  learned  critics.  I  say  it  further- 
more and  chiefly  by  way  of  owning  my  obliga- 
tions to  those  authors  tlje  fruits  of  whose  re- 
searches have  been  availed  of  so  freely  by  me. 
To  two  of  these  in  particular,  Mr.  M'Gee  and 
Mr.  Haverty,  I  am  deeply  indebted.  In  several 
instances,  even  where  I  have  not  expressly  re- 
ferred to  my  authority,  I  have  followed  almost 
literalb'  the  text  supplied  by  them.  If  I  suc- 
ceed in  my  design  of  interesting  my  young 
fellow-countrymen  in  the  subject  of  Irish  his- 
tory, I  recommend  them  strongly  to  follow  it  up 
by  reading  the  works  of  the  two  historians 
whom  I  have  mentioned.  They  possess  this  im- 
measurable advantage  over  every  other  previously 
published  history  of  Ireland  that  in  them  the 
authors  were  able  to  avail  themselves  of  the  rich 
stores  of  material  brought  to  light  by  the 
lamented  O 'Curry  and  O 'Donovan,  by  Todd, 
Greaves,  Wilde,  Meehan,  Gilbert,  and  others. 
These  revelations  of  authentic  history,  inaccessi- 
ble or  unknown  to  previous  history  writers,  not 
•only  throw  a  flood  of  light  upon  many  periods  of 
our  history,  heretofore  darkened  and  obscured, 
but  may  be  said  to  have  given  to  many  of  the 
most  important  events  in  our  annals  an  aspect 
totally  new,  and  in  some  instances  the  reverse  of 
that  commonly  assigned  to  them.  Mr.  Haverty 's 
book  is  Irish  history  clearly  and  faithfully 
traced,  and  carefully  corrected  by  recent  in- 
valuable archselogical  discoveries;  Mr.  M'Gee's 
is  the  only  work  of  the  kind  accessible  to  our 
people  which  is  yet  more  than  a  painstaking  and 
reliable  recoi;d  of  events.  It  rises  above  mere 
■chronicling,  and  presents  to  the  reader  the  phil- 
osophy of  history,  assisting  him  to  view  great 
movements  and  changes  in  their  comprehensive 
totality,  and  to  understand  the  principles  which 
underlay,  promoted,  guided,  or  controlled  them. 


In  all  these,  however,  the  learned  and  gifted 
authors  have  aimed  high.  They  have  written 
for  adult  readers.  Mine  is  an  humble,  but  I 
trust  it  may  prove  to  be  a  no  less  useful,  aim. 
I  desire  to  get  hold  of  the  young  people,  and  not 
to  offer  them  a  learned  and  serious  "history," 
which  might  perhaps  be  associated  in  their 
minds  with  school  tasks  and  painful  efforts  to 
remember;  but  to  have  a  pleasant  talk  with  them 
about  Ireland ;  to  tell  them  its  story,  after  the 
manner  of  simple  storytellers;  not  confusing 
their  minds  with  a  mournful  seriew  of  feuds, 
raids,  and  slaughters,  merely  for  the  sake  of 
noting  them;  or  with  essays  upon  the  state  of 
agriculture  or  commerce,  religion  or  science,  at 
particular  periods — all  of  which  they  will  hud 
instructive  when  they  grow  to  an  age  to  compre- 
hend and  be  interested  in  more  advanced  works. 
I  desire  to  do  for  our  young  people  that  which 
has  been  well  done  for  the  youth  of  England  by 
numerous  writers.  I  desire  to  interest  them  in 
their  country ;  to  convince  them  that  its  history 
is  no  wild,  dreary,  and  uninviting  monotony  of 
internecine  slaughter,  but  an  entertaining  and 
instructive  narrative  of  stirring  events,  abound- 
ing in  episodes,  thrilling,  glorious,  and  beautiful. 

I  do  not  take  upon  myself  the  credit  of  being 
the  first  to  remember  that  "the  Child  is  father 
of  the  Man."  The  Rev.  John  O'Hanlon's  ad- 
mirable "Catechism  of  Irish  History"  has  al- 
read3'  well  appreciated  that  fact.  I  hope  there 
will  follow  many  beside  myself  to  cater  for  the 
amusement  and  instructioji  of  the  young  people. 
They  deserve  more  attention  than  has  hitherto 
been  paid  them  by  our  Irish  book-writers.  In 
childhood  or  boyhood  to-day,  there  rai)idly 
approaches  for  them  a  to-morrow,  bringing  man- 
hood, with  its  cares,  duties,  responsibilities. 
When  we  who  have  preceded  them  shall  have 
passed  away  forever,  thej^  will  be  the  men  on 
whom  Ix'eland  must  depend.  They  will  make 
her  future.  They  will  guide  her  destinies. 
They  will  guard  her  honor.  They  will  defend 
her  life.  To  the  service  of  this  "Irish  Nation  of 
the  future"  I  devote  the  following  pages,  confi- 
dent my  young  friends  will  not  fail  to  read  aright 
the  lesson  taught  by  "The  Story  of  Ireland." 

Dublin,  August  15,  1867. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


How  We  Learn  the  Facts  of  Early  Hisioky. 


It  may  occur  to  my  youug  friends,  that,  be- 
fore I  begin  my  narration,  I  ought  to  explain 
bow  far  or  by  what  means  any  one  now  living 
can  correctly  ascertain  and  narrate  the  facts  of 
very  remote  history-.  The  reply  is,  that  what 
we  know  of  history  anterior  to  the  keeping  of 
written  records  is  derived  from  the  traditions 
handed  down  "by  word  of  mouth"  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  We  may  safely  assume  that 
the  commemoration  of  important  events  by  this 
means  was,  at  first,  unguarded  or  unregulated 
by  any  public  authority,  and  accordingly  led  to 
much  confusion,  exaggeration,  and  corruption; 
but  we  have  -  positive  and  certain  information 
that  at  length  steps  were  taken  to  regulate  these 
oral  communications,  and  guard  them  as  far  as 
possible  from  corruption.  The  method  most 
generally  adopted  for  perpetuating  them  was  to 
compose  them  into  historical  chants  or  verse- 
histories,  which  were  easily  committed  to 
memory,  and  were  recited  on  all  public  or  festive 
occasions.  When  written  records  began  to  be 
used,  the  events  thus  commemorated  were  set 
down  in  the  regular  chronicles.  Several  of  these 
latter,  in  one  shape  or  another,  are  still  in  exist- 
ence. From  these  we  chiefly  derive  our  knowl- 
edge, such  as  it  is,  of  the  ancient  histc"/  of 
Erinn. 

It  is,  however,  necessary  to  remember  that  all 
history  of  very  early  or  remote  times,  unless 


what  is  derived  from  the  narratives  of  Holy  Writ,^ 
is  clouded,  to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree,  with 
doubt  and  obscurity,  and  is,  to  a  greater  or 
lesser  degree,  a  hazy  mixture  of  probable  fact 
and  manifest  fable.  When  writing  was  un- 
known, and  before  measures  were  taken  to  keep 
the  oral  traditions  with  exactitude  and  for  a  public 
purpose,  and  while  yet  events  were  loosely 
handed  down  by  unregulated  "hearsay"  which, 
no  one  was  charged  to  guard  from  exaggeration 
and  coiTuption,  some  of  the  facts  thus  commem- 
orated became  gradually  distorted,  until,  after 
great  lapse  of  time,  whatever  was  described  as 
marvelously  wonderful  in  the  past  was  set  down  as 
at  least  partly  supernatural  and  the  long  dead 
heroes  whose  prowess  had  become  fabulously 
exaggerated  came  to  be  regarded  as  demi-gods. 
It  is  thus  as  regards  the  early  history  of  ancient 
Kome  and  Greece.  It  is  thus  with  the  early 
history  of  Ireland,  and  indeed  of  all  other  Euro- 
pean countries. 

It  would,  however,  be  a  great  blunder  for  any 
one  to  conclude  that  because  some  of  those  old 
mists  of  early  tradition  contain  such  gross  absurd- 
ities, they  contain  no  truths  at  all.  Investiga- 
tion is  every  day  more  and  more  clearly  estab- 
lishing the  fact  that,  shrouded  in  some  of  the 
most  absurd  of  those  fables  of  antiquity  there 
are  most  indisputable  and  valuable  truths  of 
history. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 


Author's  Prefacii,   v 

Introductoky  —  How   we   learn  the  facts  of  early 

history.     xi 

CHAPTER  I. 

How  the  Milpsians  sought  and  found  "  the  Promised 

Isle"— and  conquered  it   1 

CHAPTER  II. 

How  Ireland  fared  under  the  Milesian  dynasty   3 

CHAPTER  III. 

How  the  Unfree  Clans  tried  a  revolution;  and  what 
came  of  it — How  the  Romans  thought  in  vain  to 
attempt  a  copquest  of  Ireland   5 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Bardic  tales  of  Ancient  Erinu — "  The  Sorrowful  Fate 

of  the  Children  of  Usna  "    6 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  death  of  King  Conor  Mac  Nessa   10 

CHAPTER  VI. 
The  "  Golden  Age  "  of  Pre-Christian  Erinn   12 

CHAPTER  VII. 

How  Ireland  received  the  Christian  faith   16 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
A  retrospective  glance  at  pagan  Ireland   18 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Christian  Ireland — The  Story  of  Columba,  the  "  Dove 

of  the  Cell"   ,   19 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Danes  in  Ireland   28 

CHAPTER  XI. 
How  "  Brian  of  the  Tribute  "  became  a  High  King  of 

Erinn   30 

CHAPTER  XII. 

How  a  dark  thunder-cloud  gathered  over  Ireland   34 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  glorious  day  of  Clontarf   35 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
■"  After  the  Battle  " — The  scene  "  upon  Ossory's  plain" 

— The  last  days  of  national  freedom   40 

CHAPTER  XV. 
How  England  became  a  compact  kingdom,  while  Ire- 
land was  breaking  into  fragments   41 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
How  Henry  the  Second  feigned  wondrous  anxiety  to 

heal  the  disorders  of  Ireland   43 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  treason  of  Diarmid  M'Murrogh   44 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
How  the  Norman  adventurers  got  a  foothold  on  Irish 

soil   45 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
How  Henry  recalled  the  adventurers — How  he  came 
over  himself  to  punish  them  and  befriend  the 
Irish   48 

CHAPTER  XX. 
How  Henry  made  a  treaty  with  the  Irish  king — and 
did  not  keep  it   51 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Death-bed  scenes   54 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
How  the  Anglo-Norman  colony  fared   53 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
"  The  bier  that  conquered" — The  story  of  Godfrey  of 
Tyrconnell   67 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 
How  the  Irish  nation  awoke  from  its  trance,  and  flung 

off  its  chains — The  career  of  King  Edward  Bruce.,  61 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
How  this  bright  day  of  independence  was  turned  to 


gloom — How  the  seasons  fought  against  Ireland, 
and  famine  for  England   64 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
How  the  Anglo-Irish  lords  learned  to  prefer  Irish  man- 
ners,  laws,  and  language,  and  were  Decoming 
"more  Irish  than  the  Irish  themselves" — How 
the  king  in  London  took  measures  to  arrest  that 
dreaded  evil   67 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
How   the  vainglorious  Richard  of  England  and  his 
overwhelming  army  failed  to  "dazzle  "  or  conquer 
the  Prince  of  Leinster — Career  of  the  heroic  Art 
M'Murrogh   69 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
How   the  vainglorious  English  king  tried  another 
campaign  against  the  invincible  Irish  Prince,  and 
was  utterly  defeated  as  before   73 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
How  the  civil  wars  in  England  left  the  Anglo-Irish 
colony  to  ruin — How  the  Irish  did  not  grasp  the 
opportunity  of  easy  liberation   75 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
How  a  new  element  of  antagonism  came  into  the 
struggle — How   the   English    king    and  nation 
adopted  a  new  religion,  and  bow  the  Irish  held  fast 
bj  the  old   76 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

"  Those  Geraldines  !  those  Geraldines  !"   78 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

The  rebellion  of  Silken  Thomas   81 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
How  the  "  Reformation"  was  accomplished  in  England, 

and  bow  it  was  resisted  in  Ireland   85 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
How  the  Irish  chiefs  gave  up  all  hope  and  yielded  to 
Henry;  and  how  the  Irish  clans  served  the  chiefs 
for  such  treason   87 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
Henry's    successors:   Edward,  Mary,  and  Elizabeth 

— The  career  of  "John  the  Proud  "   89 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
How  the  (Jeraldines  once  more  leagued  against  Eng- 
land under  the  banner  of  the  cross — How  "the 
royal  Pope  "  was  the  earliest  and  the  most  active 
ally  of  the  Irish  cause   91 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 


How  Commander  Cosby  held  a  "feast"  at  Mullagh- 
mast ;  and  how  "  Ruari  Oge  "  recompensed  that 
*'  hospitality  " — A  viceroy's  visit  to  Glenmalure, 


and  bis  reception  there   95 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
''  Hugh    of    Dungannon  "  —  How   Queen  Elizabeth 
brought  up  the  young  Irish  chief  at  court,  with 
certain  crafty  designs  of  her  own   98 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
How  Lord  Deputy  Perrot  planned  a  right  cunning  ex- 


pedition, and  stole  away  the  youthful  prince  of 
Tyrconnell — How,  in  the  dungeons  of  Dublin 
Castle,  the  boy  chief  learned  his  duty  toward  Eng- 
land ;  and  how  he  at  length  escaped  and  commenced 


discharging  that  duty   99 

CHAPTER  XL. 
How  Hugh  of  Dungannon  was  meantime  drawing  off 

from  England  and  drawing  near  to  Ireland   103 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
How  Red  Hugh  went  circuit  against  the  English  in  the 

North — How  the  crisis  came  upon  O'Neill   105 

CHAPTER  XLII. 
O'Neill  in  arms  for  Ireland — Clontibret  and  Beal-an- 

athabuie.   106 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 
How  Hugh  formed  a  great  national  confederacy  and 

built  up  a  nation  once  more  on  Irish  soil   113 


CHAPTER  XLIV.  paok 
How  the  reconstructed  Irish  nation  was  overborne — 
How  the  two  Hughs  "fought  back  to  back" 
against  their  overwhelming  foes — How  the 
"  Spanish  aid"  ruined  the  Irish  cause.  The  dis- 
astrous battle  of  Kinsale   116 

CHAPTER  XLV. 
"  The  last  Lord  of  Beara  " — How  Donal  of  Dunboy 
was  assigned  a  perilous  prominence,  and  nobly 
undertook  its  duties — How  Don  Juan's  imbecility 
or  treason  ruined  the  Irish  cause   119 

CHAPTER  XLVL 
How  the  queen's  forces  set  about  "tranquillizing" 
Munster — How  Carew  sent  Earl  Thomond  on  a 
mission  into  Carbery,  Bear,  and  Bantry   122 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 
How  the  lord  president  gathered  an  army  of  four  thou- 
sand men  to  crush  doomed  Dunboy,  the  last  hope 
of  the  national  cause  in  Munster   ...  123 

CHAPTER  XLVIII. 
The  last  days  of  Dunboy:  a  tale  of  heroism   124 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 
How  the  fall  of  Dunboy  caused  King  Philip  to  change 
all  his  plans,  and  recall  the  expedition  for  Ireland; 
and  how  the  reverse  broke  the  brave  heart  of  Red 
Hugh — How  the  "Lion  of  the  North"  stood  at 


bay,  and  made  his  foes  tremble  to  the  last   128 

CHAPTER  L, 
The  retreat  to  Leitrim;  "  the  most  romantic  and  gallant 

achievement  of  the  age"   131 

CHAPTER  LI. 


How  the  government  and  Hugh  made  a  treaty  of 
peace — How  England  came  under  the  Scottish 
monarchy;  and  how  Ireland  hopefully  hailed  the 


Gaelic  sovereign    136 

CHAPTER  LII. 
"The  Flight  of  the  Earls  " — How  the  princes  of  Ire- 
land went  into  exile,  menaced  by  destruction  at 
home      138- 

CHAPTER  LIIL 


A  memorable  epoch — How  Milesian  Ireland  finally 
disappeared  from  history;  and  how  a  new  Ireland, 
Ireland  in  exile,  appeared  for  the  first  time- 
How  "plantations"  of  foreigners  were  designed 
for  the  "  colonization"  of  Ireland,  and  the  extirpa- 


tion of  the  native  race   li.'i 

CHAPTER  LIV. 
How  the  lords  justices  got  up  the  needful  bloody  fury 
in  England  by  a  "dreadful  massacre"  story — How 
the  Confederation  of  Kilkenny  came  about  14& 

CHAPTER  LV. 
Something  about  the  conflicting  elements  of  the  civil 
war  in    1642-9 — How  the  Confederate  Catholics 
made  good  their  position,  and  established  a  national 
government  in  Ireland    153 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  LVI.  PAGE 
How  King  Charles  opened  negotiations  with  the  Con- 
federate Council — How  the  Anglo-Irish  party 
would  "have  peace  at  any  price,"  and  the  "native 
Irish  "  party  .stood  out  for  peace  with  honor — How 
Pope  Innocent  the  Tenth  sent  an  envoy,  "not 
empty-handed,"  to  aid  the  Irish  cause   154 

CHAPTER  LVII. 
How  the  nuncio  freed  and  armed  the  hand  of  Owen 
Roe,  and  bade  him  strike  at  least  one  worthy  blow 
for  God  and  Ireland — How  gloriously  Owen  struck 
that  blow  at  Benburb   157 

CHAPTER  LVIII. 
How  the  king  disavowed  the  treaty,  and  the  Irish  repu- 
diated it — How  the  council  by  a  worse  blunder 
clasped  hands  with  a  sacrilegious  murderer,  and 
incurred  excommunication — How  at  length  the 
royalists  and  confederates  concluded  an  honorable 


peace,   160 

CHAPTER  LIX. 
How  Cromwell  led  the  Puritan  rebels  into  Ireland — 
How  Ireland  by  a  lesson  too  terrible  to  be  forgotten 
was  taught  the  danger  of  too  much  loyalty  to  an 
English  sovereign   161 

CHAPTER  LX. 

The  agony  of  a  nation   162 

CHAPTER  LXI. 
How  King  Charles  the  Second  came  back  on  a  compro- 
mise— How  a  new  massacre  story  was  set  to  work 
— The  martyrdom  of  Primate  Phinkett   167 

CHAPTER  LXII. 


How  King  James  the  Second,  by  arbitrarily  asserting 


liberty  of  conscience,  utterly  violated  the  will  of 
the  English  nation — How  the  English  agreed, 
confederated,  combined,  and  conspired  to  depose 
the  king,  and  beat  up  for  "  foreign  emissaries  "  to 
come  and  begin  the  rebellion  for  them   169 

CHAPTER  LXIII. 
How  William  and  James  met  face  to  face  at  the  Boyne 
— A  plain  sketch  of  the  battlefield  and  the  tactics 
of  the  day  ,   172 

CHAPTER  LXIV. 
"  Before  the  battle  "   174 

CHAPTER  LXV. 
The  battle  of  the  Boyne    175 

CHAPTER  LXVI. 
How  James  abandoned  the  struggle;  but  the  Irish 

would  not  give  up   179 

CHAPTER  LXVII. 
How  William  sat  down  before  Limerick  and  began  the 
siege — Sarsfield's    midnight   ride — The    fate  of 
William's  siege  train   181 


I 

ix 

CHAPTER  LXVIH.  p^gj; 
How  William  procured  a  new  siege  train  and  breached 
the  wall — How  the  women  of  Limerick  won  their 
fame    in  Irish    history — How   the   breach  was 
stormed  and  the  mine  sprung — How  William  fled 


from  "  unconquered  Limerick"  184 

CHAPTER  LXIX. 
How  the  French  sailed  off,  and  the  deserted  Irish  army 
starved  in  rags,  but  would  not  give  up  the  right — 
Arrival  of  "St.  Ruth,  the  Vain  and  Brave  "   186 

CHAPTER  LXX. 
How  Ginckel  besieged  Athlone — How  the  Irish  "kept 
the  bridge,"  and  how  the  brave  Custume  and  his 
glorious  companions  "died   for  Ireland" — How 
Athlone,  thus  saved,  was  lost  in  an  hour   187 

CHAPTER  LXXI. 
"  The  CuUoden  of  Ireland  " — How  Aughrim  was  fought 
and  lost — A  story  of  the  battlefield;  "the  dog  of 
Aughrim,"  or,  fidelity  in  death    190 


CHAPTER  LXXII. 
How  glorious  Limerick  once  more  braved  the  ordeal — 
How  at  length  a  treaty  and  capitulation  were 
agreed  upon — How  Sarsfield  and  the  Irish  army 
sailed  into  exile   195 

CHAPTER  LXXIII. 
How  the  Treaty  of  Limerick  was  broken  and  trampled 
under  foot  by  the  "  Protestant  interest,"  yelling  for 
more  plunder  and  more  persecution   198 

CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

"The  penal  'imes  " — How  "Protestant  ascendency" 
by  a  bloody  penal  code  endeavored  to  brutify  the 
mind,  destroy  the  intellect,  and  deform  the  physical 
and  moral  features  of  the  subject  Catholics   201 

CHAPTER  LXXV. 
The  Irish  army  in  exile — How  Sarsfield  fell  on  Landen 
Plain — How  the  regiments  of  Burke  and  O'Mahoney 
saved  Cremona,  fii<hting  in  "muskets  and  shirts" 
— The  glorious  victory  of  Fontenoy ! — How  the  Irish 


exiles,  faithful  to  the  end,  shared  the  last  gallant 
effort  of  Prince  Charles  Edward   202 

CHAPTER  LXXVI. 
How  Ireland  began  to  awaken  from  the  sleep  of  slavery 

— The  dawn  of  legislative  independence   207 

CHAPTER  LXXVII. 


How  the  Irish  volunteers  achieved  the  legislative  in- 
dependence of  Ireland;  or,  how  the  moral  force  of 
a  citizen  army  effected  a  peaceful,  legal,  and  con- 


stitutional revolution   20ft 

CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 
What  national  independence  accomplished  for  Ireland — ■ 
How  England  once  more  broke  faith  with  Ireland, 
and  repaid  generous  trust  with  base  betrayal  21cS 


z 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  LXXIX.  page 

How  the  English  minister  saw  his  advantage  in  provok- 
ing Ireland  into  an  armed  struggle;  and  how  heart- 
lessly he  labored  to  that  end   214 

CHAPTER  LXXX. 
How  the  British  minister  forced  on  the  rising— The 
fate  of  the  brave  Lord  Edward — How  the  brothers 
Sheares  died  hand-iu-band— The  rising  of  ninety- 
eight   316 

CHAPTER  LXXXI. 
How  the  government  conspiracy  now  achieved  its  pur- 
pose— How  the  parliament  of  Ireland  was  extin- 
guished  221 

CHAPTER  L  XXXII. 
Ireland  after  the  Union— The  story  of  Robert  Emmet. .  226 

CHAPTER  LXXXIIl. 
flow  the  Irish  Catholics,  under  the  leadership  of 


ft'Connell,  won  Catholic  emancipation   231 

CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

How  the  Irish  people  next  sought  to  achieve  the  res- 
toration of  their  legislative  independence — How 
England  answered  them  with  a  challenge  to  the 
sword   233 

CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

How  the  horrors  of  the  famine  had  their  effect  on  Irish 
politics — How  the  French  revolution  set  Europe 
in  a  flame — How  Ireland  made  a  vain  attempt  at 
insurrection   237 

CHAPTER  LXXXVI. 

How  the  Irish  exodus  came  about,  and  the  English 
press  gloated  over  the  anticipated  extirpation  of  the 
Irish  race   240 


CHAPTER  LXXXVII.  PAGE 
How  some  Irishmen  took  to  "the  politics  of  despair" — 
How  England's  revolutionary  teachings  "  came 
home  to  roost  " — How  General  John  O'Neill  gave 
Colonel  Booker  a  touch  of  Fontenoy  at  Ridgeway. .  242 

CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 
The  unfinished  chapter  of  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven — How  Ireland,  "  oft  doomed  to  death,"  has 


shown  that  she  is  "  fated  not  to  die"   245 

CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 
The  Fenian  rising  and  what  followed  it — The  "sur- 
prise "  of  Cliester  Castle — The  "  Jacknell"  expedi- 
tion— The  Manchester  rescue   248 

CHAPTER  XC. 
Funeral  processions  for  the  martyrs — Agitation  for 
amnesty  and  disestablishment — Clerkenwell  and 
Ballycohey   252 

CHAPTER  XCI. 
The  home  rule  movement — Its  defects  and  failure — 

"Obstruction  " — A  success — The  Land  League.. .  257 

CHAPTER  XCII. 
The  visions  at  Knock— The  Land  League  proclaimed 


—Arrest  of  the  leaders— The  "No  rent"  manifesto 
—The  Arrears  Act— The  Phoenix  Park  tragedy- 
Shooting  of  James  Carey  and  trial  of  O'Donnell 


— The  National  League   265 

CHAPTER  XCIII. 

"Parnellism  and  Crime  "—The  Home  Rule  Bill   272 

CHAPTER  XCIV. 
Coercion — The  plan  of  campaign — Death  of  Mr.  Par- 
nell — The  Home  Rule  Bill  passed — Retirement  of 
Mr.  Gladstone   275 

Valedictory    277 

I  RoBEKT  Emmet   278 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


CHAPTEE  I. 

HOW  THE  MILESIANS  SOUGHT  AND  FOUND  "tHE  PROM- 
ISED   isle"   AND  CONQUEBED  IT. 

The  earliest  settlement  or  colonization  of  Ire- 
land, of  which  there  is  tolerably  precise  and  sat- 
isfactory information,  was  that  by  the  sons  of 
Miledh  or  Milesius,  from  whom  the  Irish  are 
occasionally  styled  Milesians.  There  are  abun- 
dant evidences  that  at  least  two  or  three  "waves" 
of  colonization  had  long  previously  reached  the 
island;  but  it  is  not  very  clear  whence  they 
came.  Those  first  settlers  are  severally  known 
in  history  as  the  Partholanians,  the  Nemedians, 
the  Firbolgs,  and  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans. 
These  latter,  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans,  who  im- 
mediately preceded  the  Milesians,  possessed  a 
civilization  and  a  knowledge  of  "arts  and 
sciences"  which,  limited  as  we  may  be  sure  it 
was,  greatly  amazed  the  earlier  settlers  (whom 
they  had  subjected)  by  the  results  it  produced. 
To  the  Firbolgs  (the  more  eai'ly  settlers)  the 
wonderful  things  •  done  by  the  conquering  new- 
comers, and  the  wonderful  knowledge  they  dis- 
played, could  only  be  the  results  of  supernatural 
power.  Accordingly  they  set  down  the  Tuatha 
de  Danaans  as  "magicians,"  an  idea  which  the 
Milesians,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  also  adopted. 

The  Firbolgs  seem  to  have  been  a  pastoral 
race;  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans  were  more  of  a 
manufacturing  and  commercial  people.  The 
soldier  Milesian  came,  and  he  ruled  over  all. 

The  Milesian  colony  reached  Ireland  from 
Spain,*  but  they  were  not  Spaniards.  They  were 
an  eastern  people  who  had  tarried  in  that  coun- 
try on  their  way  westward,  seeking,  they  said, 
an  island  promised  to  the  posterity  of  their  an- 
cestor, Gadelius.  Moved  by  this  mysterious 
purpose  to  fulfill  their  destiny,  they  had  passed 
from  land  to  land,  from  the  shores  of  Asia  across 
the  wide  expanse  of  southern  Europe,  bearing 

.* The  settled  Irish  account;  but  this  is  also  disputed  by 
theorists  who  contend  that  all  the  waves  of  colonization 
reached  Ireland  from  the  continent  across  Britain. 


aloft  through  all  their  wanderings  the  Sacred 
Banner,  which  symbolized  to  them  at  once  their 
origin  and  their  mission,  the  blessing  and  the 
I^romise  given  to  their  race.  This  celebrated 
standard,  the  "Sacred  Banner  of  the  Milesians," 
was  a  flag  on  which  was  represented  a  dead  ser- 
pent and  the  rod  of  Moses;  a  device  to  com- 
memorate forever  among  the  posterity  of  Ga- 
delius the  miracle  by  which  his  life  had  been 
saved.  The  story  of  this  event,  treasured  with 
singular  pertinacity  by  the  Milesians,  is  told  as 
follows  in  their  traditions,  which  so  far  I  have 
been  following : 

While  Gadelius,  being  yet  a  child,  was  sleep- 
ing one  day,  be  was  bitten  hy  a  poisonous  ser- 
pent. His  father — Niul,  a  younger  son  of  the 
king  of  Scythia — carried  the  child  to  the  camp 
of  the  Israelites,  then  close  by,  where  the  dis- 
tracted parent  with  tears  and  prayers  imj)lored 
the  aid  of  Moses.  The  inspired  leader  was  pro- 
foundly touched  by  the  anguish  of  Niul.  He 
laid  the  child  down,  and  prayed  over  him ;  then 
he  touched  with  his  rod  the  wound,  and  the  boy 
arose  healed.  Then,  say  the  Milesians,  the  man 
of  God  promised  or  prophesied  for  the  poster- 
ity of  the  young  prince,  that  they  should  inhabit 
a  country  in  which  no  venomous  reptile  could 
live,  an  island  which  they  should  seek  and  find 
in  the  track  of  the  setting  sun. 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  third  generation 
subsequently  that  the  descendants  and  people  of 
Gadelius  are  found  setting  forth  on  their  proph- 
esied wanderings;  and  of  this  migration  itself 
— of  the  adventures  and  fortunes  of  the  Gadelian 
colony  in  its  journeyings— the  history  would 
make  a  volume.  At  length  we  find  them  tarry- 
ing in  Spain,  where  they  built  a  city,  Brigantia, 
and  occupied  and  ruled  a  certain  extent  of  terri- 
tory. It  is  said  that  Ith  (pronounced  "Eeh"), 
uncle  of  Milesius,  an  adventurous  explorer,  had, 
in  his  cruising  northward  of  the  Brigantian 
coast,  sighted  the  Promised  Isle,  and  landing  to 
explore  it,  was  attacked  by  the  inhabitants 
(Tuatha  de  Danaans),  and  mortally  wounded  ere 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


he  could  regain  his  ship.  He  died  at  sea  on  the 
way  homeward.  His  body  was  reverentially 
j)reserved  and  brought  back  to  Spain  by  his  son, 
Lui  (spelled  Lugaid),*  who  had  accompanied 
him,  and  who  now  summoned  the  entire  Milesian 
host  to  the  last  stage  of  their  destined  wander- 
ings— to  avenge  the  death  of  Ith,  and  occupy 
the  Promised  Isle.  The  old  patriarch  himself, 
Milcdh,  had  died  before  Lui  arrived;  but  his 
sons  all  responded  quickly  to  the  summons ;  and 
the  widowed  queen,  their  mother,  Scota,  placed 
herself  at  the  head  of  the  expedition,  which  soon 
sailed  in  thirty  galleys  for  "the  isle  they  had 
seen  in  dreams."  The  names  of  the  sons  of 
Milesius  who  thus  sailed  for  Ireland  were,  Heber 
the  Fair,  Amergin,  Heber  the  Brown,  Colpa,  Ii', 
and  Heremon;  and  the  date  of  this  event  is  gen- 
erallj'  supposed  to  have  been  about  fourteen  hun- 
dred years  before  the  birth  of  our  Lord. 

At  that  time  Ireland,  known  as  Inuis  Ealga 
(the  Xoble  Isle)  was  ruled  over  by  three  brothers, 
Tuatha  de  Danaan  princes,  after  whose  wives 
(who  were  three  sisters)  the  island  was  alternately 
called,  Eire,  Banba  (or  Banva),  andFiola  (spelled 
Fodhla),  by  which  names  Ireland  is  still  fre- 
quently st3'led  in  national  poems.  Whatever 
difficulties  or  obstacles  beset  the  Milesians  in 
landing  they  at  once  attributed  to  the  "necro- 
mancy" of  the  Tuatha  de  Danaaus,  and  the  old 
traditions  narrate  amusing  stories  of  the  contest 
between  the  resources  of  magic  and  the  power  of 
valor.  "When  the  Milesians  could  not  discover 
land  where  they  thought  to  sight  it,  they  simply 
agreed  that  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans  had  by  their 
black  arts  rendered  it  invisible.  At  length  they 
descried  the  island,  its  tall  blue  hills  touched  by 
the  last  beams  of  the  setting  sun,  and  from  the 
gallej's  there  arose  a  shout  of  joy;  Innisfail,  the 


*  Here  let  me  at  the  outset  state,  once  for  all,  that  I 
Lave  decided,  after  mature  consideration,  to  spell  most  of 
the  Irish  names  occurring  in  our  annals  according  to  their 
correct  pronunciation  or  sound,  and  not  according  to  their 
strictly  correct  orthography  in  the  Irish  lanfjuage  and  typog- 
raphy. I  am  aware  of  all  that  may  fairly  be  said  against 
this  course,  yet  consider  the  weight  of  advantage  to  be  on 
its  side.  Some  of  our  Irish  names  are  irretrievably  Angli- 
cii^d  in  the  worst  form — uncouth  and  absurd.  (Choosing 
therefore  between  difficulties  and  objections,  I  have  de- 
cided to  rescue  the  correct  pronunciation  in  this  manner ; 
^ving,  besides,  with  sufficient  frequency,  the  correct 
orthography. 


Isle  of  Destiny,  was  found!*  But  lo,  next  morn- 
ing the  land  was  submerged,  until  only  a  low 
ridge  appeared  above  the  ocean.  A  device  of 
the  magicians,  say  the  Milesians.  Nevertheless 
they  reached  the  shore  and  made  good  their 
landing.  The  "magician"  inhabitants,  however, 
stated  that  this  was  not  a  fair  conquest  hy  the 
rules  of  war;  that  they  had  no  standing  army  to 
oppose  the  Milesians;  but  if  the  newcomers 
would  again  take  to  their  galleys,  they  should, 
if  able  once  more  to  effect  a  lauding,  be  recog- 
nized as  masters  of  the  isle  by  the  laws  of  war. 

The  Milesians  did  not  quite  like  the  proposi- 
tion. They  feared  much  the  "necromancy"  of 
the  Tuatha  de  Danaans.  It  had  cost  them 
trouble  enough  already  to  get  their  feet  upon  the 
soil,  and  they  did  not  greatly  relish  the  idea  of 
having  to  begin  it  all  over  again.  They  debated 
the  point,  and  it  was  resolved  to  submit  the  case 
to  the  decision  of  Amergin,  who  was  the  OUav 
(the  Learned  Man,  Lawgiver,  or  Seer)  of  the  ex- 
pedition. Amergin,  strange  to  say,  decided  on 
the  merits  against  his  own  brothers  and  kins- 
men, and  in  favor  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans. 
Accordingly,  with  scrupulous  obedience  to  his 
decision,  the  Milesians  relinquished  all  they  had 

*In  Moore's  "  Melodies"  the  event  here  related  is  made 
the  subject  of  the  following  verses  : 

"  They  came  from  a  land  beyond  the  sea. 
And  now  o'er  the  western  main 
Set  sail,  in  their  good  ships,  gallantly, 

From  the  sunny  land  of  Spain. 
'  Oh,  Where's  the  Isle  we've  seen  in  dreams. 

Our  destin'd  home  or  grave?' 
Thus  sung  they  as,  by  the  morning's  beams. 
They  swept  the  Atlantic  wave. 

"  And,  lo,  where  afar  o'er  ocean  shines 

A  sparkle  of  radiant  green. 
As  though  in  that  deep  lay  emerald  mines, 

Whose  light  through  the  wave  was  seen. 
'  'Tis  Innisfail — 'tis  Innisfail  !' 

Rings  o'er  the  echoing  sea  ; 
While,  bending  to  heav'n,  the  warriors  hail 

That  home  of  the  brave  and  free. 

"Then  turn'd  they  unto  the  Eastern  wave. 

Where  now  their  Day-God's  eye 
A  look  of  such  sunny  omen  gave 

As  lighted  up  sea  and  sky. 
Nor  frown  was  seen  through  sky  or  sea. 

Nor  tear  o'er  leaf  or  sod. 
When  first  on  their  Isle  of  Destiny 

Our  great  forefathers  trod." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


3 


so  far  won.  They  re-embarked  in  their  galleys, 
and,  as  demanded,  withdrew  "nine  waves  oS 
from  the  shore."  Immediately  a  -hurricane, 
raised,  say  their  versions,  by  the  spells  of  the 
magicians  on  shore,  burst  over  the  fleet,  dispers- 
ing it  in  all  directions.  Sevex'al  of  the  princes 
and  chiefs  and  their  wives  and  retainers  were 
drowned.  The  Milesians  paid  dearly  for  their 
chivalrous  acquiescence  in  the  rather  singular 
proposition  of  the  inhabitants  indorsed  by  the 
decision  of  Amergin.  When  they  did  land  next 
time,  it  was  not  in  one  combined  force,  but 
in  detachments  widely  separated ;  some  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Boyne ;  others  on  the  Kerry  coast. 
A  short  but  fiercely  contested  campaign  decided 
the  fate  of  the  kingdom.  In  the  first  great 
pitched  battle,  which  was  fought  in  a  glen  a  few 
miles  south  of  Tralee,*  the  Milesians  were  vic- 
torious. But  they  lost  the  aged  Queen-Mother, 
'Scota,  who  fell  amidst  the  slain,  and  was  buried 
beneath  a  royal  cairn  in  Glen  Scohene,  close  by. 
Indeed  the  queens  of  ancient  Ireland  figure  very 
prominently  in  our  history,  as  we  shall  learn  as 
we  proceed.  In  the  final  engagement,  which 
was  fought  at  Tailtan  in  Meath,  between  the 
sons  of  Milesius  and  the  three  Tuatha  de  Danaan 
kings,  the  latter  were  utterly  and  finally  de- 
feated, and  were  themselves  slain.  And  with 
their  husbands,  the  three  brothers,  there  fell 
upon  that  dreadful  day,  when  crown  and  coun- 
try, home  and  husband,  all  were  lost  to  them, 
the  three  sisters,  Queens  Eire,  Banva,  and  Fiola! 

CHAPTER  II. 

HOW  IRELAND   FARED   UNDER  THE   MILESIAN  DYNASTY. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  follow  through  their  de- 
tails the  proceedings  of  the  Milesian  princes  in 
the  period  immediately  subsequent  to  the  land- 
ing.   It  will  suffice  to  state  that  in  a  compara- 


*  All  that  I  liave  been  here  relating  is  a  condensation  of 
traditions,  very  old,  and  until  recently  little  valued  or 
•credited  by  historical  theorists.  Yet  singular  corrobora- 
tions have  been  turning  up  daily,  establishing  the  truth 
■of  tJie  main  facts  thus  handed  down.  Accidental  excava- 
tions a  few  years  since  in  the  glen  which  tradition  has 
banded  down  as  tbe  scene  of  this  battle  more  than  three 
■thousand  years  ago,  brought  to  light  full  corroboration  of 
ithis  fact,  at  least,  that  a  battle  of  great  slaughter  was 
ought  upon  tbe  exact  spot  some  thousands  of  years  ago. 


tively  brief  time  they  subdued  the  country, 
entering,  however,  into  regular  pacts,  treaties, 
or  alliances  with  the  conquered  but  not  power- 
less Firbolgs  and  Tuatha  de  Danaans.  Accord- 
ing to  the  constitution  under  which  Ireland  was 
governed  for  more  than  a  thousand  years,  the 
population  of  the  island  were  distinguished  in 
two  classes — the  Free  Clans,  and  the  Unfree 
Clans;  the  former  being  the  descendants  of  the 
Milesian  legions,  the  latter  the  descendants  of 
the  subjected  Tuatha  de  Danaans  and  Firbolgs. 
The  latter  were  allowed  certain  rights  and  privi- 
leges, and  to  a  great  extent  regulated  their  own 
internal  affairs ;  but  they  could  not  vote  in  the 
selectjon  of  a  sovereign,  nor  exercise  any  other 
of  the  attributes  of  full  citizenship  without 
special  leave.  Indeed,  those  subject  populations 
occasioned  the  conquerors  serious  trouble  by 
their  hostility  from  time  to  time  for  centuries 
afterward. 

The  sovereignty  of  the  island  was  jointly 
vested  in,  or  assumed  by,  Heremon  and  Heber, 
the  Romulus  and  Remus  of  ancient  Ireland. 
Like  these  twin  brothers,  who,  seven  hundred 
years  later  on,  founded  Rome,  Heber  and  Here- 
mon quarreled  in  the  sovereignty.  In  a  pitched 
battle  fought  between  them  Heber  was  slain,  and 
Heremon  remained  sole  ruler  of  the  island. 
For  more  than  a  thousand  years  the  dynasty 
thus  established  reigned  in  Ireland,  the  scepter 
never  passing  out  of  the  family  of  Milesius  in  the 
direct  line  of  descent,  unless  upon  one  occasion 
(to  which  I  shall  more  fully  advert  at  the  proper 
time)  for  the  brief  period  of  less  than  twenty 
years.  The  Milesian  sovereigns  appear  to  have 
exhibited  considerable  energy  in  organizing  the 
country  and  establishing  what  we  may  call  "in- 
stitutions," some  of  which  have  been  adopted 
or  copied  with  improvements  and  adaptations  by 
the  most  civilized  governments  of  the  present 
day ;  and  the  island  advanced  in  renown  for 
valor,  for  wealth,  for  manufactures,  and  for 
commerce. 

By  this,  however,  my  young  readers  are  not  to 
suppose  that  anything  like  the  civilization  of 
our  times,  or  even  faintly  approaching  that  to 
which  ancient  Greece  and  Rome  afterward  at- 
tained, prevailed  at  this  period  in  Ireland.  Not 
so.  But,  compared  with  the  civilization  of  its 
own  period  in  northern  and  Western  Europe,  and 


4 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


recollecting  how  isolated  and  bow  far  removed 
Ii'eland  was  from  the  great  center  and  source  of 
colonization  and  civilization  in  the  East,  the  civ- 
ilization of  pagan  Ireland  must  be  admitted  to 
have  been  proudlj'  eminent.  In  the  works  re- 
maining to  us  of  the  earliest  writers  of  ancient 
Rome,  we  find  references  to  Ireland  that  attest 
the  high  position  it  then  held  in  the  estimation 
of  the  most  civilized  and  learned  nations  of  an- 
tiquitj'.  From  our  own  historians  we  know  that 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  years  before  the  birth 
of  our  Lord,  gold  mining  and  smelting,  and 
ai'tistic  working  in  the  precious  metals,  were  car- 
ried on  to  a  great  extent  in  Ireland.  Numerous 
facts  might  be  adduced  to  prove  that  9.  high 
order  of  political,  social,  industrial,  and  intel- 
lectual intelligence  prevailed  in  the  counti-y. 
Even  in  an  age  which  was  rudely  barbaric  else- 
where all  over  the  world,  the  superiority  of  in- 
tellect over  force,  of  the  scholar  over  the  soldier, 
■was  not  only  recognized  but  decreed  by  leglisla- 
tion  in  Ireland!  We  find  in  the  Irish  chronicles 
that  in  the  reign  of  Eochj''  the  First  (more  than 
a  thousand  years  before  Christ)  society  was  clas- 
sified into  seven  grades,  each  marked  by  the 
number  of  colors  in  its  dress,  and  that  in  this  clas- 
sification men  of  learning,  i.e.,  eminent  scholars, 
or  savants  as  they  would  now  be  called,  were  by 
law  ranked  next  to  royalty. 

But  the  most  signal  proof  of  all,  attesting  the 
existence  in  Ii'eland  at  that  period  of  a  civiliza- 
tion marvelous  for  its  time,  was  the  celebrated 
institution  of  the  Feis  Tara,  or  Triennial  Parlia- 
ment of  Tara,  one  of  the  first  formal  parliaments 
or  legislative  assemblies  of  which  we  have  record.  * 
This  great  national  legislative  assembly  was  in- 
stituted by  an  Irish  monarch,  whose  name  sur- 
vives as  a  synonym  of  wisdom  and  justice,  Ollav 
Fiola,  who  reigned  as  Ard-Ri  of  Eriun  about  one 
thousand  j'ears  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  To 
this  assembly  were  regularly  summoned : 

Firstly — All  the  subordinate  royal  princes  or 
chieftains; 

Secondly — Ollavs  and  bards,  judges,  scholars, 
and  historians;  and 

Thirdly — Military  commanders. 


*  The  Ampbictyonic  Council  did  not  by  any  means  par- 
take to  a  like  extent  of  tbe  nature  and  cbaracter  of  a  par- 
liament. 


"We  have  in  the  old  records  the  most  precise 
accounts  of  the  formalities  observed  at  the  open- 
ing and  during  the  sitting  of  the  assembly,  from 
which  we  learn  that  its  proceedings  were  regu- 
lated with  admirable  order  and  conducted  with 
the  greatest  solemnity. 

Nor  was  the  institution  of  "triennial  parlia- 
ments" the  only  instance  in  which  this  illustri- 
ous Irish  monarch,  two  thousand  eight  hundred 
years  ago,  anticipated  to  a  certain  extent  the 
forms  of  constitutional  government  of  which  the 
nineteenth  century  is  so  proud.  In  the  civil  ad- 
ministration of  the  kingdom  the  same  enlightened 
wisdom  was  displayed.  He  organized  the  coun- 
try into  regular  prefectures.  "Over  every  can- 
tred, "  says  the  historian,  "he  appointed  a  chief- 
tain, and  over  every  townland  a  kind  of  prefect, 
or  secondary  chief,  all  being  the  officials  of  the 
king  of  Ireland. "  Aftpr  a  reign  of  more  than 
forty  years,  this  "true  Irish  king"  died  at  an 
advanced  age,  having  lived  to  witness  long  the 
prosperity,  happiness,  and  peace  which  his  noble 
efforts  had  diffused  all  over  the  realm.  His  real, 
name  was  Eochj'  the  Fourth,  but  he  is  more 
familiarly  known  in  history  by  the  title  or  sou- 
briquet of  "Ollav  Fiola, "  that  is,  the  "Ollav," 
or  lawgiver,  pre-eminently  of  Ix'eland,  or  "Fiola." 

Though  the  comparative  civilization  of  Ire- 
land at  this  remote  time  was  so  high,  the  annals 
of  the  period  disclose  the  usual  recurrence  of' 
wars  for  the  throne  between  rival  members  of 
the  same  dynasty,  which  early  and  mediaeval. 
European  history  in  general  exhibits.  Reading 
over  the  history  of  ancient  Ireland,  as  of  ancient 
Greece,  Rome,  Assyria,  Gaul,  Britain,  or  Spain, 
one  is  struck  by  the  number  of  sovereigns  wha 
fell  by  violent  deaths,  and  the  fewness  of  those 
who  ended  their  reigns  otherwise.  But  those 
were  the  days  when  between  kings  and  princes, 
chiefs  and  warriors,  the  sword  was  the  ready 
arbiter  that  decided  all  causes,  executed  all  judg- 
ments, avenged  all  wrongs,  and  accomplished  all 
ambitions.  Moreover,  it  is  essential  to  bear  in 
mind  that  the  kings  of  those  times  commanded 
and  led  their  own  armies,  not  merely  in  theory 
or  by  "legal  fiction,"  but  in  I'eality  and  fact; 
and  that  personal  participation  in  the  battle  and 
prowess  in  the  field  were  expected  and  were 
requisite  on  the  part  of  the  royal  commander. 
Under  such  circumstances  one  can  easily  perceive: 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


5 


bow  it  came  to  pass,  naturally  and  inevitably, 
tbat  the  battlefield  became  ordinarily  tbe  death- 
bed of  the  king.  In  those  early  times  the  kings 
who  did  not  fall  by  the  sword,  in  fair  battle  or 
unfair  assault,  were  the  exceptions  everj'where. 
Yet  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  we  find  the 
average  duration  of  the  reigns  of  Irish  monarchs,- 
for  fifteen  hundred  or  two  thousand  years  after 
the  Milesian  dynasty  ascended  the  throne,  was 
as  long  as  that  of  most  European  reigns  in  the 
seventeenth,  eighteenth,  and  nineteenth  centu- 
ries. Several  of  the  Milesian  sovereigns  enjoyed 
reigns  extending  to  over  thirty  years;  some  to 
fifty  years.  Many  of  them  were  highly  accom- 
plished and  learned  men,  liberal  patrons  of  arts, 
science,  and  commerce;  and  as  one  of  them, 
fourteen  hundred  years  before  the  Christian  era, 
instituted  regularly  convened  i^arliaments,  so  we 
find  others  of  them  instituting  orders  of  knight- 
hood and  Companionships  of  Chivalry  long  be- 
fore we  hear  of  their  establishment  elsewhere. 

The  Irish  kings  of  this  period,  as  well  as  dur- 
ing the  first  ten  centuries  of  the  Christian  age, 
in  frequent  instances  intermarried  with  the  royal 
families  of  other  countries — Spain,  Gaul,  Britain, 
and  Alba;  and  the  commei'ce  and  manufactures 
of  Ireland  were,  as  the  early  Latin  writers  ac- 
quaint us,  famed  in  all  the  marts  and  ports  of 
Europe. 


CHAPTER  m. 

HOW  THE  UNFREE  CLANS  TEIED  A  REVOLUTION;  AND 
WHAT  CAME  OF  IT.  HOW  THE  ROMANS  THOUGHT 
IT  VAIN  TO  ATTEMPT   A  CONQUEST  OF  IRELAND. 

During  those  fifteen  hundred  years  preceding 
the  Christian  era,  the  other  great  nations  of 
Europe,  the  Romans  and  the  Greeks,  were  pass- 
ing, by  violent  changes  and  bloody  convulsions, 
through  nearly  every  conceivable  form  of  govern- 
ment— republics,  confederations,  empires,  king- 
doms, limited  monarchies,  despotisms,  consu- 
lates, etc.  During  the  like  period  (fifteen  cen- 
turies) the  one  form  of  government,  a  limited 
monarchy,  and  the  one  dynasty,  the  Milesian, 
ruled  in  Ireland.  The  monarchy  was  elective, 
but  elective  out  of  the  eligible  members  of  the 
established  or  legitimate  dynasty. 

Indeed  the  principle  of  "legitimacy,"  as  it  is 


sometimes  called  in  our  times — the  hereditary 
right  of  a  ruling  family  or  dynasty — seems  from 
the  earliest  ages  to  have  been  devotedly,  I  might 
almost  say  superstitiously,  held  by  the  Irish. 
Wars  for  the  crown,  and  violent  changes  of 
rulers,  were  always  frequent  enough ;  but  the 
wars  and  the  changes  were  always  between  mem- 
bers of  the  ruling  family  or  "blood  royal;"  and 
the  two  or  three  instances  to  the  contrary  that 
occur  are  so  singularly  strong  in  their  illustra- 
tion of  the  fact  to  which  I  have  adverted,  that  I 
will  cite  one  of  them  here. 

The  Milesians  and  the  earlier  settlers  never 
completely  fused.  Fifteen  hundred  years  after 
the  Milesian  landing,  the  Firbolgs,  the  Tuatha 
de  Danaans,  and  the  Milesians  were  still  sub- 
stantially distinct  races  or  classes,  the  first  being 
agriculturists  or  tillers  of  the  soil,  the  second 
manufacturers  and  merchants,  the  third  soldiers, 
and  rulers.  The  exactions  and  oppressions  of 
the  ruling  classes  at  one  time  became  so  griev- 
ous that  in  the  reign  succeeding  that  of  Creivan 
the  Second,  who  was  the  ninety-ninth  Milesian 
monarch  of  Ireland,  a  widespread  conspiracy'  was 
organized  for  the  overthrow  and  extirpation  of 
the  Milesian  princes  and  aristocracy.  After 
three  years  of  secret  preparation,  everything 
being  ready,  the  royal  and  noble  Milesian  fami- 
lies, one  and  all,  were  invited  to  a  "monster 
meeting"  for  games,  exhibitions,  feastings,  etc., 
on  the  plain  of  Knock  Ma,  in  the  county  of  Gal- 
way.  The  great  spectacle  had  lasted  nine  days, 
when  suddenly  the  Milesians  were  set  upon  by 
the  Attacotti  (as  the  Latin  chroniclers  called  the 
conspirators),  and  massacred  to  a  man.  Of  the 
royal  line  there  escaped,  however,  three  princes, 
children  yet  unborn.  Their  mothers,  wives  of 
Irish  princes,  were  the  daughters  respectively  of 
the  kings  of  Scotland,  Saxony,  and  Brittany, 
They  succeeded  in  escaping  into  Albion,  where 
the  three  young  princes  were  born  and  educated. 
The  successful  conspirators  raised  to  the.  throne 
Carbry  the  First,  who  reigned  five  years,  during 
which  time,  say  the  chronicles,  the  country  was 
a  prey  to  every  misfortune ;  the  earth  refused  to 
yield,  the  cattle  gave  no  milk,  the  trees  bore  no. 
fruit,  the  waters  had  no  fish,  and  "the  oak  *had 


*  Such  was  the  deep  faith  the  Irish  had  in  the  principle 
of  legitimacy  in  a  dynasty  !    This  characteristic  of  nearly 


'6 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


but  one  acorn."  Carbry  was  succeeded  by  his 
sou,  Moran,  w  hose  name  deservedly  lives  in  Irish 
history  as  "Moran  the  Just."  He  refused  to 
weai-  the  crown,  which  belonged,  he  said,  to  the 
royal  line  that  had  been  so  miraculously  pre- 
served; and  he  urged  that  the  rightful  princes, 
who  hy  this  time  had  grown  to  man's  estate, 
should  be  recalled.  Moran 's  powerful  pleading 
commended  itself  readily  to  the  popular  con- 
science, already  disquieted  by  the  misfortunes 
and  evil  omens  which,  as  the  jieople  read  them, 
had  fallen  upon  the  laud  since  the  legitimate 
line  had  been  so  dreadfully  cut  dowii.  The 
young  princes  were  recalled  from  exile,  and  one 
of  them,  Faradah  the  Righteous,  was,  amid 
great  rejoicing,  elected  king  of  Ireland.  Moran 
Mvas  appointed  chief  judge  of  Erinn,  and  under 
his  administration  of  justice  the  land  long  pre- 
sented a  scene  of  peace,  happiness,  and  content- 
ment. To  the  gold  chain  of  office  which  Moran 
wore  on  the  judgment  seat,  the  Irish  for  centu- 
ries subsequently  attached  supernatural  powers. 
It  was  said  that  it  would  tighten  around  the  neck 
■of  the  judge  if  he  was  unjustly  judging  a  cause! 

The  dawn  of  Christianity  found  the  Romans 
masters  of  nearly  the  whole  of  the  known  world. 
Britain,  after  a  short  struggle,  succumbed,  and 
eventually  learned  to  love  the  yoke.  Gaul,  after 
a  gallant  effort,  was  also  overpowered  and  held 
as  a  conquered  province.  But  upon  Irish  soil 
the  Roman  eagles  were  never  planted.  Of  Ire- 
land, or  lerne,  as  they  called  it,  of  its  great 
wealth  and  amazing  beauty  of  scenery  and  rich- 
ness of  soil,  the  all-conquering  Romans  heard 
much.  But  they  had  heard  also  that  the  fruitful 
and  beautiful  island  was  peopled  by  a  soldier 
race,  and,  judging  them  by  the  few  who  occasion- 
ally crossed  to  Alba  to  help  their  British  neigh- 
bors, and  whose  prowess  and  skill  the  imperial 
legions  had  betimes  to  prove,  the  conquest  of 


all  the  Celtic  nations  survives  in  all  its  force  in  the  Jacobite 
Relics  of  Ireland,  the  outbursts  of  Irish  national  feeling 
seventeen  hundred  years Huhsequently.  Ex.gr.  Compare  the 
above  taken  from  an  old  chronicle  of  the  period,  with  the 
well-known  Jacobite  song  translated  from  the  Irish  by 
Callanan  : 

"  No  more  the  cuckoo  hails  the  spring  ; 
No  more  the  woods  with  stanch  hounds  ring  ; 
The  sun  scarce  lights  the  sorrowing  day. 
Since  the  rightful  prince  is  far  away." 


lerne  was  wisely  judged  by  the  Romans  to  be  a 
work  better  not  attempted. 

The  early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era  may 
be  considered  the  period  pre-eminently  of  pagan 
bardic  or  legendary  fame  in  Ireland.  In  this, 
which  Ave  may  call  the  "Ossianic"  period,  lived 
Cuhal  or  Cumhal,  father  of  the  celebrated  Fin 
Mac  Cumhal,  and  commander  of  the  great  Irish 
legion  called  the  Fiana  Erion,  or  Irish  militia. 
The  Ossianic  poems*  recount  the  most  marvelous 
stories  of  Fin  and  Fiana  Erion,  which  stories  are 
compounds  of  undoubted  facts  and  manifest  fic- 
tions, the  prowess  of  the  heroes  being  in  the 
course  of  time  magnified  into  the  supernatural, 
and  the  figures  and  poetic  allegories  of  the  earlier 
bards  gradually  coming  to  be  read  as  realities. 
Some  of  these  poems  are  gross,  extravagant,  and 
absurd.  Others  of  them  are  of  rare  beauty,  and 
are,  moreover,  valuable  for  the  insight  they  give, 
though  obliquely,  into  the  manners  and  customs, 
thoughts,  feelings,  guiding  principles,  and  mov- 
ing passions  of  the  ancient  Irish. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

BARDIC  TALES     OF  ANCIENT  EKINN  "tHE  SOEROWFUL 

FATE  OF  THE  CHILDREN  OF  USNA. " 

One  of  the  oldest,  and  perhaps  the  most  fa- 
mous, of  all  the  great  national  history-poems  or 
bardic  tales  of  the  ancient  Irish,  is  called  "The 
Fate  of  the  Children  of  Usna, "  the  incidents  of 
which  belong  to  the  period  preceding  by  half  a 
century  the  Christian  era,  or  anno  mundi  3960. 
Indeed  it  was  always  classified  by  the  bards  as 
one  of  "The  Three  Sorrowful  Tales  of  Erinn." 
Singularly  enough,  the  story  contains  much  less 
poetic  fiction,  and  keeps  much  closer  to  the  simple 
facts  of  history,  than  do  several  of  the  poems  of 
Ossian's  time,  written  much  later  on.  From  the 
highly  dramatic  and  tragic  nature  of  the  events 
related,  one  can  well  conceive  that,  clad  in  the 
beautiful  idiom  of  the  Irish  tongue  and  told  in 
the  fanciful  language  of  poetry,  "The  Story  of 
the  Children  of  Usnach"  was  calculated  to  win  a 
prominent  place  among  the  bardic  recitals  of 
the  pagan  Irish.  A  semi-fanciful  version  of  it 
has  been  given  in  English  at  great  length  by  Dr. 

*So  called  from  their  author,  Oisin,  or  Ossian,  the  war- 
rior poet,  son  of  Fin,  and  grandson  of  Cuhal. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


7 


Ferguson  in  the  "Hibernian  Nights'  Entertain- 
ment;" but  the  story  is  variously  related  by  other 
narrators.  As  it  may,  perhaps,  be  interesting 
to  my  young  readers,  I  summarize  the  various 
versions  here  as  the  only  specimen  I  mean  to 
give  of  the  semi-imaginative  literature  of  the 
pagan  Irish : 

"When  Conor  Mac  Nessa  was  reigning  king  of 
Ulidia,  aud  Eochy  the  Tenth  was  Ard-Ri  of 
Erinn,  it  happened  one  day  that  Conor  had 
deigned  to  be  present  at  a  feast  which  was  given 
at  the  house  of  Felemi,  son  of  the  laureate  of 
Ulster.  While  the  festivities  were  going  on,  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  wife  of  the  host  gave  birth 
to  a  daughter;  and  the  infant  being  brought 
into  the  presence  of  the  king  and  the  other 
assembled  guests,  all  saw  that  a  beauty  more 
than  natural  had  been  given  to  the  c  jild.  In  the 
midst  of  remarK  and  marvel  on  all  hands  at  the 
circumstance,  Kavaiee,  the  chief  Druid  of  the 
(Jlidians,  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice  and  proph- 
esied that  through  the  infant  before  them 
there  would  come  dark  Avoe  aud  misfortune  to 
Ulster,  such  as  the  land  had  not  known  for  years. 
"When  the  warriors  heard  this,  they  all  demanded 
that  the  child  should  instantly  be  put  to  death. 
But  Conor  interposed  and  forbade  the  deed. 
"I,"  said  the  king,  "will  myself  take  charge  of 
this  beautiful  child  of  destiny.  I  shall  have  her 
reared  where  no  evil  can  befall  through  her  or  to 
her,  and  in  time  she  may  become  a  wife  for  me. " 
Then  the  chief  Druid,  Kavaiee,  named  the  child 
Deirdri,  which  means  alarm  or  danger.  Conor 
placed  the  infant  under  the  charge  of  a  nurse  or 
■attendant,  and  subsequently  a  female  tutor,  in  a 
residence  situated  in  a  district  which  no  foot  of 
man  was  allowed  to  tread ;  so  that  Deirdri  had 
grown  to  the  age  of  woman  before  she  saw  a 
human  form  other  than  those  of  her  female  at- 
tendants. And  the  maiden  was  beautiful  beyond 
aught  that  the  eye  of  man  had  ever  beheld. 

Meanwhile,  at  the  court  of  the  Ulidian  king 
was  a  young  noble  named  Naeisi,  son  of  Usna, 
whose  manly  beauty,  vigor,  activity,  and  bravery 
were  the  theme  of  every  tongue.  One  day, 
accompanied  only  by  a  faithful  deerhound,  Naeisi 
had  hunted  the  deer  from  the  rising  of  the  sun, 
until,  toward  evening,  he  found  the  chase  had 
led  him  into  a  district  quite  strange  to  bis  eye. 
-Hft  paused  to  think  how  best  he  might  retrace 


his  way  homeward,  when  suddenly  the  terrible 
idea  flashed  across  his  mind  that  he  was  within 
the  forbidden  ground  which  it  was  death  to  enter 
— the  watchfully-guarded  retreat  of  the  king's 
■  my  steiious  proiegve,  Deirdri.  While  pondering 
on  his  fatal  position,  he  came  suddenly  upon 
Deirdri  and  her  nurse,  who  were  strolling  in  the 
sunset  hy  a  running  stream.  Deirdri  cried  out 
with  joy  to  her  attendant,  and  asked  what  sort 
of  a  being  it  was  who  stood  beyond;  for  she  had 
never  seen  any  such  before.  The  constei-nation 
and  embarrassment  of  the  aged  attendant  were 
extreme,  and  she  in  vain  sought  to  baffle  Deirdri 's 
queries,  and  to  induce  her  to  hasten  homeward. 
Naeisi  too,  riveted  by  the  beauty  of  Deirdri,  even 
though  he  knew  the  awful  consequences  of  his 
unexpected  presence  there,  stirred  not  from  the 
scene.  He  felt  that  even  on  the  penalty  of  death 
he  would  not  lose  the  enchanting  vision.  He 
and  Deirdri  spoke  to  each  other;  and  eventually 
the  nurse,  perplexed  at  first,  seems  to  have  be- 
come a  confidante  to  the  attachment  which  on 
the  spot  sprung  up  between  the  young  people. 

It  was  vain  for  them,  however,  to  hide  from 
themselves  the  fate  awaiting  them  on  the  king's 
discovery  of  their  affection,  and  accordingly  Naeisi 
and  Deirdri  arranged  that  they  would  fly  into 
Alba,  where  they  might  find  a  home.  Now 
Naeisi  was  greatly  loved  by  all  the  nobles  of 
Ulster;  but  most  of  all  was  he  loved  by  his  two 
brothers,  Anli  and  Ardau,  aud  his  affection  for 
them  caused  him  to  feel  poignantly  the  idea  of 
leaving  them  forever.  So  he  confided  to  them 
the  dread  secret  of  his  love  for  Deirdri  and  of  the 
flight  he  and  she  had  planned.  Then  Anli  and 
Ardan  said  that  wherever  Naeisi  would  fly, 
thither  also  would  they  go,  aud  with  their  good 
swords  guard  their  brother  and  the  wife  for 
whom  he  was  sacrificing  home  and  heritage.  So, 
privately  selecting  a  trusty  band  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  warriors,  Naeisi,  Anli,  and  Ardan,  tak- 
ing Deirdri  with  them,  succeeded  in  making 
their  escape  out  of  Ireland  and  into  Alba,  where 
the  king  of  that  country,  aware  of  their  noble 
lineage  and  high  valor,  assigned  them  ample 
"maintenance  and  quarterage,"  as  the  bards  ex- 
press it.  There  they  lived  peacefully  and  happilj' 
for  a  time,  until  the  fame  of  Deirdri 's  unequalled 
beauty  made  the  Albanian  king  restless  and  envi- 
ous, reflecting  that  he  might,  as  sovereign,  him- 


8 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


self  claim  her  as  wife,  wbicb  demand  at  length 
he  made.  Naeisi  and  his  brothers  were  filled 
with  indignation  at  this;  but  their  difficulty  was 
extreme,  for  whither  now  could  they  fly?  Ire- 
land was  closed  against  them  forever ;  and  now 
they  were  no  longer  safe  in  Alba!  The  full  dis- 
tress of  their  position  was  soon  realized  :  for  the 
king  of  Alba  came  with  force  of  arms  to  take 
Deirdri.  After  many  desperate  encounters  and 
adventures,  however,  any  one  of  which  would 
suppb"  ample  material  for  a  poem-story,  the 
exiled  brothers  and  their  retainers  made  good 
their  retreat  into  a  small  island  off  the  Scottish 
coast. 

When  it  was  heard  in  Ulidia  that  the  sons  of 
Usna  were  in  such  sore  strait,  great  murmurs 
went  round  among  the  nobles  of  Ulster,  for 
Naeisi  and  his  brothers  were  greatly  beloved  of 
them  all.  So  the  nobles  of  the  province  eventu- 
ally' spoke  up  to  the  king,  and  said  it  was  hard 
and  a  sad  thing  that  these  three  young  nobles, 
the  foremost  warriors  of  Ulster,  should  be  lost  to 
their  native  land  and  should  suffer  such  difficulty 
"on  account  of  one  woman. "  Conor  saw  what 
discontent  and  disaffection  would  prevail  through- 
out the  province  if  the  popular  favorites  were  not 
at  once  pardoned  and  recalled.  He  consented  to 
the  entreaties  of  the  nobles,  and  a  royal  courier 
was  dispatched  with  the  glad  tidings  to  the  sons 
of  Usna. 

"When  the  news  came,  joy  beamed  on  every 
face  but  on  that  of  Deirdri.  She  felt  an  unac- 
countable sense  of  fear  and  sorrow,  "as  if  of 
coming  ill. "  Yet,  with  all  Naeisi's  unbounded 
love  for  hei",  she  feared  to  put  it  to  the  strain  of 
calling  on  him  to  choose  between  exile  with  her 
or  a  return  to  Ireland  without  her.  For  it  was 
clear  that  both  he  and  Auli  and  Ardan  longed  in 
their  hearts  for  one  glimpse  of  the  hills  of  Erinn. 
However,  she  could  not  conceal  the  terrible  dread 
that  oppressed  her,  and  Naeisi,  though  his  soul 
yearned  for  home,  was  so  moved  by  Deirdri 's 
forebodings,  that  he  replied  to  the  royal  messen- 
ger by  expressing  doubts  of  the  safety  promised 
to  him  if  he  returned. 

"When  this  answer  reached  Ulster,  it  only  in- 
flamed the  discontent  against  the  king,  and  the 
nobles  agreed  that  it  was  but  right  that  the  most 
solemn  guarantees  and  ample  sureties  should  be 
given  to  the  sons  of  Usna  on  the  part  of  the  king. 


To  this  also  Conor  assented;  and  he  gave  Fergus 
Mac  Eoi,  Duthach  del  Ulad,  and  Cormac  Colingaa 
as  guarantees  or  hostages  that  he  would  himself 
act  toward  the  sous  of  Usna  in  good  faith. 

The  royal  messenger  set  out  once  more,  accom- 
panied by  Fiachy,  a  young  noble  of  Ulster,  son 
of  Fergus  Mac  Roi,  one  of  the  three  hostages; 
and  now  there  remained  no  excuse  for  Naeisi  de- 
laying to  return.  Deirdri  still  felt  oppressed  by 
the  mj'sterious  sense  of  dread  and  hidden  danger; 
but  (so  she  reflected)  as  Naeisi  and  his  devoted 
brothers  had  hiterto  uncomplainingly  sacrificed 
everything  for  her,  she  would  now  sacrifice  her 
feelings  for  their  sakes.  She  assented,  therefore 
(though  with  secret  sorrow  and  foreboding),  to 
their  homeward  voyage. 

Soon  the  galleys  laden  with  the  returning^ 
exiles  reached  the  Irish  shore.  On  landing,  they 
found  a  Dalariadau  legion  waiting  to  escort  them 
to  Emania,  the  palace  of  the  king;  and  of  this 
legion  the  young  Fiachy  was  the  commanderc 
Before  completing  the  first  day's  march  some 
misgivings  seem  occasionally  to  have  flitted 
across  the  minds  of  the  brothers,  but  they  were 
allayed  by  the  frank  and  fearless,  brave  and  hon- 
orable Fiachj',  who  told  them  to  have  no  fear, 
and  to  be  of  good  heart.  But  every  spear's 
length  they  drew  near  to  Emania,  Deirdri 's  feel- 
ings became  more  and  more  insupportable,  and 
so  overpowered  was  she  with  the  forebodings  of 
evil,  that  again  the  cavalcade  halted,  and  again 
the  brothers  would  have  turned  back  but  for  the 
persuasions  of  their  escort.  Next  day,  toward 
evening,  they  sighted  Emania.  "O  Naeisi," 
cried  Deirdri,  "view  the  cloud  that  I  here  see  in 
the  sky !  I  see  over  Eman  Green  a  chilling  cloud 
of  blood-tinged  red. "  But  Naeisi  tried  to  cheer 
her  with  assurances  of  safety  and  pictures  of  the 
happy  days  that  were  yet  before  them. 

Next  day  came  Durthacht,  chieftain  of  Fermae 
(now  Farney),  saying  that  he  came  from  the 
king,  by  whose  orders  the  charge  of  the  escort 
should  now  be  given  to  him.  But  Fiachy,  who 
perhaps  at  this  stage  began  to  have  misgivings 
as  to  what  was  in  meditation,  answered  that  to 
no  one  would  he  surrender  the  honorable  trust 
confided  to  him  on  the  stake  of  his  father's  life 
and  honor,  which  with  his  own  life  and  honor  he 
would  defend. 

And  here,  interrupting  the  summarized  text. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


9 


■of  the  story,  I  may  state  that  it  is  a  matter  of 
doubt  whether  the  king  was  really  a  party  to  the 
treachery  which  ensued,  or  whether  Durthacht 
and  others  themselves  moved  in  the  bloody  busi- 
ness without  his  orders,  using  his  name  and  cal- 
culating that  what  they  proposed  to  do  would 
secretly  please  him,  would  be  readily  forgiven  or 
approved,  and  would  recommend  them  to  Conor's 
favor.  Conor's  character  as  it  stands  on  the 
page  of  authentic  Mstory,  would  forbid  the  idea 
of  such  murderous  perfidy  on  his  part;  but  all 
the  versions  of  the  tale  allege  the  king's  guilt  to 
be  deep  and  plain. 

Fiachy  escorted  his  charge  to  a  palace  which 
had  been  assigned  for  them  in  the  neighborhood ; 
and,  much  to  the  disconcerting  of  Durthacht  of 
Fermae,  quartered  his  legion  of  Dalariadans  as 
guards  upon  the  building.  That  night  neither 
the  chivalrous  Fiachy  nor  the  children  of  Usna 
disguised  the  now  irresistible  and  mournful  con- 
viction that  foul  play  was  to  be  apprehended; 
but  Naeisi  and  his  brothers  had  seen  enoug-h  of 
their  brave  young  custodian  to  convince  them 
that,  even  though  his  own  father  should  come  at 
the  palace  gate  to  bid  him  connive  at  the  sur- 
render of  his  charge,  Fiachy  would  defend  them 
while  life  remained. 

Next  morning  the  effort  was  renewed  to  induce 
Fiachy  to  hand  over  the  charge  of  the  returned 
exiles.  He  was  immovable.  "What  interest  is 
it  of  yours  to  obstruct  the  king's  orders?"  said 
Durthacht  of  Fermae;  "can  you  not  turn  over 
your  responsibility  to  us,  and  in  peace  aaid  safety 
go  your  way?" — "It  is  of  the  last  interest  to 
me,"  replied  Fiachy,  "to  see  that  the  sons  of 
Usna  have  not  trusted  in  vain  on  the  word  of  the 
king,  on  the  hostage  of  my  father,  or  on  the 
honor  of  my  father's  son."  Then  all  chance  of 
prevailing  on  Fiachy  being  over,  Durthacht  gave 
the  signal  for  assault,  and  the  palace  was  stormed 
on  all  sides. 

Then  spoke  Naeisi,  touched  to  the  heart  by  the 
devotion  and  fidelity  of  Fiachy:  "Why  should 
you  perish  defending  us?  We  have  seen  all. 
Your  honor  is  safe,  noblest  of  youths.  We  will 
not  have  you  sacrifice  vainly  resisting  the  fate 
that  for  us  now  is  clearly  inevitable.  We  will 
meet  death  calmly,  we  will  surrender  ourselves, 
-and  spare  needless  slaughter."  But  Fiachy 
"would  not  have  it  so,  and  all  the  entreaties  of 


the  sons  of  TJsna  could  not  prevail  upon  him  to 
assent.  "lam  here,"  said  he,  "the  representa- 
tive of  my  father's  hostage,  of  the  honor  of 
Ulster,  and  the  word  of  the  king.  To  these  and 
on  me  you  trusted.  While  you  were  safe  you 
would  have  turned  back,  but  for  me.  Now,  they 
who  would  harm  you  must  pass  over  the  lifeless 
corpse  of  FiachJ^" 

Then  they  asked  that  they  might  at  least  go 
forth  on  the  ramparts  and  take  part  in  the  de- 
fense of  the  palace ;  but  Fiachy  pointed  out  that 
by  the  etiquette  of  knightly  honor  in  Ulidia,  this 
would  be  infringing  on  his  sacred  charge.  He 
was  the  pledge  for  their  safety,  and  he  alone 
should  look  to  it.  They  must,  under  no  circum- 
stances, run  even  the  slightest  peril  of  a  spear- 
wound,  unless  he  should  first  fall,  when  by  the 
laws  of  honor,  his  trust  would  have  been 
acquitted,  but  not  otherwise.  So  ran  the  code 
of  chivalry  among  the  warriors  of  Dalariada. 

Then  Naeisi  and  his  brothers  and  Deirdri  with- 
drew into  the  palace,  and  no  more,  even  by  a 
glance,  gave  sign  of  any  interest  or  thought 
whatsoever  about  their  fate ;  whether  it  was  near 
or  far,  brightening  or  darkening;  "but  Naeisi 
and  Deirdri  sat  down  at  a  chessboard  and  played 
at  the  game. " 

Meanwhile,  not  all  the  thunders  of  the  heavens 
could  equal  the  resounding  din  of  the  clanging 
of  shields,  the  clash  of  swords  and  spears,  the 
cries  of  the  wounded,  and  the  shouts  of  the  com- 
batants outside.  The  assailants  were  twenty  to 
one;  but  the  faithful  Fiachy  and  his  Dalariadans 
performed  prodigies  of  valor,  and  at  noon  they 
still  held  the  outer  ramparts  of  all.  By  the 
assailants  nothing  had  yet  been  won. 

An  attendant  rushed  with  word  to  Naeisi.  He 
raised  not  his  eyes  from  the  board,  but  continued 
the  game. 

But  now  the  attacking  party,  having  secured 
reinforcements,  returned  to  the  charge  with  in- 
creased desperation.  For  an  hour  there  was  no 
pause  in  the  frightful  fury  of  the  struggle. 

At  length  the  first  rampart  was  won. 

A  wounded  guard  rushed  in  with  the  dark 
news  to  Naeisi,  who  "moved  a  piece  on  the 
board,  but  never  raised  his  eyes." 

The  story  in  this  way  goes  on  to  describe  how, 
as  each  fosse  surrounding  the  palace  was  lost  and 
won,  and  as  the  din  and  carnage  of  the  strife 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


10 

drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  doomed  guests  in- 
side, each  report  from  the  scene  of  slaughter, 
■whether  of  good  or  evil  report  failed  alike  to 
elicit  the  slightest  motion  of  concern  or  interest 
one  yvay  or  another  from  the  brothers  or  from 
Deirdri.  In  all  the  relics  ■we  possess  of  the  old 
poems  or  bardic  stories  of  those  pagan  times, 
there  is  nothing  finer  than  the  climax  of  the 
tragedy  ■n-hich  the  semi-imaginative  storj-  I  have 
been  epitomizing  here  proceeds  to  reach.  The 
deafening  clangor  and  bloody  strife  outside, 
dra-n  iug  nearer  and  nearer,  the  supreme  equa- 
nimity of  the  noble  victims  inside,  too  proud  to 
evince  the  slightest  emotion,  is  most  po'n'erfully 
and  dramatically  autithesized;  the  storj^  culmi- 
nating in  the  final  act  of  the  tragedy,  when  the 
faithful  Fiachy  and  the  last  of  his  guards  having 
been  slain,  "the  Sons  of  Usna"  met  their  fate 
■with  a  dignity  that  befitted  three  such  noble 
champions  of  Ulster. 

When  Fergus  and  Duthach  heard  of  the  foul 
murder  of  the  sons  of  Usna,  in  violation  of  the 
pledge  for  -which  they  themselves  -were  sureties, 
they  marched  upon  Emania,  and,  in  a  desperate 
encounter -with  Conor's  forces  in  which  the  king's 
son  -^'as  slain  and  his  palace  burned  to  the  ground, 
they  inaugurated  a  desolating  -war  that  lasted  in 
Ulster  for  many  a  year,  and  amply  fulfilled  the 
dark  prophecy  of  Kavaiee  the  Druid  in  the  hour 
of  Deirdri 's  birth. 

Deirdri,  vfe  are  told,  "never  smiled"  from  the 
day  of  the  slaughter  of  her  husband  on  Eman 
Green. 

In  vain  the  king  lavished  kindness  and 
favors  upon  her.  In  vain  he  exhausted  every 
resource  in  the  endeavor  to  cheer,  amuse,  or  in- 
terest her. 

One  day,  after  more  than  a  j-ear  had  been 
I)assed  by  Deirdri  in  this  settled  but  placid 
despair  and  melancholy,  Conor  took  her  in  his 
own  chariot  to  drive  into  the  country.  He  at- 
tempted to  jest  her  sarcasticallj'  about  her  con- 
tinued grieving  for  Naeisi,  -when  suddenly  she 
sprang  out  of  the  chai'iot,  then  flying  at  the  full 
speed  of  the  steeds,  and  falling  headforemost 
against  a  sharp  rock  on  the  roadside,  was  killed 
upon  the  spot. 

AVell  known  to  most  Irish  readers,  young  and 
old,  is  Moore's  beautiful  and  passionate  "La- 
ment for  the  Children  of  Usna:" 


"Avenging  and  bright  fall  the  swift  sword  of 
Erin 

On  him  who  the  brave  sons  of  Usna  be- 
trayed ! — 

For  every  fond  eye  he  hath  waken 'd  a  tear  in, 
A  drop  from  his  heart-wounds  shall  weep 
o'er  her  blade! 

"By  the  red  cloud  that  hung  over  Conor's  dark- 
dwelling. 

When  Ulad's  three  champions  lay  sleeping- 
in  gore — 

By  the  billows  of  war,  which  so  often,  high 
swelling. 

Have  wafted  these  heroes  to  victory's  shore — ^ 

"We  swear  to  revenge  them! — 
No  joy  shall  be  tasted. 
The  harp  shall  be  silent,  the  maiden  unwed. 
Our  halls  shall  be  mute,  and  our  fields  shall 
lie  wasted. 

Till  vengeance  is  wreak 'd  on  the  murderer's 
head! 

"Yes,  monarch,  tho'  sweet  are  our  home  recol- 
lections ; 

Though  sweet  are  the  tears  that  from  tender- 
ness fall ; 

Though  sweet  are  our  friendships,  our  hopes, 
our  affections. 
Revenge  on  a  tyrant  is  sweetest  of  all!" 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  DEATH  OF  KING  CONOR  MAC  NESSA, 

I  HAVE  alluded  to  doubts  suggested  in  my- 
mind  bj-  the  facts  of  authentic  historj-,  as  to 
whether  King  Conor  Mac  Nessa  was  likelj'  to 
have  played  the  foul  part  attributed  to  him  in 
this  celebrated  bardic  storj-,  and  for  which,  cer- 
tainly, the  "sureties"  Fergus,  Duthach,  and 
Cormac,  held  him  to  a  terrible  account.  All  that 
can  be  said  is,  that  no  other  incident  recorded 
of  him  would  warrant  such  an  estimate  of  his 
character ;  and  it  is  certain  he  was  a  man  of 
many  brave  and  noble  parts.  He  met  his  death 
under  truly  singular  circumstances.  The  ancient 
bardic  version  of  the  event  is  almost  literally 
given  in  the  following  poem,  by  ]\Ir.  T.  D.  Sulli-. 
van: 


COPYKIGHT,  1898. 


THOMAS  MOORE. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTK 


THE  STORY 

DEATH  OF  KING   CONOR  MAC  NESSA. 
I. 

'Twas  a  day  full  of  sorrow  for  Ulster  when  Conor 

Mac  Nessa  went  forth 
To  punish  the  clansmen  of  Connaught  who  dared 

to  take  spoil  frona  the  North ; 
For  his  men  brought  him  back  from  the  battle 

scarce  better  than  one  that  was  dead, 
With  the  brain-ball  of  Mesgedra*  buried  two- 
thirds  of  its  depth  in  his  head. 
His  royal  physician  bent  o'er  him,  great  Fingen, 

who  often  before 
Stanched  the  war-battered  bodies  of  heroes,  and 

built  them  for  battle  once  more. 
And  he  looked  on  the  Avound  of  the  monarch,  and 

heark'd  to' his  Ioav- breathed  sighs, 
And  he  said,  "In  the  day  when  that  missile  is 

loosed  from  his  forehead,  he  dies. 

II. 

"Yet  long  midst  the  people  who  love  him  King 

Conor  Mac  Nessa  may  reign, 
If  always  the  high  pulse  of  passion  be  kept  from 

his  heart  and  his  brain  ; 
And  for  this  I  lay  down  his  restrictions : — no 

more  from  this  day  shall  his  place 
Be  with  armies,  in  battles,  or  hostings,  or  lead- 
ing the  van  of  the  chase; 
At   night   when   the  banquet  is  flashing,  his 

measure  of  wine  must  be  small. 
And  take  heed  that  the  bright  eyes  of  woman  be 

kept  from  his  sight  above  all; 
For  if  heart-thrilling  joyance  or  anger  awhile 

o'er  his  being  have  power. 
The  ball  will  start  forth  from  his  forehead,  and 
surely  he  dies  in  that  hour." 

III. 

Oh!  woe  for  the  valiant  King  Conor,  struck  down 

from  the  summit  of  life, 
AVhile  glory  unclouded  shone  round  him,  and 

regal  enjoyment  was  rife — 

*  The  pagan  Irish  warriors  sometimes  took  the  brains  out 
of  champions  whom  they  had  slain  in  single  combat,  mixed 
them  up  with  lime,  and  rolled  them  into  balls,  which 
hardened  with  time,  and  which  they  preserved  as  trophies. 
It  was  with  one  of  these  balls,  which  had  been  abstracted 
from  his  armory,  that  Conor  Mac  Nessa  was  wounded,  as 
described  in  the  text. 


OF  IRELAND.  It 

Shut  out  from  his  toils  and  his  duties,  condemned 

to  ignoble  repose. 
No  longer  to  friends  a  true  helper,  no  longer  a 

scourge  to  his  foes! 
He,  the  strong-handed  smiter  of  champions,  the 

piercer  of  armor  and  shields. 
The  foremost  in  earth-shaking  onsets,  the  last 

out  of  blood-sodden  fields — ■ 
The  mildest,  the  kindest,  the  gayest,  when  revels 

ran  high  in  his  hall — • 
Oh,  well   might   his   true-hearted  people  feel 

gloomy  and  sad  for  his  fall ! 

IV. 

The  princes,  the  chieftains,  the  nobles,  who  met 

to  consult  at  his  board. 
Whispered  low  when  their  talk  was  of  combats, 

and  wielding  the  spear  and  the  sword : 
The  bards  from  their  harps  feared  to  waken  the 

full-pealing  sweetness  of  song, 
To  give  homage  to  valor  or  beauty,  or  praise  to 

the  wise  and  the  strong ; 
The  flash  of  no  joy-giving  story  made  cheers  or 

gay  laughter  resound. 
Amid  silence  constrained    and   unwonted  the 

seldom-filled  wine-cup  went  round; 
And,  sadder  to  all  who  remembered  the  glories 

and  joys  that  had  been. 
The  heart-swaying  presence  of  woman  not  once 

shed  its  light  on  the  scene. 

V. 

He  knew  it,  he  felt  it,  and  sorrow  sunk  daily 

more  deep  in  his  heart ; 
He  wearied  of  doleful  inaction,   from    all  his 

loved  labors  apart. 
He  sat  at  his  door  in  the  sunlight,  sore  grieving 

and  weeping  to  see 
The  life  and  the  motion  around  him,  and  nothing 

so  stricken  as  he. 
Above  him  the  eagle  went  wheeling,  before  him 

the  deer  galloped  by. 
And  the  quick-legged  rabbits  went  skipping  from 

green  glades  and  burrows  a-nigh. 
The  song-birds  sang  out  from  the  copses,  the 

bees  passed  on  musical  wing. 
And  all  things  were  happy  and  busy,  save  Conor 

Mac  Nessa  the  king ! 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


12 

VI. 

So  years  bad  passed  over,  when,  sitting  mid 
silence  like  that  of  the  tomb, 

A  terror  crept  through  him  as  sudden  the  noon- 
light  was  blackened  with  gloom. 

One  red  flare  of  lighting  blazed  brightly,  illum- 
ing the.  landscape  around. 

One  thunder-peal  roared  through  the  mountains, 
and  rumbled  and  crashed  under  ground; 

He  heard  the  rocks  bursting  asunder,  the  trees 
tearing  up  by  the  roots, 

And  loud  through  the  horrid  confusion  the 
howling  of  terrified  brutes. 

From  the  halls  of  his  tottering  palace  came 
screamings  of  terror  and  pain, 

And  he  saw  crowding  thickly  around  him  the 
ghosts  of  the  foes  he  had  slain ! 

VII. 

And  as  soon  as  the  sudden  commotion  that  shud- 
dered through  nature  had  ceased, 

The  king  sent  for  Barach,  his  Druid,  and  said : 
"Tell  me  truly,  O  priest, 

What  magical  arts  have  created  this  scene  of  wild 
horror  and  dread? 

"What  has  blotted  the  blue  sky  above  us,  and 
shaken  the  earth  that  we  tread? 

Are  the  gods  that  we  worship  offended?  what 
crime  or  what  wrong  has  been  done? 

Has  the  fault  been  committed  in  Erin,  and  how 
may  their  favor  be  won  ? 

"What  rites  may  avail  to  appease  them?  what 
gifts  on  their  altars  should  smoke? 

Only  say,  and  the  offering  demanded  we  lay  by 
your  consecrate  oak." 

vni. 

"O  king, "  said  the  white-bearded  Druid,  "the 

ti-uth  unto  me  has  been  shown. 
There  lives  but  one  God,  the  Eternal ;  far  up  in 

high  Heaven  is  His  throne. 
He  looked  upon  men  with  compassion,  and  sent 

from  His  kingdom  of  light 
His  Son,  in  the  shape  of  a  mortal,  to  teach  them 

and  guide  them  aright. 
Near  the  time  of  your  birth,  O  King  Conor,  the 

Savior  of  mankind  was  born, 
And  since  then  in  the  kingdoms  far  eastward  He 

taught,  toiled,  and  prayed,  till  this  morn. 


When  wicked  men  seized  Him,  fast  bound  Him 
with  nails  to  a  cross,  lanced  His  side, 

And  that  moment  of  gloom  and  confusion  was 
earth's  cry  of  dread  when  He  died. 

IX. 

"O  king,  He  was  gracious  and  gentle.  His  heart 

was  all  pity  and  love. 
And  for  men  He  was  ever  beseeching  the  grace 

of  His  Father  above ; 
He  helped  them.  He  healed  them,  He  blessed 

them.  He  labored  that  all  might  attain 
To  the  true  God's  high  kingdom  of  glory,  where 

never  comes  sorrow  or  pain; 
But  they  rose  in  their  pride  and  their  folly,  their 

hearts  filled  with  merciless  rage. 
That  only  the  sight  of  His  life-blood  fast  poured 

from  His  heart  could  assuage : 
Yet  while  on  the  cross-beams  uplifted.  His  body 

racked,  tortured,  and  riven. 
He  prayed — ^not  for  justice  or  vengeance,  but 

asked  that  His  foes  be  forgiven." 

X. 

With  a  bound  from  his  seat  rose  King  Conor,  the 

red  flush  of  rage  on  his  face, 
Fast  he  ran  through  the  hall  for  his  weapons, 

and  snatching  his  sword  from  its  place, 
He  rushed  to   the   woods,   striking  wildly  at 

boughs  that  dropped  down  with  each  blow. 
And  he  cried:  "Were  I  midst  the  vile  rabble,  I'd 

cleave  them  to  earth  even  so! 
With  the  strokes  of  a  high  king  of  Erinn,  the 

whirls  of  my  keen-tempered  sword, 
I  would  save  from  their  horrible  fury  that  mild 

and  that  merciful  Lord." 
His  frame  shook  and  heaved  with  emotion ;  the 

brain-ball  leaped  forth  from  his  head. 
And  commending  his  soul  to  that  Savior,  King 

Conor  Mac  Nessa  fell  dead. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  ''GOLDEN  AGE"   OF  PHE-CHEISTIAN  EEINN. 

As  early  as  the  reign  of  Ard-Ri  Cormac  the 
First — the  first  years  of  the  third  century — the 
Christian  faith  had  penetrated  into  Ireland. 
Probably  in  the  commercial  intercourse  betweec 


THE  STORY 

"the  Irish  and  continental  ports,  some  Christian 
•converts  had  been  made  among  the  Irish  navi- 
gators or  merchants.  Some  historians  think  the 
monarch  himself,  Cormac,  toward  the  close  of  his 
life  adored  the  true  God,  and  attempted  to  put 
down  druidism.  "His  reign,"  says  Mr.  Haverty 
the  historian,  "is  generally  looked  upon  as  the 
brightest  epoch  in  the  entire  history  of  pagan 
Ireland.  He  established  three  colleges;  one  for 
War,  one  for  History,  and  the  third  for  Jurispru- 
dence. He  collected  and  remodeled  the  laws, 
and  published  the  code  which  remained  in  force 
until  the  English  invasion  (a  period  extending 
beyond  nine  hundred  years),  and  outside  the 
English  Pale  for  many  centui-ies  after!  He 
■  assembled  the  bards  and  chroniclers  at  Tara,  and 
directed  them  to  collect  the  annals  of  Ireland, 
•and  to  write  out  the  records  of  the  coanti*y  from 
year  to  year,  making  them  synchronize  with  the 
history  of  other  countries,  by  collating  events 
with  the  reigns  of  contemporary  foreign  poten- 
tates; Cormac  himself  having  been  the  inventor 
of  this  kind  of  chronology.  These  annals  formed 
what  is  called  the  'Psalter  of  Tara,'  which  also 
contained  full  details  of  the  boundaries  of  prov- 
inces, districts,  and  small  divisions  of  land 
throughout  Ireland;  but  unfortunately  this  great 
record  has  been  lost,  no  vestige  of  it  being  now, 
it  is  believed,  in  existence.  The  magnificence  of 
Cormac's  palace  at  Tara  was  commensurate  with 
the  greatness  of  his  power  and  the  brilliancy  of 
his  actions ;  and  he  fitted  out  a  fleet  which  he 
sent  to  harass  the  shores  of  Alba  or  Scotland, 
until  that  country  also  was  compelled  to  acknowl- 
edge him  as  sovereign.  He  wrote  a  book  or 
tract  called  Teaguscna-Ei,  or  the  'Institutions  of 
a  Prince, '  which  is  still  in  existence,  and  which 
•contains  admirable  maxims  on  manners,  morals, 
and  government."  This  illustrious  sovereign 
died  A.D.  266,  at  Cleitach,  on  the  Boyne,  a  sal- 
mon bone,  it  is  said,  having  fastened  in  his 
throat  while  dining,  and  defied  all  efforts  at  ex- 
trication. He  was  buried  at  Eoss-na-ri,  the  first 
of  the  pagan  monarchsfor  many  generations  who 
was  not  interred  at  Brugh,  the  famous  burial 
place  of  the  pre-Christian  kings.  A  vivid  tradi- 
tion relating  the  circumstances  of  his  burial  has 
been  very  beautifully  versified  by  Dr.  Ferguson 
:in  his  poem,  "The  Burial  of  King  Cormac:" 


OF  IRELAND.  13 

"  'Crom  Cruach  and  his  sub-gods  twelve,' 
Said  Cormac,  'are  but  craven  treene; 
The  ax  that  made  them,  haft  or  helve, 
Had  worthier  of  our  worship  been : 

"  'But  He  who  made  the  tree  to  grow. 
And  hid  in  earth  the  iron-stone. 
And  made  the  man  with  mind  to  know 
The  ax's  use,  is  God  alone.'  " 

The  Druids  hear  of  this  fearful  speech,  and  are 
horrified : 

"Anon  to  priests  of  Crom  was  brought 
(Where  girded  in  their  service  dread 
They  ministered  on  red  Moy  Slaught) 
Word  of  the  words  King  Cormac  said. 

"They  loosed  their  curse  against  the  king, 
They  cursed  him  in  his  flesh  and  bones 
And  daily  in  their  mystic  ring 

They  turned  the  maledictive  stones." 

At  length  one  day  comes  the  news  to  them 
that  the  king  is  dead,  "choked  upon  the  food  he 
ate,"  and  they  exultantly  sound  "the  praise  of 
their  avenging  god."  Cormac,  before  he  dies, 
however,  leaves  as  his  last  behest,  a  direction 
that  he  shall  not  be  interred  in  the  old  pagan 
cemetery  of  the  kings  at  Brugh,  but  at  Eoss- 
na-ri  : 

"But  ere  the  voice  was  wholly  spent 

That  priest  and  prince  should  still  obey. 
To  awed  attendants  o'er  him  bent 

Great  Cormac  gathered  breath  to  say : 

"  'Spread  not  the  beds  of  Brugh  for  me, 
When  restless  death-bed's  use  is  done; 
But  bury  me  at  Eoss-nar-ee, 
And  face  me  to  the  rising  sun. 

"  'For  all  the  kings  who  lie  in  Brugh 

Put  trust  in  gods  of  wood  and  stone ; 
And  'twas  at  Eoss  that  first  I  knew 
One  Unseen,  who  is  God  alone. 

"  'His  glory  lightens  from  the  east. 

His  message  soon  shall  reach  our  shore, 
And  idol-god  and  cursing  priest 

Shall  plague  us  from  Moy  Slaught  no 
more.'" 


14 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


King  Cormac  dies,  and  his  people  one  and  all 
are  shocked  at  the  idea  of  burying  him  anywhere 
save  in  the  ancient  pagan  cemetery  where  all  his 
great  forefathers  repose.  They  agree  that  he 
must  have  been  raving  when  he  desired  other- 
wise ;  and  thej-  decide  to  bury  him  in  Brugh, 
where  his  grandsire,  Conn  of  the  hundred  Battles, 
lies  armor-clad,  upright,  hound  at  foot  and  spear 
in  hand : 

"Dead  Cormac  on  his  bier  they  laid: 
'He  reigned  a  king  for  forty  years; 
And  shame  it  were, '  his  captains  said, 
'He  lay  not  with  his  royal  peers: 

"  'His  grandsire,  Hundred  Battles,  sleeps 
Serene  in  Brugh,  and  all  around 
Dead  kings,  in  stone  sepulchral  keeps. 
Protect  the  sacred  burial  gi'ound. 

*'  'What  though  a  dying  man  should  rave 
Of  changes  o'er  the  eastern  sea. 
In  Brugh  of  Boyne  shall  be  his  grave. 
And  not  in  noteless  Koss-na-ree. ' 

"Then  northward  forth  they  bore  the  bier. 
And  down  from  Sleithac's  side  they  drew 
With  horseman  and  with  charioteer, 
To  cross  the  fords  of  Boyne  to  Brugh. " 

Suddenly  "a  breath  of  finer  air"  touches  the 
river  "with  rustling  wings." 

"And  as  the  burial  train  came  down 

With  dirge,  and  savage  dolorous  shows. 
Across  their  pathway  broad  and  brown. 
The  deep  full-hearted  river  rose. 

"From  bank  to  bank  through  all  his  fords, 

Neath  blackening   squalls  he  swelled  and 
boiled. 

And  thrice  the  wond'ring  gentile  lords 
Essay'd  to  cross,  and  thrice  recoil'd. 

"Then  forth  stepped  gray-haired  warriors  four; 
They  said:   'Through  angrier  floods  than 
these. 

On  link'd  shield  once  our  King  we  bore 
From  Dread-spear  and  the  hosts  of  Deece ; 

"  'And  long  as  loyal  will  holds  good, 

And  limbs  respond  with  helpful  thews. 
Nor  flood  nor  fiend  within  the  flood 
Shall  bar  him  of  his  burial  dues.*  " 


So  they  lift  the  bier,  and  step  into  the  boiling: 
surge. 

"And  now  they  slide  and  now  they  swim. 
And  now  amid  the  blackening  squall. 
Gray  locks  afloat  with  clutchings  grim. 
They  plunge  around  the  floating  pall. 

"While  as  a  youth  with  practiced  spear 

Through  justling  crowds  bears  off  the  ring — 
Boyne  from  their  shoulders  caught  the  bier. 
And  proudly  bare  away  the  King!" 

The  foaming  torrent  sweeps  the  coflBn  away; 
next  day  it  is  found  far  down  the  river,  stranded 
on  the  bank  under  Ross-na-ri ;  the  last  behest  of 
Cormac  is  fulfilled  after  all! 

"At  morning  on  the  grassy  marge 

Of  Ross-na-ree  the  corpse  was  found. 
And  shepherds  at  their  early  charge. 
Entombed  it  in  the  peaceful  ground. 

"And  life  and  time  rejoicing  run 

From  age  to  age  their  wonted  way; 
But  still  he  waits  the  risen  Sun, 
For  still  it  is  only  dawning  Day." 

In  the  two  centuries  succeeding,  there  flour- 
ished among  other  sovereigns  of  Ireland  less, 
known  to  fame,  the  celebrated  Nial  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  and  King  Dahi.  During  these  two 
hundred  years  the  flag  of  Ireland  waved  through 
continental  Europe  over  victorious  legions  and 
fleets;  the  Irish  monarchs  leading  powerful 
armies  across  the  plains  of  Gaul,  and  up  to  th& 
very  confines  of  "the  Caesar's  domains"  in 
Italy.  It  was  the  day  of  Ireland's  military  power 
in  Europe ;  a  day  which  subsequently  waned  so- 
disastrously,  and,  later  on,  set  in  utter  gloom. 
Neighboring  Britain,  whose  yoke  a  thousand 
years  subsequently  Ireland  was  to  wear,  then  lay 
helpless  and  abject  at  the  mercy  of  the  Irish 
hosts;  the  Britons,  as  history  relates,  absolutely 
weeping  and  wailing  at  the  departure  of  the- 
enslaving  Roman  legions,  because  now  there 
would  be  naught  to  stay  the  visits  of  the  Scoti, 
or  Irish,  and  the  Picts!  The  courts  of  the  Irish 
princes  and  homes  of  the  Irish  nobility  were  filled 
with  white  slave  attendants,  brought  from  abroad,. 

*Tbiswasa  sobriquet.  His  real  name  was  Feredacli 
the  Second. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Bome  from  Gaul,  but  the  most  from  Anglia.  It 
was  in  this  way  the  youthful  Patricius,  or  Pat- 
rick, was  brought  a  slave  into  Ireland  from  Gaul. 
As  the  power  of  Imperial  Rome  began  to  pale, 
and  the  outlying  legions  were  being  every  year 
drawn  in  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  great  city 
itself,  the  Irish  sunburst  blazed  over  the  scene, 
and  the  retreating  Romans  found  the  cohorts  of 
Erinn  pushing  dauntlessly  and  vengefuUy  on 
their  track.  Although  the  Irish  chronicles  of 
the  period  themselves  say  little  of  the  deeds  of 
the  armies  abroad,  the  continental  records  of  the 
time  give  us  pretty  full  insight  into  the  part  they 
played  on  the  European  stage  in  that  day.*  Nial 
of  the  Nine  Hostages  met  his  death  in  Gaul,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Loire,  while  leading  his  armies 
in  one  of  those  campaigns.  The  death  of  King 
Dahi,  who  was  killed  by  lightning  at  the  foot  of 
the  Alps  while  marching  at  the  head  of  his 
legions,  one  of  our  national  poets,  Davis,  has  im- 
mortalized in  a  poem,  from  which  I  quote  here : 

"Darkly  their  glibs  o'erhang. 
Sharp  is  their  wolf-dog's  fang. 
Bronze  spear  and  falchion  clang — 

Brave  men  might  shun  them ! 
Heavy  the  spoil  they  bear — 
Jewels  and  gold  are  there — 
Hostage  and  maiden  fair — 

How  have  they  won  them? 

"From  the  soft  sons  of  Gaul, 
Roman,  and  Frank,  and  thrall. 
Borough,  and  hut,  and  hall — 

These  have  been  torn. 
Over  Britannia  wide. 
Over  fair  Gaul  they  hied. 
Often  in  battle  tried — 
Enemies  mourn  I 


•  Haverty  the  historian  says :  "  It  is  in  the  verses  of  the 
Latin  poet  Claudian  that  we  read  of  the  sending  of  troops 
by  Stilichio,  the  general  of  Theodosius  the  Great,  to  repel 
the  Scottish  hosts  led  by  the  brave  and  adventurous  Nial. 
One  of  the  passages  of  Claudian  thus  referred  to  is  that  in 
which  the  poet  says  : 

"  '  Totam  cum  Scotus  lernem 
Movit,  et  infesto  spumavit  remige  Tethys.' 
That  is,  as  translated  in  Gibson's  "Camden  :" 

"  '  When  Scots  came  thundering  from  the  Irish  shores 
The  ocean  trembled,  struck  with  hostile  oars.'" 


"Upon  the  glacier's  snow, 
Down  on  the  vales  below. 
Monarch  and  clansmen  go — 

Bright  is  the  morning. 
Never  their  march  they  slack, 
Jura  is  at  their  back. 
When  falls  the  evening  black, 

Hideous,  and  warning. 

"Eagles  scream  loud  on  high; 
Far  off  the  chamois  fly ; 
Hoarse  comes  the  torrent's  cry,* 

On  the  rocks  whitening. 
Strong  are  the  storm's  wings; 
Down  the  tall  pine  it  flings ; 
Hailstone  and  sleet  it  brings — 

Thunder  and  lightning. 

"Little  these  veterans  mind 
Thundering,  hail,  or  wind; 
Closer  their  ranks  they  bind — ■ 

Matching  the  storm. 
"While,  a  spear-cast  or  more. 
On,  the  first  ranks  before, 
Dathi  the  sunburst  bore — 

Haughty  his  form. 

"Forth  from  the  thunder-cloud 
Leaps  out  a  foe  as  proud — • 
Sudden  the  monarch  bowed — ■ 

On  rush  the  vanguard ; 
Wildly  the  king  they  raise — 
Struck  by  the  lightning's  blaze — j 
Ghastly  his  dying  gaze. 

Clutching  his  standard! 


"Mild  is  the  morning  beam. 
Gently  the  rivers  stream, 
Happy  the  valleys  seem; 

But  the  lone  islanders — • 
Mark  how  they  guard  their  king! 
Hark,  to  the  wail  they  sing! 
Dark  is  their  counselling — ■ 

Helvetia's  highlanders. 

"Gather  like  ravens,  near — 
Shall  Dathi 's  soldiers  fear? 
Soon  their  home-path  they  clear- 
Rapid  and  daring; 


16 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


On  through  the  pass  and  plain, 
Until  the  shore  they  gain. 
And,  with  their  spoil,  again 
Lauded  iu  Eiriuu. 

"Little  does  Eire  care 

For  gold  or  maiden  fair — 
'Where  is  King  Dathi? — where, 
AYhere  is  my  bravest?' 
On  the  rich  deck  he  lies. 
O'er  him  his  sunburst  flies. 
Solemn  the  obsequies, 
Eire!  thou  gavest. 

"See  ye  that  countless  train 
Crossing  Ros-Comaiu's  plain, 
Crying,  like  hurricane, 

Uile  liu  ai  ? 
Broad  is  his  cairn's  base — 
Nigh  the  'King's  burial  place,' 
Last  of  the  Pagan  race, 

Lieth  King  Dathi!" 


CHAPTER  VII. 

HOW  IRELAND   RECEIVED   THE  CHRISTIAN  FAITH. 

To  these  foreign  expeditions  Ireland  was  des- 
tined to  be  indebted  for  her  own  conquest  by 
the  spirit  of  Christianity.  As  I  have  already 
mentioned,  in  one  of  the  military  excursions  of 
King  Nial  the  First  into  Gaul,  he  captured  and 
brought  to  Ireland  among  other  white  slaves, 
Patricius,  a  Romano-Gallic  youth  of  good  quality, 
and  his  sisters  Darerca  and  Lupita.  The  story 
of  St.  Patrick's  bondage  in  Ireland,  of  his  mirac- 
ulous escape,  his  entry  into  holy  orders,  his 
vision  of  Ireland — in  which  he  thought  he  heard 
the  cries  of  a  multitude  of  people,  entreating  him 
to  come  to  them  iu  Erinn — his  long  studies  under 
St.  Germain,  and  eventually  his  determination 
to  undertake  in  an  especial  manner  the  conver- 
sion of  the  Irish,*  will  all  be  found  in  any  Irish 

•  My  young  readers  will  find  this  glorious  cbapter  in  our 
religious  annals,  related  with  great  simplicity,  beauty,  and 
truth,  in  a  little  publication  called,  "  St.  Patrick's  ;  bow  it 
was  restored,"  by  the  Rev.  James  Qafifney,  of  tbe  diocese 
of  Dublin,  whose  admirable  volume  on  "  The  Ancient  Irisb 
Church,"  as  well  as  tbe  Rev.  S.  Malone's  "Church  History 
of  Ireland,"  will  be  found  invaluable  to  students. 


Church  History  or  Life  of  St.  Patrick.  Having 
received  the  sanction  and  benediction  of  the  holy 
pontiff  Pope  Celestine,  and  having  been  conse- 
crated bishop,  St.  Patrick,  accompanied  by  a  few 
chosen  priests,  reached  Ireland  in  432.  Chris- 
tianity had  been  preached  in  Ii-eland  long  before 
St.  Patrick's  time.  In  431  St.  Palladius,  Arch- 
deacon of  Rome,  was  sent  by  Pope  Celestine  as 
a  bishop  to  the  Christians  in  Ireland.  These, 
however,  were  evidently  but  few  in  number,  and 
worshiped  only  in  fear  or  secrecy.  The  attempt 
to  preach  the  faith  openly  to  the  people  was 
violently  suppressed,  and  St.  Palladius  sailed 
from  Ireland.  St.  Patrick  and  his  missioners 
landed  on  tbe  spot  where  now  stands  the  fash- 
ionable watering  place  called  Bray,  near  Dublin. 
The  hostilit.v  of  the  Lagenian  prince  and  people 
compelled  him  to  re-embark.  He  sailed  north- 
ward, touching  at  Inuis-Patrick  near  Skerries, 
county  Dublin,  and  eventually  landed  at  Magh 
Innis,  in  Strangford  Lough. 

Druidism  would  appear  to  have  been  the  form 
of  paganism  then  prevailing  in  Ireland,  though 
even  then  some  traces  remained  of  a  still  more 
ancient  idol-worship,  probably  dating  from  the 
time  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danaans,  two  thousand 
years  before.  St.  Patrick,  however,  found  the 
Irish  mind  much  better  prepared,  by  its  com- 
parative civilization  and  refinement,  to  receive 
the  truths  of  Christianity,  than  that  of  any  other 
nation  in  Europe  outside  imperial  Rome.  The 
Irish  were  always — then  as  they  are  now — pre- 
eminently a  reverential  people,  and  thus  were 
peculiarly  susceptible  of  religious  truth.  St. 
Patrick's  progress  through  the  island  was  marked 
by  success  from  the  outset.  Tradition  states 
that,  expounding  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  he  used  a  little  sprig  of  trefoil,  or  three- 
leaved  grass,  whence  the  Shamrock  comes  to  be 
the  National  Emblem,  as  St.  Patrick  is  the  Na- 
tional Saint  or  Patron  of  Ireland. 

Ard-Ri  Laori  *  was  holding  a  druidical  festival 
in  Tara,  at  which  the  kindling  of  a  great  fire 
formed  a  chief  feature  of  the  proceedings,  and  it 
was  a  crime  punishable  with  death  for  any  one 
to  light  a  fire  in  the  surrounding  country  on  the 
evening  of  that  festival  until  the  sacred  flame 
on  Tara  Hill  blazed  forth.    To  his  amazement. 


*  Son  of  Niul  the  First. 


TUE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


17 


hov?ever,  the  monarch  beheld  on  the  Hill  of 
Slane,  visible  from  Tara,  a  bright  fire  kindled 
early  in  the  evening.    This  was  the  Paschal  fire 
which   St.  Patrick   and   his   missionaries  had 
lighted,  for  it  was  Holy  Saturday.    The  king- 
sent  fol'  the  chief  Druid,  and  pointed  out  to  him 
on  the  distant  horizon  the  flickering  beam  that 
so  audaciously  violated  the  sacred  laws.  The 
archpriest  gazed  long  and  wistfully  at  the  spot, 
and  eventually  answered:  "O  king,  there  is  in- 
deed a  flame  lighted  on  yonder  hill,  which,  if  it 
be  not  put  out  to-night  will  never  be  quenched 
in  Erinn."    Much  disquieted  by  this  oracular 
answer,  Laori  directed  that  the  offenders,  who- 
ever they  might  be,  should  be  instantly  brought 
before  him  for  punishment.     St.  Patrick,  on 
being  arrested,  arrayed  himself  in  his  vestments, 
and,  crozier  in  hand,  marched  boldly  at  the  head 
of  his  captors,  reciting  aloud,  as  he  went  along, 
a  litany  which  is  still  extant,  in  which  he  in- 
voked, "on  that  momentous  day  for  Erinn,"  the 
Holy  Trinity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  ever  Blessed  Mary  the  Mother  of  God, 
and  the  saints  around  the  throne  of  heaven. 
Having  arrived  before  the  king  and  his  assem- 
bled courtiers  and  druidical  high  priests,  St. 
Patrick,  undismayed,  proclaimed  to  them  that  he 
had  come  to  quench  the  fires  of  pagan  sacrifice 
in  Ireland,  and  light  the  flame  of  Christian  faith. 
The  king  listened  amazed  and  angered,  yet  no 
penalty  fell  on  Patrick.    On  the  contrary,  he 
made  several   converts   on  the  spot,  and  the 
sermon  and  controversy  in  the  king's  presence 
proved  an  auspicious  beginning  for  the  glorious 
mission  upon  which  he  had  just  entered. 

It  would  fill  a  large  volume  to  chronicle  the 
progress  of  the  saint  through  the  island.  Before 
his  death,  though  only  a  few  of  the  reigning 
princes  had  embraced  the  faith  (for  many  j-ears 
subsequently  pagan  kings  ruled  the  country), 
the  good  seeds  had  been  sown  far  and  wide,  and 
were  thriving  apace,  and  the  cross  had  been 
raised  throughout  Ireland,  "fi'om  the  center  to 
the  sea. "  Ours  was  the  only  country  in  Europe, 
it  is  said,  bloodlessly  converted  to  the  faith. 
Strictly  speaking,  only  one  martyr  suffered 
death  for  the  evangelization  of  Ireland,  and 
death  in  this  instance  had  been  devised  for  the 
saint  himself.  While  St.  Patrick  was  returning 
from  Munster  a  pagan  chieftain  formed  a  design 


to  murder  him.  The  plan  came  to  the  knowledge 
of  Odran,  the  faithful  charioteer  of  Patrick,  who, 
saying  nought  of  it  to  him,  managed  to  change 
seats  with  the  saint,  and  thus  received  himself 
the  fatal  blow  intended  for  his  master. 

Another  authentic  anecdote  may  be  mentioned 
here.  At  the  baptism  of  Aengus,  King  of 
Mononia  or  Munster,  St.  Patrick  accidentally 
pierced  through  the  sandal-covered  foot  of  the 
king  with  his  pastoral  staff,*  which  terminated 
in  an  iron  spike,  and  which  it  was  the  saint's 
custom  to  strike  into  the  ground  by  his  side, 
supporting  himself  more  or  less  thereby,  while 
preaching  or  baptizing.  The  king  bore  the 
wound  without  wincing  until  the  ceremony  was 
over,  when  St.  Patrick  with  surprise  and  pain 
beheld  the  ground  covered  \vith  blood,  and  ob- 
served the  cause.  Being  questioned  by  the  saint 
as  to  why  he  did  not  cry  out,  Aengus  replied 
that  he  thought  it  was  part  of  the  ceremony  to 
represent,  though  faintly,  the  wounds  our  Lord 
had  borne  for  man's  redemption. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  493,  on  the  17th  of 
March— which  day  is  celebrated  as  his  feast  by 
the  Catholic  Church  and  by  the  Irish  nation  at 
home  and  in  exile — St.  Patrick  departed  this  life 
in  his  favorite  retreat  of  Saul,  in  the  county  of 
Down,  where  his  body  was  interred.  "His  ob- 
sequies," say  the  old  annalists,  "continued  for 
twelve  days,  during  which  the  light  of  innumer- 
able tapers  seemed  to  turn  night  into  day ;  and 
the  bishops  and  priests  of  Ireland  congregated 
on  the  occasion. " 

Several  of  the  saint's  compositions,  chiefly 
prayers  and  litanies,  are  extant.  They  are  full 
of  the  most  powerful  invocations  of  the  saints, 
and  in  all  other  particulars  are  exactly  such 
prayers  and  express  such  docti'ines  as  are  taught 
in  our  own  day  in  the  unchanged  and  unchange- 
able Catholic  Church. 

*  "  The  staff  of  Jesus"  is  the  name  by  which  the  crozier 
of  St.  Patrick  is  always  mentioned  in  the  earliest  of  our 
annals;  a  well-preserved  tradition  asserting  it  to  have 
been  a  rood  or  staff  which  our  Lord  had  carried.  It  was 
brought  by  St.  Patrick  from  Rome  when  setting  forth  by 
the  authority  of  Pope  Celestine  to  evangelize  Ireland.  This 
staff  was  treasured  as  one  of  the  most  precious  relics  on 
Irish  soil  for  more  than  one  thousand  years,  and  was  an 
object  of  special  veneration.  It  was  sacrilegiously  de- 
stroyed in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Eighth  by  one  of  Henry's 
"  reforming  "  bishops,  who  writes  to  the  king  boasting  of 
the  deed  1 


18  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  Vin. 

A  RETROSPECTIVE  GLANCE  AT  PAGAN  IRELAND. 

We  have  now,  my  dear  young  friends,  arrived 
at  a  memorable  point  in  Ii-ish  history ;  we  ai-e 
about  to  pass  from  pagan  Ireland  to  Christian 
Ireland.  Before  doing  so,  it  may  be  well  that  I 
should  tell  you  something  about  matters  which 
require  a  few  words  apart  from  the  brief  narra- 
tive of  events  which  I  have  been  relating  for  you. 
Let  us  pause,  and  take  a  glance  at  the  country 
and  the  people,  at  the  manners  and  customs,  laws 
and  institutions,  of  our  pagan  ancestors. 

The  geographical  subdivisions  of  the  country 
varied  in  successive  centuries.  The  chief  subdi- 
vision, the  designations  of  which  are  most  fre- 
quently used  by  the  ancient  chroniclers,  was 
effected  by  a  line  drawn  from  the  hill  or  ridge 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  Liffey,  on  the  eastern 
end  of  which  the  castle  of  Dublin  is  built,  run- 
ning due  west  to  the  peninsula  of  Marey,  at  the 
head  of  Galway  Bay.  The  portion  of  Ireland 
south  of  this  line  was  called  Leah  Moha  ("Moh 
Nua's  half");  the  portion  to  the  north  of  it 
Leah  Cuiun  ("Conn's  half.").  As  these  names 
suggest,  this  division  of  the  island  was  first  made 
between  two  princes,  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat- 
tles, and  Moh  Nua,  or  Eoghan  Mor,  otherwise 
Eugene  the  Great,  the  former  being  the  head  or 
chief  repi'esentative  of  the  Milesian  families  de- 
scended from  Ir,  the  latter  the  head  of  those  de- 
scended from  Heber.  Though  the  primary  object 
of  this  partition  was  achieved  but  for  a  short 
time,  the  names  thus  given  to  the  two  territories 
are  found  in  use  to  designate  the  northern  and 
southern  halves  of  Ireland  for  a  thousand  years 
subsequently. 

Within  these  there  were  smaller  subdivisions. 
The  ancient  names  of  the  four  provinces  into 
which  Ireland  is  still  divided  were  Mononia 
(Munster),  Dalariada,  or  Ulidia  (Ulster),  Lagenia 
(Leinster),  and  Conacia,  or  Conact  Connaught. 
Again,  Mononia  was  subdivided  into  Thomond 
and  Desmond,  i.e.,  north  and  south  Munster. 
Beside  these  names,  the  territory  or  district 
possessed  by  every  sept  or  clan  had  a  designation 
of  its  own. 

The  chief  palaces  of  the  Irish  kings,  whose 
splendors  are  celebrated  in  Irish  history,  were : 


the  palace  of  Emania,  in  Ulster,  founded  or  built 
by  Macha,  queen  of  Cinbaeth  the  First  (pro- 
nounced Kimbahe),  about  the  year  B.C.  700; 
Tara,  in  Meath;  Cruachan,  in  Conact,  built  by- 
Queen  Maeve,  the  beautiful,  albeit  Amazonian, 
Queen  of  the  West,  about  the  year  B.C.  100; 
Aileach,  in  Donegal,  built  on  the  site  of  an  an- 
cient Sun-temple,  or  Tuatha  de  Danaan  fort- 
palace. 

Kincora  had  not  at  this  period  an  existence, 
nor  had  it  for  some  centuries  subsequently.  It 
was  never  more  than  the  local  residence,  a  pala- 
tial castle,  of  Brian  Boruma.  It  stood  on  the 
spot  where  now  stands  the  town  of  Killaloe. 

Emania,  next  to  Tara  the  most  celebrated  of 
all  the  royal  palaces  of  Ancient  Erinn,  stood  on 
the  spot  now  marked  by  a  large  rath  called  the 
Navan  Fort,  two  miles  to  the  west  of  Armagh. 
It  was  the  residence  of  the  Ulster  kings  for  a 
period  of  855  years. 

The  mound  or  Grianan  of  Aileach,  upon  which 
even  for  hundreds  of  years  after  the  destruction 
of  the  palace,  the  O'Donnells  were  elected,  in- 
stalled, or  "inaugurated,"  is  still  an  object  of 
wonder  and  curiosity.  It  stands  on  the  crown  of 
a  low  hill  by  the  shores  of  Lough  Swilly,  about 
five  miles  from  Londonderry. 

Roj^al  Tara  has  been  crowned  with  an  imper- 
ishable fame  in  song  and  story.  The  entire  crest 
and  slopes  of  Tara  Hill  were  covered  with  build- 
ings at  one  time ;  for  it  was  not  alone  a  royal 
palace,  the  residence  of  the  Ard-Ri  (or  High 
King)  of  Erinn,  but,  moreover,  the  legislative 
chambers,  the  military  buildings,  the  law  courts, 
and  royal  universities  that  stood  thereupon.  Of 
all  these,  naught  now  remains  but  the  moated 
mounds  or  raths  that  mark  where  stood  the  halls 
within  which  bard  and  warrior,  ruler  and  law- 
giver, once  assembled  in  glorious  pageant. 

Of  the  orders  of  knighthood,  or  companion- 
ships of  valor  and  chivalry,  mentioned  in  pagan 
Irish  history,  the  two  principal  were  :  the  Knights 
of  the  (Craev  Rua,  or)  Red  Branch  of  Emania, 
and  the  Clanna  Morna,  or  Damnonian  Knights  of 
lorras.  The  former  were  a  Dalariadan,  the  latter 
a  Conacian  bodj' ;  and,  test  the  records  how  we 
may,  it  is  incontrovertible  that  no  chivalric  in- 
stitutions of  modern  times  eclipsed  in  knightly 
valor  and  romantic  daring  those  warrior  compan- 
ionships of  ancient  Erinn. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Besides  these  orders  of  knighthood,  several 
military  legions  figure  familiarly  and  prominently 
in  Irish  history ;  but  the  most  celebrated  of  them 
all,  the  Dalcassians — one  of  the  most  brave  and 
"glory-crowned"  bodies  of  which  there  is  record 
in  ancient  or  modern  times — did  not  figure  in 
Irish  history  until  long  after  the  commencement 
of  the  Christian  era. 

The  Fianna  Eirion  or  National  Militia  of 
Erinn,  I  have  already  mentioned.  This  cele- 
larated  enrollment  had  the  advantage  of  claiming 
Tvithin  its  own  ranks  a  warrior-poet,  Ossian  (son 
of  the  commander  Fin),  whose  poems,  taking  for 
their  theme  invariably  the  achievements  and  ad- 
ventures of  the  Fenian  host,  or  of  its  chiefs,  have 
given  to  it  a  lasting  fame.  According  to  Ossian, 
there  never  existed  upon  the  earth  another  such 
force  of  heroes  as  the  Fianna  Eirion ;  and  the 
feats  he  attributes  to  them  were  of  course  unpar- 
alleled. He  would  have  us  believe  there  were  no 
taller,  straighter,  stronger,  braver,  bolder,  men 
in  all  Erinn  than  his  Fenian  comrades ;  and  with 
the  recital  of  their  deeds  he  mixes  up  the  wildest 
romance  and  fable.  What  is  strictly  true  of  them 
is,  that  at  one  period  undoubtedly  they  were  a 
splendid  national  force ;  but  ultimately  they  be- 
came a  danger  rather  than  a  protection  to  the 
kingdom,  and  had  to  be  put  down  by  the  regular 
army  in  the  reign  of  King  Carbry  the  Second, 
who  encountered  and  destroyed  them  finally  on 
the  bloody  battlefield  of  Gavra,  about  the  year 
A.D.  280. 

Ben  Eder,  now  called  the  Hill  of  Howth,  near 
Dublin,  was  the  camp  or  exercise  ground  of  the 
Fianna  Eirion  when  called  out  annually  for 
training. 

The  laws  of  pagan  Ireland,  which  were  col- 
lected and  codified  in  the  reign  of  Cormac  the 
First,  and  which  prevailed  throughout  the  king- 
dom as  long  subsequentlj'  as  a  vestige  of  native 
Irish  regal  authority  remained — a  space  of  nearly 
fifteen  hundred  years — are,  even  in  this  present 
age,  exciting  considerable  attention  among  legis- 
lators and  savants.  A  royal  commission — the 
"Brehon  Laws  Commission" — appointed  by  the 
British  government  in  the  year  1856  (chiefly 
owing  to  the  energetic  exertions  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Oraves  and  Rev.  Dr.  Todd,  of  Trinity  College, 
Dublin),  has  been  laboring  at  their  translation, 
parliament  voting  an  annual  sum  to  defray  the 


expenses.  Of  course  only  portions  of  the  orig- 
inal manuscripts  are  now  in  existence,  but  even 
these  portions  attest  the  marvelous  wisdom  and 
the  profound  justness  of  the  ancient  Milesian 
Code,  and  give  us  a  high  opinion  of  Irish  juris- 
prudence two  thousand  years  ago ! 

The  Brehon  Laws  Commission  published  their 
first  volume,  the  "Seanchus  Mor, "  in  1865,  and 
a  most  interesting  publication  it  is.  Immedi- 
ately on  the  establishment  of  Christianity  in  Ire- 
land a  royal  commission  of  that  day  was  ap- 
pointed to  revise  the  statute  laws  of  Erinn,  so 
that  they  might  be  purged  of  everything  appli- 
cable only  to  a  pagan  nation  and  inconsistent 
with  the  pure  doctrines  of  Christianitj'.  On  this 
commission,  we  are  told,  there  were  appointed 
by  the  Irish  monarch  three  chief  Brehons  or 
judges,  three  Christian  bishops,  and  three  terri- 
torial chiefs  or  viceroys.  The  result  of  their 
labors  was  presented  to  the  Irish  parliament  of 
Tara,  and  being  duly  confirmed,  the  code  thence- 
forth became  known  as  the  Seanchus  Mor. 

From  the  earliest  age  the  Irish  appear  to  have 
been  extremely  fond  of  games,  athletic  sports, 
and  displays  of  prowess  or  agility.  Among  the 
royal  and  noble  families  chess  was  the  chief  do- 
mestic game.  There  are  indubitable  proofs  that 
it  was  played  among  the  princes  of  Erinn  two 
thousand  years  ago ;  and  the  oldest  bardic  chants 
and  verse-histories  mention  the  gold  and  jewel 
inlaid  chessboards  of  the  kings. 

Of  the  passionate  attachment  of  the  Irish  to 
music  little  need  be  said,  as  this  is  one  of  the 
national  characteristics  which  has  been  at  all 
times  the  most  strongly  marked,  and  is  now 
most  widely  appreciated;  the  harp  being  uni- 
versally emblazoned  as  a  national  emblem  of  Ire- 
land. Even  in  the  pre-Christian  period  we  are 
here  reviewing,  music  was  an  "institution"  and 
a  power  in  Erinn. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHRISTIAN    IRELAND.  THE    STORY  OF    COLUMBIA,  THE 

"DOVE  OF  THE  CELL." 

The  five  hundred  years,  one-half  of  which  pre- 
ceded the  birth  of  our  Lord,  may  be  considered 
the  period  of  Ireland's  greatest  power  and  mili- 
tary glory  as  a  nation.    The  five  hundred  years 


20  THE  STORY 

■vvhicli  succeeded  St.  Patrick's  mission  may  be 
regai'ded  as  the  period  of  Ireland's  Christian  and 
scholastic  fame.  In  the  former  she  sent  her 
warriors,  in  the  latter  her  missionaries,  all  over 
Europe.  Where  her  fierce  hero-kings  carried  the 
STVord,  her  saints  now  bore  the  cross  of  faith. 
It  was  in  this  latter  period,  between  the  sixth 
and  the  eighth  centuries  particularlj',  that  Ire- 
land became  known  all  over  Europe  as  the  Insula 
Sanctorum  et  Doctorum— "the  Island  of  Saints 
and  Scholars. " 

Chvu'ches,  cathedrals,  monasteries,  convents, 
universities,  covered  the  island.  From  even  the 
most  distant  parts  of  Europe,  kings  and  their 
subjects  came  to  study  in  the  Irish  schools. 
King  Alfred  of  Northumberland  was  educated  in 
one  of  the  Irish  universities.  A  glorious  roll  of 
Irish  saints  and  scholars  belong  to  this  period: 
St.  Columba  or  Columcille,  St.  Columbanus,  St. 
Gall,  who  evangelized  Helvetia,  St.  Frigidian, 
who  was  bishop  of  Lucca  in  Italy,  St.  Livinus, 
who  was  martyred  in  Flanders,  St.  Argobast, 
who  became  bishop  of  Strasburg,  St.  Killian,  the 
apostle  of  Franconia,  and  quite  a  host  of  illustri- 
ous Irish  missionaries,  who  carried  the  blessings 
of  faith  and  education  all  over  Europe.  The 
record  of  their  myriad  adventurous  enterprises, 
their  glorious  labors,  their  evangelizing  con- 
quests, cannot  be  traced  within  the  scope  of  this 
book.  There  is  one,  however,  the  foremost  of 
that  sainted  band,  with  whom  exception  must  be 
made — the  first  and  the  greatest  of  Irish  mis- 
sionary saintsj  the  abbot  of  lona's  isle,  whose 
name  and  fame  filled  the  world,  and  the  story  of 
whose  life  is  a  Christian  romance — Columba,  the 
"Dove  of  the  Cell."* 

The  personal  character  of  Columba  and  the 
romantic  incidents  of  his  life,  as  well  as  his  pre- 
eminence among  the  missionary  conquerers  of 
the  British  Isles,  seem  to  have  had  a  powerful 
attraction  for  the  illustrious  Montalembert,  who, 
in  his  great  work,  "The  Monks  of  the  "West," 
traces  the  eventful  career  of  the  saint  in  language 
of  exquisite  beauty,  eloquence,  and  feeling. 
Moreover,  there  is  this  to  be  said  further  of  that 
Christian  romance,  as  I  have  called  it,  the  life  of 
St.  Columba,  that  hapiuly  the  accounts  thereof 
which  we  possess  are  complete,  authentic,  and 


OF  IRELAND. 

documentary;  most  of  the  incidents  related  we- 
have  on  the  authority  of  well-known  writers,  who-, 
lived  in  Columba's  time  and  held  i)ersonal  com- 
munication with  him  or  with  his  companions. 

The  picture  presented  to  us  in  these  life- 
portraitures  of  lona's  saint  is  assuredly  one  to 
move  the  hearts  of  Irishmen,  young  and  old.  In 
Columba  two  great  features  stand  out  in  bold 
prominence ;  and  never  perhaps  were  those  two 
characteristics  more  powerfully  developed  in  one 
man — devotion  to  God  and  passionate  love  of 
countrj'.  He  was  a  great  saint,  but  he  was  as 
great  a  "politician,"  entering  deeply  and  warmly 
into  everything  affecting  the  weal  of  Clan  Nial, 
or  the  honor  of  Erinn.  His  love  for  Ireland  was 
something  bej'ond  description.  As  he  often  de- 
clared in  his  after-life  exile,  the  very  breezes  that 
blew  on  the  fair  hills  of  holy  Ireland  were  to  him 
like  the  zephyrs  of  paradise.  Our  story  were  in- 
complete indeed,  without  a  sketch,  however 
brief,  of  the  "Dove  of  the  Cell." 

Columba*  was  a  prince  of  the  royal  race  of 
Nial,  his  father  being  the  third  in  descent  from 
the  founder  of  that  illustrious  house,  Nial  of" 
the  Nine  Hostages.  He  was  born  at  Gartan,  in 
Donegal,  on  Dec.  7,  521.  "The  Irish  legends, " 
says  Montalembert,  "which  are  always  distin- 
guished, even  amid  the  wildest  vagaries  of  fancy, 
by  a  high  and  pure  morality,  linger  lovingly- 
upon  the  childhood  and  youth  of  the  predes- 
tined saint. "  Before  his  birth  (according  to  one 
of  these  traditions)  the  mother  of  Columba  had  a 
dream,  "which  posterity  has  accepted  as  a  grace- 
ful and  poetical  symbol  of  her  son's  career.  An 
angel  appeared  to  her,  bringing  her  a  veil  covered, 
with  flowers  of  wonderful  beauty,  and  the  sweet- 
est variety  of  colors ;  immediately  after  she  saw 
the  veil  carried  away  by  the  wind,  and  rolling- 
out  as  it  fled  over  the  plains,  woods,  and  moun- 
tains. Then  the  angel  said  to  her,  'Thou  art 
about  to  become  the  mother  of  a  son  who  shall 
blossom  for  Heaven,  who  shall  be  reckoned 
among  the  prophets  of  God,  and  who  shall  lead 
numberless  souls  to  the  heavenly  countrj-. '  " 

But  indeed,  according  to  the  legends  of  the 
Hy-Nial,  the  coming  of  their  great  saint  was  fore- 
told still  more  remotely.  St.  Patrick,  they  tell 
us,  having  come  northward  to  bless  the  territory 


♦  Columbkille  ;  io  Engliub,  "  Dove  of  the  Cell." 


*Ilis  name  was  pronounced  Creivan  or  Creivhan." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


21 


and  people,  was  stopped  at  the  Daol — the  modern 
Deel  or  Burndale  river — by  the  breaking  of  his 
chariot  wheels.  The  chariot  was  repaired,  but 
again  broke  down ;  a  third  time  it  was  refitted, 
and  a  third  time  it  failed  at  the  ford.  Then 
Patrick,  addressing  those  around  him,  said : 
"Wonder  no  more;  behold,  the  land  from  this 
stream  northward  needs  no  blessing  from  me; 
for  a  son  shall  be  born  there  who  shall  be  called 
the  Dove  of  the  Churches;  and  he  shall  bless 
that  land;  in  honor  of  whom  God  has  this  day 
prevented  my  doing  so."  The  name  Ath-an- 
Charpaid  (ford  of  the  chariot)  marks  to  this  day 
the  spot  memorized  by  this  tradition.  Count 
Montalembert  cites  many  of  these  stories  of  the 
"childhood  and  .youth  of  the  predestined  saint." 
He  was,  while  yet  a  child,  confided  to  the  care 
of  the  priest  who  had  baptized  him,  and  from 
him  he  received  the  first  rudiments  of  education. 
"His  guardian  angel  often  appeared  to  him;  and 
the  child  asked  if  all  the  angels  in  Heaven  were 
so  young  and  shining  as  he.  A  little  later,  Co- 
lumba  was  invited  by  the  same  angel  to  choose 
among  all  the  virtues  that  which  he  would  like 
best  to  possess.  'I  choose,'  said  the  youth, 
'chastity  and  wisdom;'  and  immediately  three 
young  girls  of  wonderful  beauty  but  foreign  air, 
appeared  to  him,  and  threw  themselves  on  his 
neck  to  embrace  him.  The  pious  youth  frowned, 
and  repulsed  them  with  indignation.  'What,' 
they  said,  'then  thou  dost  not  know  us?' — 'No, 
not  the  least  in  the  world. ' — 'We  are  three  sis- 
ters, whom  our  Father  gives  to  thee  to  be  thy 
brides.'  —  'Who,  then,  is  your  Father?'  —  'Our 
Father  is  God,  He  is  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  and 
Savior  of  the  world.' — 'Ah,  you  have  indeed  an 
illustrious  Father.  But  what  are  j^our  names?' 
— 'Our  names  are  Virginity,  Wisdom,  and  Proph- 
ecy; and  we  come  to  leave  thee  no  more,  to 
love  thee  with  an  incorruptible  love.'  " 

From  the  house  of  this  early  tutor  Columba 
"passed  into  the  great  monastic  schools,  which 
■were  not  only  a  nursery  for  the  clergy  of  the 
Irish  church,  but  where  also  young  laymen  of 
all  conditions  were  educated." 

"While  Columba  studied  at  Clonard,  being 
still  only  a  deacon,"  says  his  biographer,  "an 
incident  took  place  which  has  been  proved  by 
authentic  testimony,  and  which  fixed  general 
attention  upon  him  by  giving  a  first  evidence  of 


his  supernatural  and  prophetic  intuition.  An 
old  Christian  bard  (the  bards  were  not  all  Chris- 
tians) named  Germain  had  come  to  live  near  the 
Abbot  Finian,  asking  from  him,  in  exchange  for 
his  poetry  the  secret  of  fertilizing  the  soil. 
Columba,  who  coutiuued  all  his  life  a  passionate 
admirer  of  the  traditionary  poetry  of  his  nation, 
determined  to  join  the  school  of  the  bard,  and 
to  share  his  labors  and  studies.  The  two  were 
reading  together  out  of  doors,  at  a  little  distance 
from  each  other,  when  a  young  girl  appeared  in 
the  distance  pursued  by  a  robber  At  the  sight 
of  the  old  man  the  fugitive  made  for  him  with 
all  her  remaining  strength,  hoping,  no  doubt,  to 
find  safety  in  the  authority  exercised  throughout 
Ireland  by  the  national  poets.  Germain,  in 
great  trouble,  called  his  pupil  to  his  aid  to  de- 
fend the  unfortunate  child,  who  was  trying  to 
hide  herself  under  their  long  robes,  when  her 
pursuer  reached  the  spot.  Without  taking  any 
notice  of  her  defenders,  he  struck  her  in  the  neck 
with  his  lance,  and  was  making  off,  leaving  her 
dead  at  their  feet.  The  horrified  old  man  turned 
to  Columba.  'How  long,'  he  said,  'will  God 
leave  unpunished  this  crime  which  dishonors 
us?'  'For  this  moment  only,'  said  Columba, 
'not  longer;  at  this  very  hour,  when  the  soul  of 
this  innocent  creature  ascends  to  heaven,  the 
soul  of  the  murderer  shall  go  down  to  hell. '  At 
the  instant,  like  Ananias  at  the  words  of  Peter, 
the  assassin  fell  dead.  The  news  of  this  sudden 
punishment,  the  story  goes,  went  over  Ireland, 
and  spread  the  fame  of  young  Columba  far  and 
wide." 

At  the  comparatively  early  age  of  twenty-five, 
Columba  had  attained  to  a  prominent  position, 
in  the  ecclesiastical  world,  and  had  presided 
over  the  creation  of  a  crowd  of  monasteries.  As 
many  as  thirty-seven  in  Ireland  alone  recognized 
him  as  their  founder.  "It  is  easy, "  says  Mon- 
talembert, "to  perceive,  by  the  importance  of 
the  monastic  establishments  which  he  had 
brought  into  being,  even  before  he  had  attained 
to  manhood,  that  his  influence  must  have  been 
as  precocious  as  it  was  considerable.  Apart 
from  the  virtues  of  which  his  after  life  afforded 
so  many  examples,  it  may  be  supposed  that  hia 
roj'al  birth  gave  him  an  irresistible  ascendency 
in  a  country  where,  since  the  introduction  of 
Christianity,  all  the  early  saints,  like  the  princi- 


22  THE  STORY 

pal  abbots,  belonged  to  reigning  families,  and 
"where  the  influence  of  blood  and  the  worship  of 
genealogy'  still  continue,  even  to  this  da3',  to  a 
degree  unknown  in  other  lands.  Springing,  as 
has  been  said,  from  the  same  race  as  the  monarch 
of  all  Ii-eland,  and  consequently  himself  eligible 
for  the  same  high  office,  which  was  more  fre- 
quently' obtained  by  election  or  usurpation  than 
inheritance — nephew  or  near  cousin  of  the  seven 
mouarchs  who  successive  wielded  the  supreme 
authority'  during  his  life  —  he  was  also  related 
by  ties  of  blood  to  almost  all  the  provincial 
kings.  Thus  we  see  him  during  his  whole 
career  treated  on  a  footing  of  perfect  intimacy 
and  equality'  by  all  the  princes  of  Ireland  and  of 
Caledonia,  and  exercising  a  sort  of  spiritual  sway 
equal  or  superior  to  the  authority  of  secular 
sovereigns. " 

His  attachment  to  poetry  and  literature  has 
been  already  glanced  at.  He  was,  in  fact,  an 
enthusiast  on  the  subject;  he  was  himself  a  poet 
and  writer  of  a  high  order  of  genius,  and  to  an 
advanced  period  of  his  life  remained  an  ardent 
devotee  of  the  muse,  ever  powerfully  moved  by 
"whatever  affected  the  weal  of  the  ministrel  fra- 
ternity. His  passion  for  books  (all  manuscript, 
of  course,  in  those  days,  and  of  great  rarity  and 
value)  was  destined  to  lead  him  into  that  great 
offense  of  his  life,  which  he  was  afterward  to  ex- 
piate by  a  penance  so  grievous.  "He  went 
everywhere  in  search  of  volumes  which  he  could 
borrow  or  copy;  often  experiencing  refusals 
which  he  resented  bitterly."  In  this  way  oc- 
curred what  Montalembert  calls  "the  decisive 
event  which  changed  the  destiny  of  Columba, 
and  transformed  him  from  a  wandering  poet  and 
ardent  bookworm,  into  a  missionary  and  apostle. ' ' 
"While  visiting  one  of  his  former  tutors,  Finian, 
he  found  means  to  copy  clandestinely  the  abbot's 
Psalter  by  shutting  himself  up  at  nights  in  the 
church  where  the  book  was  deposited.  "Indig- 
nant at  what  he  considered  as  almost  a  tiieft, 
Finian  claimed  the  copy  when  it  was  finished  by 
Columba,  on  the  ground  that  a  copy  made  with- 
out permission  ought  to  belong  to  the  master  of 
the  original,  seeing  that  the  transcription  is  the 
son  of  the  original  book.  Columba  refused  to 
give  up  his  work,  and  the  question  was  referred 
to  the  king  in  his  palace  of  Tara. "  What  imme- 
diately follows,  I  relate  in  the  words  of  Count 


OF  IRELAND. 

Montalembert,  summarizing  or  citing  almost 
literally  the  ancients  authors  already  referred  to : 
"King  Diarmid,  or  Dermott,  supreme  monarch 
of  Ireland,  was,  like  Columba,  descended  from  the 
great  King  Nial,  but  by  another  son  than  he 
whose  great-grandson  Columba  was.  He  lived, 
like  all  the  princes  of  his  country,  in  a  close 
union  with  the  Church,  which  was  represented 
in  Ireland,  more  completely  than  anywhere  else, 
by  the  monastic  order.  Exiled  and  persecuted 
in  his  youth,  he  had  found  refuge  in  an  island 
situated  in  one  of  those  lakes  which  interrupt  the 
course  of  the  Shannon,  the  chief  river  of  Ireland, 
and  had  there  formed  a  friendship  with  a  holy 
monk  called  Kieran,  a  zealous  comrade  of  Columba 
at  the  monastic  school  of  Clonard,  and  since  that 
time  his  generous  rival  in  knowledge  and  in  aus- 
terity. Upon  the  still  solitary  bank  of  the  river 
the  two  friends  had  planned  the  foundation  of  a 
monastery,  which,  owing  to  the  marshy  nature  of 
the  soil,  had  to  be  built  upon  piles.  'Plant  with 
me  the  first  stake, '  the  monk  said  to  the  exiled 
prince,  'putting  your  hand  under  mine,  and  soon 
that  hand  shall  be  over  all  the  men  of  Erinn ;' 
and  it  happened  that  Diarmid  was  very  shortly 
after  called  to  the  throne.  He  immediately  used 
his  new  power  to  endow  richly  the  monastery 
which  was  rendered  doubly  dear  to  him  by  the 
recollection  of  his  exile  and  of  his  friend.  This 
sanctuary  became,  under  the  name  of  Clonmac- 
noise,  one  of  the  greatest  monasteries  and  most 
frequented  schools  of  Ireland  and  even  of  West- 
ern Europe. 

"This  king  might  accordingly  be  regarded  as 
a  competent  judge  in  a  contest  at  once  monastic 
and  literary ;  he  might  even  have  been  suspected 
of  partiality  for  Columba,  his  kinsman — and  yet 
he  pronounced  judgment  against  him.  His  judg- 
ment was  given  in  a  rustic  phrase  which  has 
passed  into  a  proverb  in  Ireland — To  every  cow 
her  calf,  and,  consequently,  to  every  book  its 
copy.  Columba  protested  loudly.  'It  is  an  un- 
just sentence,'  he  said,  'and  I  will  revenge  my- 
self. '  After  this  incident  a  young  prince,  son  of 
the  provincial  king  of  Connaught,  who  was  pur- 
sued for  having  committed  an  involuntary  mur- 
der, took  refuge  with  Columba,  but  was  seized 
and  put  to  death  by  the  king.  The  irritation  of 
the  poet-monk  knew  no  bounds.  The  ecclesias- 
tical immunity  which  he  enjoyed  in  his  quality 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


23 


•of  superior  and  founder  of  several  monasteries, 
ought  to  have,  in  his  opinion,  created  a  sort  of 
sanctuary  around  his  person,  and  this  immunity 
had  been  scandalously  violated  by  the  execution 
of  a  youth  whom  he  protected.  He  threatened 
the  king  with  prompt  vengeance.  *I  will  de- 
nounce,' he  said,  'to  my  brethren  and  my  kin- 
dred thy  wicked  judgment,  and  the  violation  in 
my  person  of  the  immunity  of  the  Church ;  the^' 
will  listen  to  my  complaint,  and  punish  thee 
sword  in  hand.  Bad  king,  thou  shalt  no  more 
see  my  face  in  thy  province  until  God,  the  just 
judge,  has  subdued  thy  pride.  As  thou  hast 
humbled  me  to-day  before  thy  lords  and  thy 
friends,  God  will  humble  thee  on  the  battle-day 
before  thine  enemies. '  Diarmid  attempted  to 
retain  him  by  force  in  the  neighborhood;  but, 
evading  the  vigilance  of  his  guards,  he  escaped 
by  night  from  the  court  of  Tara,  and  directed  his 
steps  to  his  native  province  of  Tyrconnell. 

"Columba  arrived  safely  in  his  province,  and 
immediately  set  to  work  to  excite  against  King 
Diarmid  the  numerous  and  powerful  clans  of  his 
relatives  and  friends,  who  belonged  to  a  branch 
of  the  house  of  Nial,  distinct  from  and  hostile  to 
that  of  the  reigning  monarch.  His  efforts  were 
crowned  with  success.  The  Hy-Nials  of  the 
north  armed  eagerly  against  the  Hy-Nials  of  the 
south,  of  whom  Diarmid  was  the  special  chief. 

"Diarmid  marched  to  meet  them,  and  they 
met  in  battle  at  Cool-Drewny,  or  Cul-Dreimlme, 
upon  the  borders  of  Ultonia  and  Connacia.  He 
was  completely  beaten,  and  was  obliged  to  take 
refuge  at  Tara.  The  victory  was  due,  according 
to  the  annalist  Tighernach,  to  the  prayers  and 
songs  of  Columba,  who  had  fasted  and  prayed 
with  all  his  might  to  obtain  from  heaven  the 
punishment  of  the  royal  insolence,  and  who,  be- 
sides, was  present  at  the  battle,  and  took  upon 
himself  before  all  men  the  responsibility  of  the 
bloodshed. 

"As  for  the  manuscript  which  had  been  the 
object  of  this  strange  conflict  of  copyright  ele- 
vated into  a  civil  war,  it  was  afterward  venerated 
as  a  kind  of  national,  military,  and  religious  pal- 
ladium. Under  the  name  of  Cathach  or  Fightu, 
the  Latin  Psalter  transcribed  bj'  Columba,  en- 
shrined in  a  sort  of  portable  altar,  became  the 
national  relic  of  the  O'Donnell  clan.  For  more 
than  a  thousand  years  it  was  carried  with  them 


to  battle  as  a  pledge  of  victory,  on  the  condition 
of  being  supported  on  the  breast  of  a  clerk  free 
from  all  mortal  sin.  It  has  escaped  as  by  miracle 
from  the  ravages  of  which  Ireland  has  been  the 
victim,  and  exists  still,  to  the  [great  joy  of  all 
learned  Irish  patriots."* 

But  soon  a  terrible  punishment  was  to  fall 
upon  Columba  for  this  dread  violence.  He,  an 
anointed  priest  of  the  Most  High,  a  minister  of 
the  Prince  of  Peace,  had  made  himself  the  cause 
of  the  inciter  of  a  civil  war,  which  had  bathed 
the  land  in  blood — the  blood  of  Christian  men — 
the  blood  of  kindred!  Clearly  enough,  the  vio- 
lence of  political  passions,  of  which  this  war  was 
the  most  lamentable  fruit,  had,  in  many  other 
ways,  attracted  upon  the  youthful  monk  the 
severe  opinions  of  the  ecclesiastical  authorities. 
"His  excitable  and  vindictive  character,"  we  are 
told,  "and  above  all  his  passionate  attachment  to 
his  relatives,  and  the  violent  part  which  he  took 
in  their  domestic  disputes  and  their  continually 
recurring  rivalries,  had  engaged  him  in  other 
struggles,  the  date  of  which  is  perhaps  later  than 
that  of  his  first  departure  from  Ireland,  but  the 
responsibility  of  which  is  formally  imputed  to 
him  by  various  authorities,  and  which  also  ended 
in  bloody  battles. "  At  all  events,  immediately 
after  the  battle  of  Cool-Drewny,  "he  was  accused 
by  a  synod,  convoked  in  the  center  of  the  royal 
domain  at  Tailte,  of  having  occasioned  the  shed- 
ding of  Christian  blood. ' '  The  synod  seems  to  have 
acted  with  very  uncanonical  precipitancy ;  for  it 
judged  the  cause  without  waiting  for  the  defense 
— though,  in  sooth,  the  facts,  beyond  the  power 
of  any  defense  to  remove,  were  ample  and  notori- 
ous.   However,  the  decision  was  announced — 

*  "The  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  report  that  in  a  bat- 
tle waged  in  1497,  between  the  O'Donnells  and  M'Dermotts, 
the  sacred  book  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  latter,  who, 
however,  restored  it  in  1499.  It  was  preserved  for  thir- 
teen hundred  years  in  the  O'Donnell  family,  and  at  present 
belongs  to  a  baronet  of  that  name,  who  has  permitted  it  to 
be  exhibited  in  the  museum  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy, 
where  it  can  be  seen  by  all.  It  is  composed  of  fifty-eight 
leaves  of  parchment,  bound  in  silver  The  learned  O'Curry 
(p.  322)  has  given  a  facsimile  of  a  fragment  of  this  MS., 
which  he  does  not  hesitate  to  believe  is  in  the  handwriting 
of  our  saint,  as  well  as  that  of  the  fine  copy  of  the  Qospelp 
called  the  Book  of  Kells,  of  which  he  has  also  given  a  t»c- 
simile.  See  Reeves'  notes  upon  Adamnan,  p.  250,  and  tho 
pamphlet  upon  Marianus  Scotus,  p.  12." — Count  Monta- 
lerribert's  note. 


24 


THE  STORY  OF  IKELAM). 


sentence  of  excommunication  was  pronounced 
against  him! 

"Columba  was  not  a  man  to  draw  back  before 
his  accusers  and  judges.  He  presented  himself 
before  the  synod  which  had  struck  without  hear- 
ing him.  He  found  a  defender  in  the  famous 
Abbot  Brendan,  the  founder  of  the  monastery  of 
Birr.  AVhen  Columba  made  his  appearance,  this 
abbot  rose,  went  up  to  him,  and  embraced  him. 
'How  can  you  give  the  kiss  of  peace  to  an  excom- 
municated man?'  said  some  of  the  other  members 
of  the  synod.  'You  would  do  as  I  have  done,' 
be  answered,  'and  you  never  would  have  excom- 
municated him,  had  you  seen  what  I  see — a  pillar 
of  fire  which  goes  before  him,  and  the  angels  that 
accompany  him.  I  dare  not  disdain  a  man  pre- 
destined by  God  to  be  the  guide  of  an  entire 
people  to  eternal  life. '  Thanks  to  the  interven- 
tion of  Brendan,  or  to  some  other  motive  not 
mentioned,  the  sentence  of  excommunication  was 
withdrawn,  but  Columba  was  changed  to  win  to 
Christ,  by  his  preaching,  as  many  pagan  souls  as 
the  number  of  Christians  who  had  fallen  in  the 
battle  of  Cool-Drewny. " 

Troubled  in  soul,  but  still  struggling  with  a 
stubborn  self-will,  Columba  found  his  life  miser- 
able, unhappy,  and  full  of  unrest;  j'et  remorse 
had  even  now  "planted  in  his  soul  the  germs  at 
once  of  a  startling  conversion  and  of  his  future 
apostolic  mission."  "Various  legends  reveal 
him  to  us  at  this  crisis  of  his  life,  wandering  long 
from  solitude  to  solitude,  and  from  monastery  to 
monastery,  seeking  out  holy  monks,  masters  of 
penitence  and  Christian  virtue,  and  asking  them 
anxiously  what  he  should  do  to  obtain  the  pardon 
of  God  for  the  murder  of  so  many  victims." 

At  length,  after  many  wanderings  in  contrition 
and  mortification,  "he  found  the  light  which  he 
sought  from  a  holy  monk,  St.  Molaise,  famed  for 
his  studies  of  Holy  Scriptux'e,  and  who  had 
already  been  his  confessor. 

"This  severe  hermit  confirmed  the  decision  of 
the  synod ;  but  to  the  obligation  of  converting 
to  the  Christian  faith  an  equal  number  of  pagans 
as  there  were  of  Christians  killed  in  the  civil 
war,  he  added  a  new  condition  which  bore 
cruelly  upon  a  soul  so  passionately  attached  to 
country  and  kindred.  The  confessor  condemned 
his  penitent  to  perpetual  exile  from  Ireland!" 

Exile  from  Ireland!    Did  Columba  hear  the 


words  aright?  Exile  from  Ireland!  What!' 
See  no  more  that  land  which  he  loved  with  such 
a   wild   and   passionate  love!    Part  from  the 

brothers  and  kinsmen  all,  for  whom  he  felt  jier- 
haps  too  strong  and  too  deep  an  affection !  Quit 
for  ay  the  stirring  scenes  in  which  so  great  a 
part  of  his  sympathies  were  engaged!  Leave 
Ireland ! 

Oh!  it  was  more  hard  than  to  bare  his  breast 
to  the  piercing  sword ;  less  welcome  than  to  walk 
in  constant  punishment  of  suffering,  so  that  his 
feet  pressed  the  soil  of  his  worshiped  Erinn! 

But  it  was  even  so.  Thus  i-au  the  sentence  of 
Molaise:  "perpetual  exile  from  Ireland!" 

Staggered,  sbunned,  struck  to  the  heart,  Co- 
lumba could  not  speak  for  a  moment.  But  God 
gave  him  in  that  great  crisis  of  his  life  the  su- 
preme grace  of  bearing  the  blow  and  embracing^ 
the  cross  presented  to  him.  At  last  he  spoke, 
and  in  a  voice  agitated  with  emotion  he  answered : 
"Be  it  so;  what  you  have  commanded  shall  be 
done. " 

From  that  instant  forth  his  life  was  one  pro- 
longed act  of  penitential  sacrifice.  For  thirty 
years — his  heart  bursting  within  his  breast  the 
while  —  yearning  for  one  sight  of  Ireland  —  be 
lived  and  labored  in  distant  lona.  The  fame  of  his 
sanctity  filled  the  world ;  religious  houses  subject 
to  his  rule  arose  in  many  a  glen  and  isle  of  rug- 
ged Caledonia ;  the  gifts  of  prophecy  and  miracle 
momentously  attested  him  as  one  of  God's  most 
favored  apostles ;  yet  all  the  while  his  heart  was 
breaking ;  all  the  while  in  his  silent  cell  Colum- 
ba's  tears  flowed  freely  for  the  one  grief  that 
never  left  him — the  wound  that  only  deepened 
with  lengthening  time — he  was  away  from  Ire- 
land! Into  all  his  thoughts  this  sorrow  entered. 
In  all  his  songs — and  several  of  his  compositions 
still  remain  to  us — this  one  sad  strain  is  intro- 
duced. Witness  the  following,  which,  even  in 
its  merely  literal  translation  into  the  English, 
retains  much  of  the  poetic  beauty  and  exquisite 
tenderness  of  the  original  by  Columba  in  the 
Gaelic  tongue : 

What  joy  to  fly  upon  the  white-crested  sea;  and 
watch  the  waves  break  upon  the  Irish  shore ! 

My  foot  is  in  my  little  boat;  but  my  sad  heart 
ever  bleeds! 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


25 


'There  is  a  gray  eye  which  ever  turns  to  Erinn; 

but  never  in  this  life  shall  it  see  Erinn,  nor  her 

sons,  nor  her  daughters! 
Erom  the  high  prow  I  look  over  the  sea;  and 

great  tears  are  in  my  eyes  when  I  turn  to 

Erinn — 

'To  Erinn,  where  the  songs  of  the  birds  are  so 
sweet,  and  where  the  clerks  sing  like  the  birds : 

Where  the  young  are  so  gentle,  and  the  old  are 
so  wise;  where  the  great  men  are  so  noble  to 
look  at,  and  the  women  so  fair  to  wed ! 

TToung  traveler !  carry  my  sorrows  with  you ; 
carry  them  to  Comgall  of  eternal  life! 

Noble  youth,  take  my  prayer  with  thee,  and  mj- 
blessing:  one  part  for  Ireland — seven  times 
may  she  be  blest — and  the  other  for  Albyn. 

Carry  my  blessing  across  the  sea;,  carry  it  to  the 
West.    My  heart  is  broken  in  my  breast! 

If  death  comes  suddenly  to  me,  it  will  be  because 
of  the  great  love  I  bear  to  the  Gael  !* 

It  was  to  the  rugged  and  desolate  Hebrides 
that  Columba  turned  his  face  when  he  accepted 
the  terrible  penance  of  Molaise.  He  bade  fare- 
well to  his  relatives,  and,  with  a  few  monks  who 
insisted  on  accompany  him  whithersoever  he 
might  go,  launched  his  frail  currochs  from  the 
northern  shore.  They  landed  first,  or  rather 
were  carried  by  wind  and  stream,  upon  the  little 
isle  of  Oronsay,  close  by  Islay ;  and  here  for  a 
moment  they  thought  their  future  abode  was  to 
be.  But  when  Columba,  with  the  early  morn- 
ing, ascending  the  highest  ground  on  the  island, 
to  take  what  he  thought  would  be  a  harmless  look 
toward  the  land  of  his  heart,  lo!  on  the  dim  hori- 
zon a  faint  blue  ridge — the  distant  hills  of  An- 
trim !  He  averts  his  head  and  flies  downward  to 
the  strand!  Here  they  cannot  stay,  if  his  vow  is 
to  be  kept.  They  betake  them  once  more  to  the 
currochs,  and  steering  further  northward,  event- 
ually land  upon  lona,  thenceforth,  till  time  shall 
be  no  more,  to  be  famed  as  the  sacred  isle  of  Co- 
lumba! Here  landing,  he  ascended  the  loftiest 
of  the  hills  upon  the  isle,  and  "gazing  into  the 
distance,  found  no  longer  any  trace  of  Ireland 
upon  the  horizon. "    In  lona  accordingly  he  re- 

*  This  poem  appears  to  bave  been  presented  as  a  farewell 
gift  by  St.  Columba  to  some  of  the  Irish  visitors  at  lona, 
when  returning  liome  to  Ireland  It  is  deservedly  classed 
.among  tbe  most  beautiful  of  his  poetic  compositions. 


solved  to  make  his  home.  The  spot  from  whence 
St.  Columba  made  this  sorrowful  survey  is  still 
called  by  the  islesmen  in  the  Gaelic  tongue, 
Carn-cul-ri-Eriun,  or  the  Cairn  of  Farewell — lit- 
erally. The  back  turned  on  Ireland. 

Writers  without  number  have  traced  the  glories 
of  lona.*  Here  rose,  as  if  by  miracle,  a  city  of 
churches;  the  isle  became  one  vast  monastery, 
and  soon  much  too  small  for  the  crowds  that  still 
pressed  thither.  Then  from  the  parent  isle  there 
went  forth  to  the  surrounding  shores,  and  all  over 
the  mainland,  off-shoot  establishments  and  mis- 
sionary colonies  (all  under  the  authority  of  Co- 
lumba), until  in  time  the  Gospel  light  was  ablaze 
on  the  hills  of  Albyn;  and  the  names  of  St. 
Columba  and  lona  were  on  every  tongue  from 
Rome  to  the  utmost  limits  of  Europe! 

"This  man,  whom,  we  have  seen  so  passionate, 
so  irritable,  so  warlike  and  vindictive,  became 
little  by  little  the  most  gentle,  the  humblest,  the 
most  tender  of  friends  and  fathers.  It  was  he, 
the  great  head  of  the  Caledonian  Church,  who, 
kneeling  before  the  strangers  who  came  to  lona, 
or  before  the  monks  returning  from  their  work, 
took  off  their  shoes,  washed  their  feet,  and  after 
having  washed  them,  respectfully  kissed  them. 
But  charity  was  still  stronger  than  humility  in 
that  transfigured  soul.  No  necessity,  spiritual 
or  temporal,  found  him  indifferent.  He  devoted 
himself  to  the  solace  of  all  infirmities,  all  misery 
and  pain,  wepeing  often  over  those  who  did  not 
weep  for  themselves. 

"The  work  of  transcription  remained  until  bis 
last  day  the  occupation  of  his  old  age,  as  it  had 
been  the  passion  of  his  youth ;  it  had  such  an  at- 
traction for  him,  and  seemed  to  him  so  essential 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  that,  as  we  have 
already  said,  three  hundred  copies  of  the  Holy 
Gospels,  copied  by  his  own  hand,  have  been 
attributed  to  him." 


*  "  We  are  now,"  said  Dr.  Johnson,  ' '  treading  that  illus- 
trious island  which  was  once  the  luminary  of  the  Caledon- 
ian regions;  whence  savage  clans  and  roving  barbarians 
derived  the  benefits  of  knowledge  and  the  blessings  of 
religion. ..  .Far  from  me  and  from  my  friends  be  such 
frigid  philosophy  as  may  conduct  us  indifferent  and  un- 
moved over  any  ground  which  has  been  dignified  by  wis- 
dom, bravery,  or  virtue.  That  man  is  little  to  be  envied 
whose  patriotism  would  not  gain  force  upon  the  plain  of 
Marathon,  or  whose  piety  would  not  grow  warmer  among 
the  ruins  of  lona." — Boswell's  "Tour  to  the  Hebrides." 


36 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


But  still  Columba  carried  with  him  in  his  heart 
the  great  grief  that  made  life  for  him  a  length- 
ened penance.  "Far  from  having  any  prevision 
of  the  glory  of  lona,  his  soul,"  saj's  Montalem- 
bert,  "was  still  swayed  by  a  sentiment  which 
never  abandoned  him — regret  for  his  lost  coun- 
try. All  his  life  he  retained  for  Ireland  the  pas- 
sionate tenderness  of  an  exile,  a  love  which  dis- 
played itself  in  the  songs  which  have  been 
preserved  to  us,  and  which  date  perhaps  from 
the  first  moment  of  his  exile.  .  .  .  'Death 
in  faultless  Ireland  is  better  than  life  without 
end  in  Albj-n. '  After  this  cry  of  despair  follow 
strains  more  plaintive  and  submissive." 

"But  it  was  not  only  in  these  elegies,  repeated 
and  perhaps  retouched  by  Irish  bards  and  monks, 
but  at  each  instant  of  his  life,  in  season  and  out 
of  season,  that  this  love  and  passionate  longing 
for  his  native  country  burst  forth  in  words  and 
musings ;  the  narratives  of  his  most  trustworthy 
biographers  are  full  of  it.  The  most  severe  pen- 
ance which  he  could  have  imagined  for  the  guilt- 
iest sinners  who  came  to  confess  to  him,  was  to 
impose  upon  them  the  same  fate  which  he  had 
voluntarily  inflicted  on  himself — never  to  set  foot 
again  upon  Irish  soil!  But  when,  instead  of  for- 
bidding to  sinners  all  access  to  that  beloved  isle, 
he  had  to  smother  his  envy  of  those  who  had  the 
right  and  happiness  to  go  there  at  their  pleasure, 
he  dared  scarcely  trust  himself  to  name  its  name ; 
and  when  speaking  to  his  guests,  or  to  the  monks 
who  were  to  return  to  Ireland,  he  would  only  say 
to  them,  'you  will  return  to  the  country  that  3'ou 
love.'  " 

At  length  there  arrived  an  event  for  Columba 
full  of  excruciating  trial — it  became  necessary 
for  him  to  revisit  Ireland!  His  presence  was 
found  to  be  imperatively  required  at  the  general 
assembly  o.r  convocation  of  the  princes  and  pre- 
lates of  the  Irish  nation,  convened  A.D.  573  hy 
Hugh  the  Second.*  At  this  memorable  as- 
sembly, known  in  history  as  the  great  Conven- 
tion of  Drumceat,  the  first  meeting  of  the  States 
of  Ireland  held  since  the  abandonment  of  Tara, 
there  were  to  be  discussed,  among  other  impor- 
tant subjects,  two  which  were  of  deep  and  pow- 
erful interest  to  Columba:  firstly,  the  relations 
between  Ireland  and  the  Argyle  or  Caledonian 


•Aedb  (pronounced  Aeb),  son  of  Anmire  the  First. 


colony;  and  secondly,  the  proposed  decree  for 
the  abolition  of  the  bards. 

The  country  now  known  as  Scotland  was,  about 
the  time  of  the  Christian  era,  inhabited  by  a  bar- 
barous and  warlike  race  called  Picts.  About  the 
middle  of  the  second  century,  when  Ireland  was 
known  to  the  Romans  as  Scotia,  an  Irish  chief- 
tain, Carbry  Riada  (from  whom  were  descended 
the  Dalariads  of  Antrim),  crossed  over  to  the 
western  shores  of  Alba  or  Albyn,  and  founded 
there  a  Dalariadan  or  Milesian  colony.  The  col- 
onists had  a  hard  time  of  it  with  their  savage 
Pictish  neighbors;  yet  they  managed  to  hold 
their  ground,  though  receiving  very  little  aid  or 
attention  from  the  parent  country,  to  which 
nevertheless  they  regularly  paid  tribute.  At 
length,  in  the  year  503,  the  neglected  colony  was 
utterly  overwhelmed  by  the  Picts,  whereupon  a 
powerful  force  of  the  Irish  Dalariads,  under  th& 
leadership  of  Leorn,  Aengus,  and  Fergus,  crossed 
over,  invaded  Albany,  and  gradually  subjugating 
the  Picts,  re-established  the  colony  on  a  basis 
which  was  the  foundation  eventually  of  the  Scot- 
tish monarchy  of  all  subsequent  history.  To  the 
re-established  colony  was  given  the  name  by 
which  it  was  known  long  after,  Scotia  Minor;, 
Ireland  being  called  Scotia  Major. 

In  the  time  of  St.  Columba,  the  colony,  which 
so  far  had  continuously  been  assessed  by,  and 
had  duly  paid  its  tribute  to,  the  mother  country, 
began  to  feel  its  competency  to  claim  independ- 
ence. Already  it  had  selected  and  installed  a 
king  (whom  St.  Columba  had  formally  conse- 
crated), and  now  it  sent  to  Ireland  a  demand  ta 
exempted  from  further  tribute.  The  Irish  mon- 
arch resisted  the  demand,  which,  however,  it 
was  decided  first  to  submit  to  a  national  assembly, 
at  which  the  Scottish  colony  should  be  repre- 
sented, and  where  it  might  plead  its  case  as  best 
it  could. 

Many  and  obvious  considerations  pointed 
to  St.  Columba  as  the  man  of  men  to  plead 
the  cause  of  the  young  nationality  on  this 
momentous  occasion.  He  was  peculiarly  quali- 
fied to  act  as  umpire  in  this  threatening  quarrel 
between  the  old  country,  to  which  he  felt  bound 
by  such  sacred  ties,  and  the  new  one,  which  by 
adoption  was  now  his  home.  He  consented  to- 
attend  at  the  assembly.  He  did  so  the  more 
readily,  perhaps,  because  of  his  strong  feelings. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


27 


in  reference  to  the  other  proposition  named,  viz., 
the  proscription  of  the  bards. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  in  Ireland,  where, 
from  an  early  date,  music  and  song  held  so  high 
a  place  in  national  estimation  such  a  proposition 
should  be  made.  But  by  this  time  the  numerous 
and  absurd  immunities  claimed  by  the  bardic 
profession  had  become  intolerable ;  and  by  gross 
abuses  of  the  bardic  privileges,  the  bards  them- 
selves had  indubitably  become  a  pest  to  society. 
King  Hugh  had  therefore,  a  strong  public  opin- 
ion at  his  back  in  his  design  of  utterly  abolish- 
ing the  bardic  corporation. 

St.  Columba,  however,  not  only  was  allied  to 
them  by  a  fraternity  of  feeling,  but  he  discerned 
clearly  that  by  purifying  and  conserving,  rather 
than  by  destroying,  the  national  minstrelsy,  it 
would  become  a  potential  influence  for  good,  and 
would  entwine  itself  gratefullj'  around  the  shrine 
within  which  at  such  a  crisis  it  found  shelter.  In 
fine,  he  felt,  and  felt  deeply,  as  an  Irishman  and 
as  an  ecclesiastic,  that  the  proposition  of  King 
Hugh  would  annihilate  one  of  the  most  treasured 
institutions  of  the  nation — one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful aids  to  patriotism  and  religion. 

So,  to  plead  the  cause  of  liberty  for  a  young 
nationality,  and  the  cause  of  patriotism,  religion, 
literature,  music,  and  poetry,  in  defending  the 
minstrel  race,  St.  Columba  to  Ireland  would  go ! 

To  Ireland!  But  then  his  vow!  His  penance 
sentence,  that  he  should  never  more  see  Ireland! 
How  his  heart  surged !  O  great  allurement !  O 
stern  resolve !    O  triumph  of  sacrifice ! 

Yes;  he  would  keep  his  vow,  yet  attend  the 
convocation  amid  those  hills  of  Ireland  which  he 
was  never  more  to  see !  With  a  vast  array  of  at- 
tendant monks  and  lay  princes,  he  embarked  for 
the  unforgotten  land ;  but  when  the  galleys  came 
within  some  leagues  of  the  Irish  coast,  and  before 
it  could  yet  be  sighted,  St.  Columba  caused  his 
eyes  to  be  bandaged  with  a  white  scarf,  and  thus 
blindfolded  was  he  led  on  shore !  It  is  said  that 
when  he  stepped  upon  the  be&ch,  and  for  the 
first  time  during  so  many  years  felt  that  be  trod 
the  soil  of  Ireland,  he  trembled  from  head  to  foot 
with  emotion. 

When  the  great  saint  was  led  blindfold  into 
the  convention,  the  whole  assemblage — kings, 
princes,  prelates,  and  chieftains — rose  and  un- 
covered as  reverentially  as  if  Patrick  himself  hM 


once  more  appeared  among  them.*  It  was,  w& 
may  well  believe,  an  impressive  scene ;  and  we 
can  well  understand  the  stillness  of  anxious  at- 
tention with  which  all  waited  to  hear  once  more 
the  tones  of  that  voice  which  many  traditions 
class  among  the  miraculous  gifts  of  Columba. 
More  than  one  contemporary  writer  has  des- 
cribed his  personal  appearance  at  this  time ;  and 
Montalembert  says:  "All  testimonies  agree  in 
celebrating  his  manly  beauty,  his  remarkable 
height,  his  sweet  and  sonorous  voice,  the  cordial- 
ity of  his  manner,  the  gracious  dignity  of  his 
deportment  and  person." 

Not  in  vain  did  he  plead  the  causes  he  had 
come  to  advocate.  Long  and  ably  was  the  ques- 
tion of  the  Scottish  colony  debated.  Some  ver- 
sions allege  that  it  was  amicably  left  to  the 
decision  of  Columba,  and  that  his  award  of  sev- 
eral independence,  but  fraternal  alliance,  was 
cheerfully  acquiesced  in.  Other  accounts  state 
that  King  Hugh,  finding  argument  prevailing 
against  his  views,  angrily  drawing  his  sword, 
declared  he  would  compel  the  colony  to  submis- 
sion by  force  of  arms ;  whereupon  Columba,  ris- 
ing from  his  seat,  in  a  voice  full  of  solemnity  and 
authority,  exclaimed:  "In  the  presence  of  this 
threat  of  tyrannic  force,  I  declare  the  cause 
ended,  and  proclaim  the  Scottish  colony  free  for- 
ever from  the  yoke!"  By  whichever  way,  how- 
ever, the  result  was  arrived  at,  the  independence 
of  the  young  Caledonian  nation  was  recognized 
and  voted  by  the  convention  through  the  exer- 
tions of  St.  Columba. 

His  views  in  behalf  of  the  bards  likewise  pre- 
vailed. He  admitted  the  disorders,  irregulari- 
ties, and  abuses  alleged  against  the  body ;  but 
he  pleaded,  and  pleaded  successfully,  for  reform 
instead  of  abolition.  Time  has  vindicated  the 
far  sighted  policy  of  the  statesman  saint.  The 
national  music  and  poetry  of  Ireland,  thus  puri- 
fied and  consecrated  to  the  service  of  religion  and 
country,  have  ever  since,  through  ages  of  perse- 
cution, been  true  to  the  holy  mission  assigned 
them  on  that  day  by  Columba. 

The  Dove  of  the  Cell  made  a  comparatively 

*  Some  versions  allege  that,  although  the  saint  himself 
was  received  with  reverence,  almost  with  awe,  a  hostile 
demonstration  was  designed,  if  not  attempted,  by  th& 
king's  party  against  the  Scottic  delegation  who  accom- 
panied St.  Columba. 


:28 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


long  stay  in  Ireland,  visiting  with  scarf-bound 
brow  the  numerous  monastic  establishments  sub- 
ject to  his  rule.  At  length  he  returned  to  lona, 
where  fai'  into  the  evening  of  life  he  waited  for 
his  summons  to  the  beatific  vision.  The  miracles 
he  wrought,  attested  by  evidence  of  weight  to 
move  the  most  callous  sceptic,  the  myriad  won- 
drous signs  of  God's  favor  that  marked  his  daily 
acts,  filled  all  the  nations  with  awe.  The  hour 
and  the  manner  of  his  death  had  long  been  re- 
vealed to  him.  The  precise  time  he  concealed 
from  those  about  him  until  close  upon  the  last 
day  of  his  life;  but  the  manner  of  his  death  he 
long  foretold  to  his  attendants.  "I  shall  die, " 
■said  he,  "without  sickness  or  hurt;  suddenly, 
but  happily,  and  without  accident. "  At  length 
one  day,  while  in  his  usual  health,  he  disclosed 
to  Diarmid,  his  "minister,"  or  regular  attendant 
monk,  that  the  hour  of  his  summons  was  nigh. 
A  week  before  he  had  gone  around  the  island, 
taking  leave  of  the  monks  and  laborers;  and 
when  all  wept,  he  strove  anxiously  to  console 
them.  Then  he  blessed  the  island  and  the  in- 
habitants. "And  now,"  said  he  to  Diai-mid, 
"here  is  a  secret;  but  you  must  keep  it  till  I  am 
gone.  This  is  Saturda3%  the  doy  called  Sabbath, 
or  day  of  rest :  and  that  it  will  be  to  me,  for  it 
shall  be  the  last  of  my  laborious  life. ' '  In  the 
evening  he  retired  to  his  cell,  and  began  to  work 
for  the  last  time,  being  then  occupied  in  trans- 
cribing the  Psalter.  AVhen  he  had  come  to  the 
thirty-tljird  Psalm,  and  the  verse,  " Inquirentes 
autem  Doniinum  non  deficient  omni  bono,"  he 
stopped  short.  "I  cease  here,"  said  he;  "Bai- 
thin  must  do  the  rest.  " 

]\Iontalembert  thus  describes  for  us  the  "last 
scene  of  all:"  "As  soon  as  the  midnight  bell 
had  rung  for  the  matins  of  the  Sunday  festival, 
he  rose  and  hastened  before  the  other  monks  to 
the  church,  where  he  knelt  down  before  the  altar. 
Diarmid  followed  him;  but,  as  the  church  was 
not  yet  lighted,  he  could  only  find  him  by  grop- 
ing and  crying  in  a  plaintive  voice,  'Where  art 
thou,  my  father?'  He  found  Columba  lying 
before  the  altar,  and,  placing  himself  at  his  side, 
raised  the  old  abbot's  venerable  head  upon  his 
knees.  The  whole  community  soon  arrived  with 
lights,  and  wept  as  one  man  at  the  sight  of  their 
dying  father.  Columba  opened  his  eyes  once 
more,  and  turned  them  to  his  children  at  either 


side  with  a  look  full  of  serene  and  radiant  joy. 
Then,  with  the  aid  of  Diarmid,  he  raised  as  best 
he  might  his  right  hand  to  bless  them  all.  His 
hand  dropped,  the  last  sigh  came  from  his  lips, 
and  his  face  remained  calm  and  sweet,  like  that 
of  a  man  who  in  his  sleep  had  seen  a  vision  of 
heaven. " 

Like  the  illustrious  French  publicist  whom  I 
have  so  largely  followed  in  this  sketch,  I  may 
say  that  I  have  "lingered  perhaps  too  long  on 
the  grand  form  of  this  monk  rising  up  before  us 
from  the  midst  of  the  Hebridean  sea."  But  I 
have,  from  the  missionary  saint-army  of  Ireland, 
selected  this  one — this  typical  apostle — to  illus- 
trate the  characters  that  illumine  one  of  the  most 
glorious  pages  of  our  history.  Many,  indeed, 
were  the  "Columbs"  that  went  forth  from  Ire- 
land, as  from  an  ark  of  faith,  bearing  blessed 
olive  branches  to  the  mountain  tops  of  Europe, 
then  slowly  emerging  from  the  flood  of  pagan- 
ism. Well  might  we  dwell  upon  this  period  of 
Irish  history!  It  was  a  bright  and  a  glorious 
chapter.  It  was  soon,  alas!  to  be  followed  bj' 
one  of  gloom.  Five  hundred  years  of  military 
fame  and  five  hundred  years  of  Christian  glory 
were  to  be  followed  by  five  hundred  years  of  dis- 
organizing dissensions,  leading  to  centuries  of 
painful  bondage. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  DANES  IN  IRELAND. 

The  first  dark  cloud  came  from  Scandinavia. 
Toward  the  close  of  the  eighth  century  the  Danes 
made  their  appearance  in  Ireland.  They  came 
at  first  as  transitory  coast  marauders,  landing, 
and  sacking  a  neighboring  town,  church,  or 
monastery.  For  this  species  of  warfare  the  Irish 
seem  to  have  been  as  little  prepared  as  any  of  the 
other  Europeap  countries  subjected  to  the  like 
scourge,  that  is  to  say,  none  of  them  but  the 
Danes  possessed,  at  this  period  of  history  a  pow- 
erful fleet.  So  when  the  pirates  had  wreaked 
their  will  upon  the  city  or  monastery,  in  order 
to  plunder  which  thej-  had  landed,  they  simply 
re-embarked  and  sailed  awaj'  comparatively  safe 
from  molestation. 

At  length  it  seems  to  have  occurred  to  the  pro- 
fessional pirates  that  in  place  of  making  period- 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


29 


ical  clashes  on  the  Irish  coast,  they  might  secure 
a  permanent  footing  thereupon,  and  so  prepare 
the  way  for  eventually  subjugating  the  entire 
kingdom.  Accordingly,  they  came  in  force  and 
possessed  themselves  of  several  spots  favorably 
placed  for  such  purposes  as  theirs — sites  for  for- 
tified maritime  cities  on  estuaries  affording  good 
shelter  for  their  fleets,  viz.  :  Dublin,  Drogheda, 
Waterford,  Limerick,  Wexford,  etc. 

In  the  fourth  year  of  Nial  the  Third  (about  the 
year  a.d.  840),  there  arrived  a  monster  fleet  of 
these  fierce  and  ruthless  savages,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Turgesius.  They  poured  into  the  coun- 
try and  carried  all  before  them.  For  nearly 
«even  years,  Turgesius  exercised  over  a  consider- 
able district  kingly  authoritj',  and  the  Irish 
groaned  under  the  horrors  of  oppression  the  most 
heartless  and  brutal.  Turgesius  converted  the 
cathedral  at  Clonmacnoise  into  a  palace  for  his 
own  use,  and  from  the  high  altar,  used  as  a 
throne,  the  fierce  idolater  gave  forth  his  tyran- 
nical commands.  Meantime  the  Christian  faith 
was  proscribed,  the  Christian  shrines  were  plun- 
dered, the  gold  and  jewels  were  kept  by  the 
«poiler8,  but  the  holy  relics  were  sacrilegiously 
given  to  destruction.  The  schools  were  dis- 
persed, the  books  and  chronicles  burned,  and 
finally  the  "successor  of  Patrick,"  the  Archbis- 
hop of  Armagh,  was  seized,  the  cathedral  sacked, 
and  the  holy  prelate  brought  a  captive  into  the 
Danish  stronghold. 

But  a  day  of  retribution  was  at  hand.  The 
divided  and  disorganized  tribes  were  being  bit- 
terly taught  the  necessity  of  union.  These  latest 
outrages  were  too  much  for  Christian  Irish  flesh 
and  blood  to  bear.  Concerting  their  measures, 
the  people  simultaneously  rose  on  their  oppres- 
sors. Turgesius  was  seized  and  put  to  death  by 
Malachy,  Prince  of  Westmeath,  while  the  Irish 
Ard-Ri,  Nial  the  Third,  at  length  able  to  rally  a 
powerful  army  against  the  invaders,  swooped 
down  upon  them  from  the  north,  and  drove  them 
panic-stricken  to  their  maritime  fortresses,  their 
track  marked  with  slaughter.  Nial  seems  to 
have  been  a  really  noble  character,  and  the 
circumstances  under  which  he  met  his  death, 
sudden  and  calamitous,  in  the  very  midst  of  his 
victorious  career,  afford  ample  illustration  of 
the  fact.  His  army  had  halted  on  the  banks  of 
the  Callan  River,  at  the  moment  swollen  by 


heavy  rains.  One  of  the  royal  domestics  or  at- 
tendants, a  common  Giolla,  in  endeavoring  to 
ford  the  river  for  some  purpose,  was  swept  from 
his  feet  and  carried  off  by  the  flood.  The  mon- 
arch, who  happened  to  be  looking  on,  cried  aloud 
to  his  guards  to  succour  the  drowning  man,  but 
quicker  than  any  other  he  himself  plunged  into 
the  torrent.  He  never  rose  again.  The  brave 
Nial,  who  had  a  hundred  times  faced  death  in 
the  midst  of  reddened  spears,  perished  in  his 
effort  to  save  the  life  of  one  of  the  humblest  of 
his  followers! 

The  power  of  the  Danes  was  broken,  but  they 
still  clung  to  the  seaports,  where  either  they 
M'ere  able  to  defy  efforts  at  expulsion,  or  else 
obtained  permission  to  remain  by  paying  heavy 
tribute  to  the  Irish  sovereign.  It  is  clear  enough 
that  the  presence  of  the  Danes  came,  in  course  of 
time,  to  be  regarded  as  useful  and  profitable  by 
the  Irish,  so  long  as  they  did  not  refuse  tribute 
to  the  native  power.  The  history  of  the  succeeding 
centuries  accordingly — the  period  of  the  Danish 
struggle — exhibits  a  singular  spectacle.  The 
Danes  made  themselves  fully  at  home  in  the  great 
maritime  cities,  which  they  may  be  said  to  have 
founded,  and  which  their  commerce  certainly 
raised  to  importance.  The  Irish  princes  made 
alliances  betimes  with  them,  and  Danes  fre- 
quently fought  on  opposite  sides  in  the  inter- 
necine conflicts  of  the  Irish  princes.  Occasion- 
ally seizing  a  favorable  opportunity  (when  the 
Irish  were  particularly  weakened  by  internal 
feud,  and  when  a  powerful  reinforcement  for 
themselves  arrived  from  Scandinavia)  they 
would  make  a  fierce  endeavor  to  extend  their 
dominion  on  Irish  soil.  These  efforts  were  mostly 
successful  for  a  time,  owing  to  the  absence  of  a 
strong  centralized  authority  among  the  Irish; 
but  eventually  the  Irish,  by  putting  forth  their 
native  valor,  and  even  partially  combining  for 
the  time,  were  always  able  to  crush  them. 

Yet  it  is  evident  that  during  the  three  hundred 
years  over  which  this  Danish  struggle  spreads, 
the  Irish  nation  was  undergoing  disintegration 
and  demoi'alization.  Toward  the  middle  of  the 
period,  the  Danes  became  converted  to  Christian- 
ity ;  but  their  coarse  and  fierce  barbarism  re- 
mained long  after,  and  it  is  evident  that  contact 
with  such  elements,  and  increasing  political  dis- 
ruption among  themselves,  had  a  fatal  effect  on 


30 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  Irsh.  They  absolutely  retrograded  in  learn- 
ing and  civilization  during  this  time,  and  con- 
tracted some  of  the  worst  vices  that  could  pave 
the  -way  for  the  fate  that  a  few  centuries  more 
were  to  bring  upon  them. 

National  pride  may  vainly  seek  to  ignore  or 
hide  the  great  truth  here  displayed.  During  the 
three  hundred  years  that  preceded  the  Anglo- 
Norman  invasion,  the  Irish  princes  appeared  to 
be  given  over  to  a  madness  marking  them  for  de- 
struction! At  a  time  when  consolidation  of 
national  authority  was  becoming  the  rule  all  over 
Europe,  and  was  becoming  so  necessary  for 
them,  they  were  going  into  the  other  extreme. 
As  the  general  rule,  each  one  sought  only  his 
personal  or  family  ambition  or  aggrandizement, 
and  strove  for  it  lawlessly  and  violently.  Fre- 
quently when  the  Ard-Ei  of  Erinn  was  nobly 
grappling  with  the  Danish  foe,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  finally  expelling  the  foreigner,  a  subor- 
dinate prince  would  seize  what  seemed  to  him 
the  golden  opportunity  for  throwing  off  the 
authority  of  the  chief  king,  or  for  treacherously 
endeavoring  to  grasp  it  himself!  During  the 
whole  time — three  centuries — there  was  scarcely 
a  single  reign  in  which  the  Ard-Ei  did  not  find 
occupation  for  his  arms  as  constantly  in  compell- 
ing the  submission  of  the  subordinate  native 
princes,  as  in  combating  the  Scandinavian  foe. 

Eeligion  itself  suffered  in  this  national  declen- 
sion. In  these  centuries  we  find  professedly 
Christian  Irish  kings  themselves  as  ruthless  de- 
stroyers of  churches  and  schools  as  the  pagan 
Danes  of  a  few  years  previous.  The  titles  of  the 
Irish  episcopacy  were  sometimes  seized  by  lay 
princes  for  the  sake  of  the  revenues  attached  to 
them ;  the  spiritual  functions  of  the  offices,  how- 
ever, being  performed  by  ecclesiastics  mean- 
while. In  fine,  the  Irish  national  character  in 
those  centuries  is  to  be  censured,  not  admired. 
It  would  seem  as  if  by  adding  sacrilege  and  war 
upon  religion  and  on  learning  to  political  suicide 
and  a  fatal  frenzy  of  factiousness,  the  Irish 
princes  of  that  period  were  doing  their  best  and 
their  worst  to  shame  the  glories  of  their  nation 
in  the  preceding  thousand  years,  and  to  draw 
down  upon  their  country  the  terrible  chastise- 
ment that  eventually  befel  it,  a  chastisement 
which  never  could  have  befallen  it  but  for  the 
Btate  of  things  I  am  here  pointing  out. 


Yet  was  this  gloomy  period  lit  up  by  some: 
brilliant  flashes  of  glorj',  the  brightest,  if  not  the 
last,  being  that  which  surrounds  the  name  of 
Clontarf,  where  the  power  of  the  Danes  in  Ire- 
land was  crushed  totally  and  forever. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

HOW  "BRIAN  OF  THE  TRIBUTE "  BECAME  A  HIGH  KING 
OF  ERINN. 

Few  historical  names  are  more  widely  known 
among  Irishmen  than  that  of  Brian  the  First — 
"Brian  Boru,  or  Borumha;"*  and  the  story  of 
his  life  is  a  necessary  and  an  interesting  intro- 
duction to  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Clontarf. 

About  the  middle  of  the  tenth  century  the 
crown  of  Munster  was  worn  by  Mahon,  son  of 
Ceineidi  (pr.  Kennedj',)  a  prince  of  the  Dalcas- 
siau  family.  Mahon  had  a  young  brother,  Brian, 
and  by  all  testimony  the  affection  which  existed, 
between  the  brothers  was  something  touching. 
Mahon,  who  was  a  noble  character — "as  a  prince 
and  captain  in  every  way  worthy  of  his  inherit- 
ance"— was  accompanied  in  all  his  expeditions, 
and  from  an  early  age,  by  Brian,  to  whom  he 
acted  not  only  as  a  brother  and  prince,  but  as  a 
military  preceptor.  After  a  brilliant  career, 
Mahon  fell  by  a  deed  of  deadly  treachery.  A 
rival  prince  of  South  Munster — "Molloy,  son  of 
Bran,  Lord  of  Desmond" — whom  he  had  van- 
quished, proposed  to  meet  him  in  friendly  con- 
ference at  the  house  of  Donovan,  an  Eugenian 
chief.  The  safety  of  each  person  was  guaranteed 
by  the  Bishop  of  Cork,  who  acted  as  mediator 
between  them.  Mahon,  chivalrous  and  unsus- 
pecting, M'ent  unattended  and  unarmed  to  the 
conference.  He  was  seized  by  an  ai'med  band  of 
Donovan's  men,  who  handed  him  over  to  a  party 
of  Molloy 's  retainers,  by  whom  he  was  put  tt. 
death.  He  had  with  him,  as  the  sacred  and  (as  it 
ought  to  have  been)  inviolable  "safe-conduct"  on 
the  faith  of  which  he  had  trusted  himself  into- 
the  power  of  his  foes,  a  copy  of  the  Gospels  writ- 
ten hy  the  hand  of  St.  Barre.  As  the  assassins 
drew  their  swords  upon  him,  Mahon  snatched  up 
the  sacred  scroll,  and  held  it  on  his  breast,  as  if 
he  could  not  credit  that  a  murderous  hand  would. 


»  That  is,  "  Brian  of  the  Tribute." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


31 


dare  to  wound  him  through  such  a  shield !  But 
the  murderers  plunged  their  swords  into  his 
heart,  piercing  right  through  the  vellum,  which 
became  all  stained  and  matted  with  his  blood. 
Two  priests  had,  horror-stricken,  witnessed  the 
outrage.  They  caught  up  the  blood-stained  Gos- 
pels and  fled  to  the  bishop,  spreading  through 
the  country  as  they  went  the  dreadful  news  which 
they  bore.  The  venerable  successor  of  St.  Fin 
Bar,  we  are  told,  wept  bitterly  and  uttered  a 
prophecy  concerning  the  fate  of  the  murderers, 
which  was  soon  and  remarkably  fulfilled. 

"When  the  news  of  his  noble-hearted  brother's 
death  was  brought  to  Brian  at  Kincora,  he  was 
seized  with  the  most  violent  grief.  His  favorite 
harp  was  taken  down,  and  he  sang  the  death-song 
of  Mahon,  recounting  all  the  glorious  actions  of 
his  life.  His  anger  flashed  out  through  his  tears 
as  he  wildly  chanted — 

"  'My  heart  shall  burst  within  my  breast, 
Unless  I  avenge  this  great  king. 
They  shall  forfeit  life  for  this  foul  deed. 
Or  I  must  perish  by  a  violent  death. ' 

"But  the  climax  of  his  grief  was,  that  Mahon 
'had  not  fallen  behind  the  shelter  of  his  shield, 
rather  than  trust  the  treacherous  word  of 
Donovan.  "* 

A  "Bard  of  Thomond"  in  our  own  day — one 
not  unworthy  of  his  proud  pseudonym — Mr.  M. 
Hogan  of  Limerick,  has  supplied  the  following 
very  beautiful  version  of  "Brian's  Lament  for 
King  Mahon:" 

"Lament,  O  Dalcassians!  the  Eagle  of  Cashel  is 
dead! 

The  grandeur,  the  glory,  the  joy  of  her  palace  is 
fled; 

Your  strength  in  the  battle — your  bulwark  of 

valor  is  low, 
But  the  fire  of  your  vengeance  will  fall  on  th« 

murderous  foe  ! 

"His  country  was  mighty — his  people  were  blest 

in  his  reign, 
But  the  ray  of  his  glory  shall  never  shine  on  them 

again ; 

Like  the  beauty  of  summer  his  presence  gave  joy 

to  our  souls, 
When  bards  sung  his  deeds  at  the  banquet  of 

bright  golden  bowls. 
'  *M'Gee. 


"Ye  maids  of  Temora,  whose  rich  garments 

sweep  the  green  plain ! 
Ye  chiefs  of  the  Sunburst,  the  terror  and  scourge 

of  the  Dane! 
Ye  gray -haired  Ard-Fileas!  whose  songs  fire  the 

blood  of  the  brave ! 
Oh!  weep,  for  your  Sun-star  is  quenched  in  the 

night  of  the  grave. 

"He  clad  you  with  honors — he  filled  your  high 

hearts  with  delight. 
In  the  midst  of  your  councils  he  beamed  in  his 

wisdom  and  might; 
Gold,  silver,  and  jewels  were  only  as  dust  in  his 

hand. 

But  his  sword  like  a  lightning-flash  blasted  the 
foes  of  his  land. 

"Oh!  Mahon,  my  brother !  we've  conquer'd  and 
marched  side  by  side. 

And  thou  wert  to  the  love  of  my  soul  as  a  beauti- 
ful bride ; 

In  the  battle,  the  banquet,  the  council,  the  chase 

and  the  throne. 
Our  beings  were  blended — our  spirits  were  filled 

with  one  tone. 

"Oh!  Mahon,  my  brother !  thou'st  died  like  the 

hind  of  the  wood. 
The  hands  of  assassins  were  red  with  thy  pure 

noble  blood ; 
And  I  was  not  near,  my  beloved,  when  thou  wast 

o'er  power'd. 
To  steep  in  their  hearts'  blood  the  steel  of  my 

blue-beaming  sword. 

"I  stood  by  the  dark  misty  river  at  eve  dim  and 
gray. 

And  I  heard  the  death-cry  of  the  spirit  of  gloomy 
Craghlea ; 

She  repeated  thy  name  in  her  caoine  of  desolate 
woe. 

Then  I  knew  that  the  Beauty  and  Joy  of  Clan 
Tail  was  laid  low. 

"All  day  and  all  night  one  dark  vigil  of  sorrow  I 
keep. 

My  spirit  is  bleeding  with  wounds  that  are  many 
and  deep ; 

My  banquet  is  anguish,  tears,  groaning,  and 

wringing  of  hands. 
In  madness  lamenting  my  prince  of  the  gold- 

hilted  brands. 


32  THE  STORY 

"O  God!  give  me  patience  to  bear  tlie  affliction 
I  feel, 

But  for  every  hot  tear  a  red  blood-drop  shall 

blush  on  my  steel; 
For  every  deep  pang  which  my  grief-stricken 

spirit  has  known, 
A  thousand  death-wounds  in  the  day  of  revenge 

shall  atone. " 

And  he  smote  the  »urderers  of  his  brother 
with  a  swift  and  terrible  vengeance.  Mustering 
his  Dalcassian  legions,  which  so  often  with 
Mahon  he  had  led  to  victorj',  he  set  forth  upon 
the  task  of  retribution.  His  first  effort,  the  old 
records  tell  us,  was  directed  against  the  Danes  of 
Limerick,  who  were  Donovan's  allies,  and  he 
slew  Ivor,  their  king,  and  his  two  sons.  Foresee- 
ing their  fate,  they  had  fled  before  him,  and  had 
taken  refuge  in  "Scattery's  Holy  Isle."  But 
Brian  slew  them  even  "between  the  horns  of  the 
altar."  Next  came  the  turn  of  Donovan,  who 
had  meantime  hastily  gathered  to  his  aid  the 
Danes  of  South  Munster.  But  "Brian,"  say 
the  Annals  of  Innisf alien,  "gave  them  battle,  and 
Auliffe  and  his  Danes,  and  Donovan  and  his 
allies,  were  all  cut  off."  Of  all  guilty  in  the 
murder  of  the  brother  whom  he  so  loved,  there 
now  remained  but  one — the  principal,  Molloy, 
son  of  Brian.  After  the  fashion  in  those  times, 
Brian  sent  Molloy  a  formal  summons  or  citation 
to  meet  him  in  battle  until  the  terrible  issue 
between  them  should  be  settled.  To  this  Molloy 
responded  by  confederating  all  the  Irish  and 
Danes  of  South  Munster  whom  he  could  rally, 
for  yet  another  encounter  with  the  avenging  Dal- 
cassian. But  the  curse  of  the  Comharba  of  St. 
Barre  was  upon  the  murderers  of  Mahon,  and 
the  might  of  a  passionate  vengeance  "was  in 
Brian's  arm.  Again  he  was  victorious.  The 
confederated  Danes  and  Irish  were  overthrown 
with  great  slaughter;  Brian's  son,  Morrogh, 
then  a  mere  lad,  "killing  the  murderer  of  his 
uncle  Mahon  with  his  own  hand."  "Molloy  was 
buried  on  the  north  side  of  the  mountain  where 
Mahon  had  been  murdered  and  interred :  on 
Mahon  the  sun  shone  full  and  fair ;  but  on  the 
grave  of  his  assassin  the  black  shadow  of  the 
northern  sky  rested  always.  Such  was  the  tradi- 
tion which  all  Munster  piously  believed.  After 
this  victory  Brian  was  universally  acknowledged 


3F  IRELAND. 

king  of  Munster,  and  wntil  Ard-Ri  Malachy  won 
the  battle  of  Tara,  was  justly  considered  the  first 
Ii'ish  captain  of  his  age."* 

This  was  the  opening  chapter  of  Brian's  career. 
Thenceforth  his  military  reputation  and  his 
political  influence  are  found  extending  far  be- 
yond the  confines  of  Munster. 

The  supreme  crown  of  Ireland  at  this  time  was 
worn  by  a  brave  and  enlightened  sovereign, 
Malachy  the  Second,  or  Malachy  Mor.  He  ex- 
hibited rare  qualities  of  statesmanship,  patriot- 
ism, and  valor,  in  his  vigorous  efforts  against  the 
Danes.  On  the  occasion  of  one  of  his  most 
signal  victories  over  them,  he  himself  engaged 
in  combat  two  Danish  princes,  overcame  and  slew 
both  of  them,  taking  from  off  the  neck  of  one  a 
massive  collar  of  gold,  and  from  the  grasp  of  the 
other  a  jewel-hilted  sword,  which  he  himself 
thenceforward  wore  as  trophies.  To  this  mon- 
arch, and  to  the  incident  here  mentioned,  Moore 
alludes  in  his  well-known  lines : 

"Let  Erin  remember  the  days  of  old; 
Ere  her  faithless  sons  betrayed  her. 
When  Malachi  wore  the  collar  of  gold 
Which  he  won  from  her  proud  invader." 

Whether  it  was  that  Ard-Ri  Malachy  began  to 
fear  the  increasing  and  almost  overshadowing 
power  and  influence  of  his  southern  tributary, 
or  that  Brian  had  in  his  pride  of  strength  refused 
to  own  his  tributary  position,  it  seems  impossi- 
ble to  tell ;  but  unfortunately  for  Ireland  the 
brave  and  wise  Ard-Ri  Malachy,  and  the  not  less 
brave  and  wise  tributary  Brian,  became  em- 
broiled in  a  bitter  war,  the  remote  but  indubit- 
able consequences  of  which  most  powerfully  and 
calamitously  affected  the  future  destinies  of  Ire- 
land. For  nearly  twenty  years  the  struggle 
between  them  continued.  Any  adversary  less 
able  than  Malachy  would  have  been  quickly  com- 
pelled to  succumb  to  ability  such  as  Brian's;  and 
it  may  on  the  other  hand  be  said  that  it  was  only 
a  man  of  Brian's  marvelous  powers  whom 
Malachy  could  not  effectively  crush  in  as  many 
months.  Two  such  men  united  could  accomplish 
anything  with  Ireland ;  and  when  they  eventually 
did  unite,  they  absolutely  swept  the  Danes  into 
their  walled  and  fortified  cities,  from  whence 

»M'Gee.. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND.  33 


tliey  had  begun  once  more  to  overrun  the  coun- 
try during  the  distractions  of  the  struggle  be- 
tween Malachy  and  Brian.  During  the  short 
peace  or  truce  between  himself  and  the  Ard-Ri, 
Brian — who  was  a  sagacious  diplomatist  as  well 
as  great  general — seems  to  have  attached  to  his 
interest  nearly  all  the  tributary  kings,  and  subse- 
quently even  the  Danish  princes;  so  that  it  was 
easy  to  see  that  already  his  eye  began  to  glance 
at  the  supreme  crown.  Malachy  saw  it  all,  and 
when  the  decisive  moment  at  last  arrived,  and 
Brian,  playing  Caesar,  "crossed  the  Rubicon," 
the  now  only  titular  Ard-Ri  made  a  gallant  but 
brief  defence  against  the  ambitious  usurper — for 
such  Brian  was  on  the  occasion.  After  this 
short  effort  Malachy  yielded  with  dignity  and 
calmness  to  the  inevitable,  and  gave  up  the  mon- 
archy of  Erinn  to  Brian.  The  abdicated  sovereign 
thenceforward  served  under  his  victorious  rival 
as  a  subordinate,  with  a  readiness  and  fidelity 
which  showed  him  to  be  Brian's  superior  at  least 
in  unselfish  patriotism  and  in  readiness  to  sacri- 
fice personal  pride  and  personal  rights  to  the 
public  interests  of  his  country. 

Brian,  now  no  longer  king  of  Munster,  but 
Ard-Ri  of  Erin,  found  his  ambition  fully 
crowned.  The  power  and  authority  to  which  he 
had  thus  attained,  he  wielded  with  a  wisdom,  a 
sagacity,  a  firmness,  and  a  success  that  made  his 
reign  as  Ard-Ri,  while  it  lasted,  one  of  almost 
unsurpassed  glory,  prosperity,  and  happiness  for 
Ireland.  Yet  the  student  of  Irish  history  finds 
no  fact  more  indelibly  marked  on  his  mind  by 
the  thoughtful  study  of  the  great  page  before 
him  than  this,  namely,  that,  glorious  as  was 
Brian's  reign — brave,  generous,  -  noble,  pious, 
learned,  accomplished,  politic,  and  wise,  as  he 
is  confessed  on  all  hands  to  have  been — his  seiz- 
ure of  the  supreme  national  crown  was  a  calam- 
ity for  Ireland.  Or  rather,  perhaps,  it  would  be 
more  correct  and  more  just  to  say,  that  having 
reference  not  singly  to  his  ambitious  seizure  of 
the  national  crown,  but  also  to  the  loss  in  one 
day  of  his  own  life  and  the  lives  of  his  next  heirs 
(both  son  and  grandson),  the  event  resulted  ca- 
lamitously for  Ireland.  For  "it  threw  open  the 
sovereignty  to  every  great  family  as  a  prize  to 
be  won  by  policy  or  force,  and  no  longer  an  in- 
heritance to  be  determined  by  law  and  usage. 
The  consequences  were  what  might  have  been 


expected.  After  his  death  the  O'Connors  of  the 
West  competed  with  both  O'Neills  and  O'Brien's 
for  supremacy,  and  a  chronic  civil  war  prepared 
the  way  for  Stronghow  and  the  Normans.  The 
term  'kings  with  opposition'  is  applied  to  nearly 
all  who  reigned  between  King  Brian's  time 
and  that  of  Roderick  O'Connor"  (the  Norman 
invasion),  "meaning  thereby  kings  who  were 
unable  to  secure  general  obedience  to  their 
administration  of  affairs."* 

Brian,  however,  in  all  probability,  as  the  his- 
torian I  have  quoted  pleads  on  his  behalf,  might 
have  been  moved  by  the  great  and  statesmanlike 
scheme  of  consolidating  and  fusing  Ireland  into 
one  kingdom  ;  gradually  repressing  individuality 
in  the  subordinate  principalities,  and  laying  the 
firm  foundation  of  an  enduring  and  comx^act 
monarchial  state,  of  which  his  own  posterity 
would  be  the  sovereigns.  For  Morrogh,  his 
first-born,  and  for  Morrogh 's  descendants  he 
hoped  to  found  an  hereditary  kingship  after  the 
type  universally  copied  throughout  Christendom. 
He  was  not  ignorant  of  what  Alfred  had  done  for 
England,  Harold  for  Norway,  Charlemagne  for 
France,  and  Otho  for  Germany."  If  any  such 
design  really  inspired  Brian's  course,  it  was  a 
grandly  useful  one,  comprehensive,  and  truly 
national.  Its  realization  was  just  what  Ireland 
wanted  at  that  period  of  her  history.  But  its 
existence  in  Brian's  mind  is  a  most  fanciful 
theory.  He  was  himself,  while  a  tributary  king, 
no  wondrous  friend  or  helper  of  centralized 
authority.  He  pushed  from  the  throne  a  wise 
and  worthy  monarch.  He  grasped  at  the  scepter 
not  in  a  reign  of  anarchy,  but  in  a  period  of 
comparative  order,  authority,  and  tranquility. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  certain  it  is  that  Brian  was 
"every  inch  a  king."  Neither  on  the  Irish 
throne,  nor  on  that  of  any  other  kingdom,  did 
sovereign  ever  sit  more  splendidly  qualified  to 
rule;  and  Ireland  had  not  for  some  centuries 
known  such  a  glorious  and  prosperous,  peaceful, 
and  happy  time  as  the  five  years  preceding 
Brian's  death.  He  caused  his  authority  to  be 
not  only  unquestioned,  but  obeyed  and  respected, 
in  every  corner  of  the  land.  So  justly  were  the 
laws  administered  in  his  name,  and  so  loyally 
obeyed  throughout  the  kingdom,  that  the  bards 


*  M'Gee. 


34  THE  STORY 

relate  a  rather  fanciful  story  of  a  j'oung  and  ex- 
quisitely beautiful  lady,  making,  -without  the 
slightest  apprehension  of  violence  or  insult,  and 
in  perfect  safety,  a  tour  of  the  island  on  foot, 
alone  and  unprotected,  though  bearing  about  her 
the  most  costly  jewels  and  ornaments  of  gold ! 
A  national  minstrel  of  our  own  times  has  cele- 
brated this  illustration  of  the  tranquility  of 
Brian's  reign  in  the  well-known  poem,  "Rich 
and  rare  were  the  gems  she  wore." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HOW  A  DARK   THUNDER-CLOUD  GATHERED  OVER  IRELAND. 

About  this  time  the  Danish  power  all  over 
Europe  had  made  considerable  advances.  In 
France  it  had  fastened  itself  upon  Normandy,  and 
in  England  it  had  once  more  become  victorious, 
the  Danish  jjrince,  Sweyne,  having  been  pro- 
claimed king  of  England  in  1013,  though  it  was 
not  until  the  time  of  his  successor,  Canute,  that 
the  Danish  line  were  undisputed  monarchs  of 
England.  All  these  triumphs  made  them  turn 
their  attention  the  more  earnestly  to  Ireland, 
which  they  so  often  and  so  desperately  yet  so 
vainlj',  sought  to  win.  At  length  the  Danes  of 
this  countrj' — holding  several  of  the  large  sea- 
port cities,  but  yielding  tribute  to  the  Irish  mon- 
arch— seem  to  have  been  roused  to  the  design  of 
rallying  all  the  might  of  the  Scanian  race  for  one 
gigantic  and  supreme  effort  to  conquer  the  king- 
dom :  for  it  was  a  reflection  hard  for  northmen 
to  endure,  that  they  who  had  conquered  England 
almost  as  often  as  they  tried,  who  had  now 
placed  a  Danish  sovereign  on  the  English  throne, 
and  had  established  a  Danish  dukedom  of  Nor- 
mandy in  Fi-ance,  had  never  yet  been  able  to 
bring  this  dearly  coveted  western  isle  into  sub- 
jection, and  had  never  once  given  a  monarch  to 
its  line  of  kings.  Coincidently  with  the  victories 
of  Sweyne  in  England,  several  Danish  expedi- 
tions appeared  upon  the  Irish  coast :  now  at  Cork 
in  the  south,  now  at  Lough  Foyle  in  the  north ; 
but  these  were  promptly  met  and  repelled  by  the 
vigor  of  the  Ard-Ri,  or  of  the  local  pi'inces. 
These  forays,  however,  though  serious  and  dan- 
gerous enough,  were  but  the  prelude  to  the  forth- 
coming grand  assault,  or  as  it  has  been  aptly 
styled,  "the  last  field-day  of  Christianity  and 
Paganism  on  Irish  soil." 


OF  IRELAND. 

"A  taunt  thrown  out  over  a  game  of  chess  at 
Kincora  is  said  to  have  hastened  this  memorable 
day.  Maelmurra,  prince  of  Leinster,  playing  or 
advising  on  the  game,  made  or  recommended  a 
false  move,  upon  which  Morrogh,  son  of  Brian, 
observed  it  was  no  wonder  his  friends  the  Danes 
(to  whom  he  owed  his  elevation)  were  beaten  at 
Glenmana,  if  he  gave  them  advice  like  that. 
Maelmurra,  highly  incensed  by  the  allusion — all 
the  more  severe  for  its  bitter  truth — arose,  or- 
dered his  horse,  and  rode  away  in  haste.  Brian, 
when  he  heard  it,  dispatched  a  messenger  after 
the  indignant  guest,  begging  him  to  return ;  but 
Maelmurra  was  not  to  be  pacified,  and  refused. 
We  next  hear  of  him  as  concerting  with  certain 
Danish  agents,  always  open  to  such  negotiations, 
those  measures  which  led  to  the  great  invasion 
of  the  year  1014,  in  which  the  whole  Scanian 
race,  from  Anglesea  and  Man,  north  to  Norwaj', 
bore  an  active  share. 

"These  agents  passing  over  to  England  and 
Man,  among  the  Scottish  isles,  and  even  to  the 
Baltic,  followed  up  the  design  of  an  invasion  on 
a  gigantic  scale.  Suibne,  earl  of  Man,  entered 
warmly  into  this  conspiracy,  and  sent  'the  war- 
arrow'  through  all  those  'out-islands'  which 
obeyed  him  as  lord.  A  yet  more  formidable 
potentate,  Sigurd,  of  the  Orkneys,  next  joined 
the  league.  He  was  the  fourteenth  earl  of 
Orkney,  of  Norse  origin,  and  his  power  was  at 
this  period  a  balance  to  that  of  his  nearest 
neighbor,  the  king  of  Scots.  He  had  ruled  since 
the  year  996,  not  only  over  the  Orkneys,  Shet- 
land, and  Northern  Hebrides,  but  the  coasts  of 
Caithness  and  Sutherland,  and  even  Ross  and 
Moray  rendered  him  homage  and  tribute.  Eight 
years  before  the  battle  of  Clontarf,  Malcom  the 
Second  of  Scotland  had  been  fain  to  purchase 
his  alliance  by  giving  him  his  daughter  in  mar- 
riage, and  the  kings  of  Denmark  and  Norway 
treated  with  him  on  equal  terms.  The  hundred 
inhabited  isles  which  lie  between  Yell  and  Man 
— isles  which  after  their  conversion  contained 
'three  hundred  churches  and  chapels' — sent  in 
their  contingents,  to  swell  the  following  of  the 
renowned  Earl  Sigurd.  As  his  fleet  bore  south- 
ward from  Kirkwall,  it  swept  the  subject  coast 
of  Scotland,  and  gathered  from  every  lough  its 
galleys  and  its  fighting-men.  The  rendezvous 
was  the  Isle  of  Man,  where  Suibne  had  placed  hia 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


35 


■own  forces,  under  the  command  of  Brodar,  or 
Broderick,  a  famous  leader  against  the  Britons  of 
Wales  and  Cornwall.  In  conjunction  .with 
Sigurd,  the  Manxmen  sailed  over  to  Ireland, 
"where  they  were  joined,  in  the  Liffey,  by  Earl 
Canuteson,  prince  of  Denmark,  at  the  head  of 
fourteen  hundred  champions  clad  in  armor. 
Sitric  of  Dublin  stood,  or  affected  to  stand,  neu- 
tral in  these  preparations,  but  Malemurra  of 
Leinster  had  mustered  all  the  forces  he  could 
command  for  such  an  expedition."* 

Here  was  a  mighty  thunder-storm  gathering 
over  and  around  Ireland !  Never  before  was  an 
effort  of  such  magnitude  made  for  the  conquest 
of  the  island.  Never  before  had  the  Danish 
power  so  palpably  put  forth  its  utmost  strength, 
and  never  hitherto  had  it  put  forth  such  strength 
in  vain.  This  was  the  supreme  moment  for  Ire- 
land to  show  what  she  could  do  when  united 
in  self-defence  against  a  foreign  invader.  Here 
were  the  unconquered  Northmen,  the  scourge  and 
terror  of  Europe,  the  conquerors  of  Britain,  Nor- 
mandy, Anglesea,  Orkney,  and  Man,  now  con- 
centrating the  might  of  their  whole  race,  from 
fiord  and  haven,  from  the  Orkneys  to  the  Scilly 
Isles,  to  burst  in  an  overwhelming  billow  upon 
Ireland!  If  before  a  far  less  formidable  assault 
England  went  down,  dare  Ireland  hope  now  to 
meet  and  withstand  this  tremendous  shock?  In 
truth,  it  seemed  a  hard  chance.  It  was  a  trial- 
hour  for  the  men  of  Erin.  And  gloriously  did 
they  meet  it!  Never  for  an  instant  were  they 
daunted  by  the  tidings  of  the  extensive  and 
mighty  preparations  going  forward ;  for  the  news 
filled  Europe,  and  a  hundred  harbors  in  Norway, 
Denmark,  France,  England,  and  the  Channel 
Isles  resounded  daj'  and  night  with  the  bustle 
preparatory  for  the  coming  war.  Brian  was  fully 
equal  to  the  emergency.  He  resolved  to  meet 
force  by  force,  combination  by  combination, 
preparation  by  preparation  ;  to  defy  the  foe,  and  let 
them  see  "what  Irishmen  could  do."  His  efforts 
were  nobly  seconded  by  the  zeal  of  all  the 
tributary  princes  (with  barely  a  few  exceptions), 
but  most  nobly  of  all  by  the  deposed  Malachy, 
whose  conduct  upon  this  occasion  alone  would 
entitle  him  to  a  proud  place  in  the  annals  of  Ire- 
land.   In  one  of  the  preliminary  expeditions  of 


*  M'Qee. 


the  Danes  a  few  years  previously,  he  detected 
more  quickly  that  Brian  the  seriousness  of  the 
work  going  forward ;  he  sent  word  hurriedly  to 
Kincora  that  the  Danes,  who  had  landed  near 
Dublin,  were  marching  inward,  and  entreated  of 
Brian  to  hasten  to  check  them  promptly.  The 
Ard-Ri,  however,  was  at  that  time  absolutely  in- 
credulous that  anything  more  serious  than  a 
paltry  foray  was  designed ;  and  he  refused,  it  ia 
said,  to  lend  any  assistance  to  the  local  prince. 
But  Malachy  had  a  truer  conception  of  the  grav- 
ity of  the  case.  He  himself  marched  to  meet  the 
invaders,  and  in  a  battle  which  ensued,  routed 
them,  losing,  however,  in  the  hour  of  victory,  his 
son  Flann.  This  engagement  awakened  Brian 
to  a  sense  of  the  danger  at  hand.  He  quickly 
dispatched  an  auxiliary  force,  under  his  son 
Morrogh  to  Malachy's  aid;  but  the  Danes, 
driven  into  their  walled  city  of  Dublin  bj' 
Malachy,  did  not  venture  out;  and  so  the  Dal- 
cassian  force  returned  southward,  devastating  the 
territory  of  the  traitor,  Maelmurra,  of  Leinster, 
whose  perfidy  was  now  openly  proclaimed. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

THE  GLORIOUS   DAY  OF  CLONTAEF. 

Brian  soon  became  fully  aware  of  the  scheme 
at  which  the  Danes  all  over  Europe  were  labor- 
ing, and  of  the  terrible  trial  approaching  for  Ire- 
land. Through  all  the  autumn  of  that  year  1013, 
and  the  spring  months  of  the  year  following,  the 
two  powers,  Danish  and  Irish,  were  working  hard 
at  preparations  for  the  great  event,  each  strain- 
ing every  energy  and  summoning  every  resource 
for  the  crisis.  Toward  the  close  of  March, 
Brian's  arrangements  being  completed,  he  gave 
the  order  for  a  simultaneous  march  to  Kilmain- 
ham,*  usually  the  camping  ground  and  now  the 
appointed  rendezvous  of  the  national  forces.  By 
the  second  week  in  April  there  had  rallied  to  the 
national  standard  a  force  which,  if  numerically 
unequal  to  that  assembled  by  the  invaders,  was, 
as  the  result  showed,  able  to  compensate  by 
superior  valor  for  whatever  it  lacked  in  numbers. 

*Tbe  district  north  and  south  of  the  Liffey  at  this  point 
— the  Phcenis  Park,  Kilmainham,  Inchicore,  and  Chapel- 
Izod — was  tbe  rendezvous. 


S6 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


The  lorda  of  all  the  southern  half  of  the  kingdom 
— the  lord  of  Decies,  Inchiquin,  Fermoy,  Corca- 
Baiskin,  Kinalmeak}',  and  Kerry — and  the  lords 
of  Hy-Manie  and  Hy-Fiachra  in  Connaught,  we 
are  told,  hastened  to  Brian's  standard.  O'More 
and  O'Nolan  of  Leiuster,  and  Donald,  Steward 
of  Mar,  in  Scotland,  continues  the  historian, 
"were  the  other  chieftains  who  joined  him  before 
Clontai'f,  besides  those  of  his  own  kindred,"  or 
the  forces  proper  of  Thomond.*  Just  one  faint 
shadow  catches  the  eye  as  we  survey  the  picture 
presented  by  Ii-eland  in  the  hour  of  this  great 
national  rally.  The  northern  chieftains,  the 
lords  of  Ulster,  alone  held  back.  Sullen  and 
silent,  they  stirred  not.  "They  had  submitted 
to  Brian;  but  they  never  cordially  supported 
him." 

The  great  Danish  flotilla,  under  Brodar,  the 
admiral-in-chief,  entered  Dublin  Bay  on  Palm 
Sunday,  the  18th  of  April,  1014.  The  galleys 
anchored,  some  of  them  at  Sutton,  near  Howth, 
others  were  moored  in  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Liffey,  and  the  rest  were  beached  or  anchored  in 
a  vast  line  stretching  along  the  Clontarf  shore, 
which  sweeps  between  the  two  points  indicated. 
Brian  immediately  swung  his  army  round  upon 
Glassnevin,  crossed  the  Tolka  at  the  point  where 
the  Botanical  Gardens  now  stand,  and  faced  his 
line  of  battle  southward  toward  where  the  enemy 
were  encamped  upon  the  shore.  Meantime,  becom- 
ing aware  that  Maelmurra,  prince  of  Leinster,  was 
so  eager  to  help  the  invader  that  he  had  entered 
*the  Danish  camp  with  every  man  of  his  follow- 
ing, Brian  secretly  dispatched  a  bodj'  of  Dalcas- 
sians,  under  his  son  Donagh,  to  dash  into  the 
traitor's  territory  and  waste  it  with  fire  and 
sword.  The  secret  march  southward  of  the  Dal- 
cassians  was  communicated  to  Maelmurra  by  a 
spy  in  Brian's  camp,  and,  inasmuch  as  the  Dal- 

•  "  Under  the  standard  of  Brian  Borumba  also  fougbt 
that  day  the  Maerrnors,  or  Great  Stewards  of  Lennox  and 
Mar,  with  a  contingent  of  the  brave  Gaels  of  Alba.  It 
would  even  appear,  from  a  Danish  account,  that  some  of 
the  Northmen  who  had  always  been  friendly  to  Brian, 
fought  on  his  side  at  Clontarf.  A  large  body  of  hardy  men 
came  from  the  distant  maritime  districts  of  Connemara  ; 
many  warriors  flocked  from  other  territories,  and,  on  the 
■whole,  the  rallying  of  the  men  of  Ireland  in  the  cause  of 
their  country  upon  that  occasion,  as  rjuch  as  the  victory 
which  their  gallantry  achieved,  renders  the  event  a  proud 
and  cheering  one  in  Irish  history." — Haverty. 


cassians  were  famed  as  the  "invincible  legion'" 
of  the  Irish  army,  the  traitor  urged  vehemently 
upon  his  English  allies  that  this  was  the  mo- 
ment to  give  battle — while  Brian's  best  troops 
were  away.  Accordingly,  on  Holy  Thursday,  the 
Danes  announced  their  resolution  to  give  battle 
next  day.  Brian  had  the  utmost  reluctance  to 
fight  upon  that  day,  which  would  be  Good  Fri- 
day, thinking  it  almost  a  profanation  to  engage 
in  combat  upon  the  day  on  which  our  Lord  died 
for  man's  redemption.  He  begged  that  the  en- 
gagement might  be  postponed  even  one  day ;  but. 
the  Danes  were  all  the  more  resolute  to  engage  on 
the  next  morning,  for,  says  an  old  legend  of 
the  battle,  Brodar,  having  consulted  one  of  the 
Danish  pagan  oracles,  was  told  that  if  he  gave: 
battle  upon  the  Friday  Brian  would  fall. 

With  earlj-  dawn  next  day.  Good  Friday,  23d. 
of  April,  1014,  all  was  bustle  in  both  camps.* 
The  Danish  army,  facing  inland,  northward  or- 
northeast,  stretched  along  the  shore  of  Dublin 
Bay ;  its  left  flank  touching  and  protected  hy  the 
city  of  Dublin,  its  center  being  about  the  spot, 
where  Clontarf  castle  now  stands,  and  its  right 
wing  resting  on  Dollymount.  The  Irish  army, 
facing  southward,  had  its  right  on  Drumcondra, 
its  center  on  Fairview,  and  its  extreme  left  on. 
Clontarf.  The  Danish  forces  were  disposed  of  in 
three  divisions,  of  which  the  first,  or  left,  was. 
composed  of  the  Danes  of  Dublin,  under  their 
king,  Sitric,  and  the  princes  Dolat  and  Conmael, 
with  the  thousand  Norwegians  already  mentioned, 
as  clothed  in  suits  of  ringed  mail,  under  the 

*  Haverty  says :  "The  exact  site  of  the  battle  seems  to- 
be  tolerably  well  defined.  In  some  copies  of  the  Annals  it. 
is  called  '  the  Battle  of  the  Fishing- weir  of  Clontarf :'  and 
the  weir  in  question  must  have  been  at  the  mouth  of  thfr 
Tolka,  about  the  place  where  Ballybough  Bridge  now 
stands.  It  also  appears  that  the  principal  destruction  of 
the  Danes  took  place  when  in  their  flight  they  endeavored  to- 
cross  the  Tolka,  probably  at  the  moment  of  high  water,  when 
great  numbers  of  them  were  drowned  ;  and  it  is  expressly 
stated  that  they  were  pursued  with  great  slaughter  'from  the 
Tolka  to  Dublin.'"  I,  however,  venture,  though  with-, 
proper  diffidence,  to  suggest  that  the  '  Fishing-weir  '  stood 
a  short  distance  higher  up  the  river,  to  wit,  at  Clonliffe, 
directly  below  where  the  College  of  the  Holy  Cross  now- 
stands.  For  there  is,  in  iny  opinion,  ample  evidence  to- 
show  that  at  that  time  the  sea  flowed  over  the  flats  on  the- 
city  side,  by  which  Ballybough  Bridge  is  now  approached, 
making  a  goodly  bay,  or  wide  estuary,  there  ;  and  that, 
only  about  the  point  I  indicate  was  a  fishing-weir  likely  to- 
have  stood  in  1014. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


37 


youthful  warriors  Carlus  and  Anrud ;  the  second, 
or  central  division,  was  composed  chiefly  of  the 
Lageuians,  commanded  by  Maelmurra  himself, 
and  the  princes  of  Offaly  and  of  the  Liffey  terri- 
tory ;  and  the  third  division,  or  right  wing,  was 
made  up  of  the  auxiliaries  from  the  Baltic  and 
the  Islands,  under  Brodar,  admiral  of  the  fleet, 
and  the  earl  of  Orkneys,  together  with  some 
British  auxiliaries  from  "Wales  and  Cornwall.  To 
oppose  these  the  Irish  monarch  also  marshaled 
his  forces  in  three  corps  or  divisions.  The  first, 
or  right  wing,  composed  chiefly  of  the  dimin- 
ished legions  of  the  brave  Dalcassians,  was  under 
the  command  of  his  son  Morrogh,  who  had  also 
with  him  his  four  brothers,  Tiege,  Donald, 
Conor,  and  Flann,  and  his  own  son  (grandson 
of  Brian),  the  youthful  Torlogh,  who  was  but 
fifteen  years  of  age.  In  this  division  also  fought 
Malachy  with  the  Meath  contingent.  The  Irish 
center  division  comprised  the  troops  of  Desmond, 
or  South  Munster,  under  the  commander  of  Kian, 
son  of  Molloy,  and  Donel,  son  of  Duv  Davoren 
(ancestor  of  The  O'Donoghue),  both  of  the 
Eugenian  line.  The  Irish  left  wing  was  com- 
posed mainly  of  the  forces  of  Connaught,  under 
O 'Kelly,  pi-ince  of  Hy-Manie  (the  great  central 
territory  of  Connaught);  O'Heyne,  prince  of  Hy- 
Fiachra  Ahna ;  and  Echtigern,  king  of  Dalariada. 
It  is  supposed  that  Brian's  army  numbered  about 
20,000  men.* 

All  being  ready  for  the  signal  of  battle, 
-Brian  himself,  mounted  on  a  richly-caparisoned 
charger,  rode  through  the  Irish  lines,  as  all  the 
records  are  careful  to  tell  us,  "with  his  sword  in 
one  hand,  and  a  crucifix  in  the  other,  exhorting 
the  troops  to  remember  the  momentous  issues 
that  depended  upon  the  fortunes  of  that  day — 
Eeligion  and  Country  against  Paganism  and 
Bondage.  It  is  said  that  on  this  occasion  he 
delivered  an  address  which  moved  his  soldiers, 
now  to  tears,  and  anon  to  the  utmost  pitch  of 
enthusiasm  and  resolution.  And  we  can  well 
imagine  the  effect,  upon  an  army  drawn  up  as 
they  were  for  the  onset  of  battle  in  defence  of 
"Faith  and  Fatherland,"  of  such  a  sight  and 
such  an  appeal — their  aged  and  venerable  mon- 
arch, "his  white  hair  floating  in  the  wind,  "  riding 
•through  their  lines,  with  the  sacred  symbol  of 


*  Abridged  from  Haverly. 


Redemption  borne  aloft,  and  adjuring  them, 
as  the  chronicles  tell  us  to  "remember  that  on 
this  day  Christ  died  for  us,  on  the  Mount  of 
Calvary."  Moreover,  Brian  himself  had  given 
them  an  earnest,  such  perhaps  as  monarch  had 
never  given  before,  of  his  resolve,  that  with 
the  fortunes  of  his  country  he  and  his  sons  and 
kinsmen  all  would  stand  or  fall.  He  had  brought 
"his  sons  and  nephews  there, "  says  the  histo- 
rian, who  might  have  added,  and  even  his  grand- 
children, "and  showed  that  he  was  prepared  to 
let  the  existence  of  his  race  depend  upon  the 
issue  of  the  day."  We  may  be  sure  a  circum- 
stance so  affecting  as  this  was  not  lost  upon 
Brian's  soldiers.  It  gave  force  to  every  word  of 
his  address.  He  recounted,  we  are  told,  all  the 
barbarities  and  the  sacrileges  perpetrated  by  the 
invaders  in  their  lawless  ravages  on  Irish  soil, 
the  shrines  they  had  plundered,  the  holy  relics 
they  had  profaned,  the  brutal  cruelties  they  had 
inflicted  on  unarmed  non-combatants — nay,  on 
"the  servants  of  the  Altar."  Then,  raising  the 
crucifix  aloft,  he  invoked  the  Omnipotent  God  to 
look  down  upon  them  that  day,  and  to  strengthen 
their  arms  in  a  cause  so  just  and  holy. 

Mr.  William  Kenealy  (now  of  Kilkenny)  is  the 
author  of  a  truly  noble  poem  which  gives  with 
all  the  native  vigor  and  force  of  the  original, 
this  thrilling  "Address  of  Brian  to  his  Army." 

"Stand  ye  now  for  Erin's  glory!    Stand  ye  noyr 

for  Erin's  cause ! 
Long  ye've  groaned  beneath  the  rigor  of  the 

Northmen's  savage  laws. 
What  though  brothers  league  against  us  ?  What, 

though  myriads  be  the  foe? 
Victory  will  be  more  honored  in  the  myriads' 

overthrow. 

"Proud  Connacians!  oft  we've  wrangled  in  our 
petty  feuds  of  yore ; 

Now  we  fight  against  the  robber  Dane  upon  our 
native  shore ; 

May  our  hearts  unite  in  friendship,  as  our  blood 
in  one  red  tide, 

While  we  crush  their  mail-clad  legions,  and  an- 
nihilate their  pride! 

"Brave  Eugenians!  Erin  triumphs  in  the  sight 
she  sees  to-day — 

Desmond's  homesteads  all  deserted  for  the  mus- 
ter and  the  fray ! 


38 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Cluan's  vale  and  Galtees'  summit  send  their 

bravest  and  their  best — 
May  such  hearts  be  theirs  forever,  for  the 

Freedom  of  the  West! 

''Chiefs  and  Kernes  of  Dalcassia!    Brothers  of 

my  past  career, 
Oft  we've  trodden  on  the  pirate-flag  that  flaunts 

before  us  here ; 
Tou  remember  Inniscattery,  how  we  bounded  on 

the  foe. 

As  the  torrent  of  the  mountain  bursts  upon  the 
plain  below ! 

"They  have  razed  our  proudest  castles — spoiled 
the  Temples  of  the  Lord — 

Burned  to  dust  the  sacred  relics — put  the  Peace- 
ful to  the  sword — 

Desecrated  all  things  holy — as  they  soon  may 
do  again, 

If  their  power  to-day  we  smite  not — if  to-day  we 
be  not  men ! 

"On  this  day  the  God-man  suffered — look  upon 

the  sacred  sign — 
May  we  conquer  'neath  its  shadow,  as  of  old  did 

Coustantine! 
May  the  heathen  tribe  of  Odin  fade  before  it  like 

a  dream. 

And  the  triumph  of  this  glorious  day  in  our 
future  annuals  gleam! 

"God  of  heaven,  bless  our  banner — nerve  our 
sinews  for  the  strife! 

Fight  we  now  for  all  that's  holy — for  our  altars, 
land  and  life — 

For  red  vengeance  on  the  spoiler,  whom  the  blaz- 
ing temples  trace — 

For  the  honor  of  our  maidens  and  the  glory  of 
our  race ! 

"Should  I  fall  before  the  foeman,  'tis  the  death 

I  seek  to-day ; 
Should  ten  thousand  daggers  pierce  me,  bear  my 

body  not  away. 
Till  this  day  of  days  be  over — till  the  field  is 

fought  and  won — 
Then  the  holy  mass  be  chanted,  and  the  funeral 

rites  be  done. 


"Men  of  Erin!  men  of  Erin!  grasp  the  battle-ax 

and  spear! 

Chase  these  Northern  wolves  before  you  like  a 

herd  of  frightened  deer! 
Burst  their  ranks,  like  bolts  from  heaven !  Down 

on  the  heathen  crew. 
For  the  glory  of  the  Crucified,  and  Erin's  glory 

too!" 

Who  can  be  astonished  that,  as  he  ceased,  a 
shout  wild,  furious,  and  deafening,  burst  from 
the  L'ish  lines?  A  cry  arose  from  the  soldiers, 
we  are  told,  demanding  instantly  to  be  led. 
against  the  enemy.  The  aged  monarch  now 
placed  himself  at  the  head  of  his  guards,  to  lead 
the  van  of  battle;  but  at  this  point  his  sons  and 
all  the  attendant  princes  and  commanders  pro- 
tested against  his  attempting,  at  his  advanced, 
age,  to  take  part  personally  in  the  conflict;  and. 
eventually,  after  much  effort,  they  succeeded  in 
prevailing  upon  him  to  retire  to  his  tent,  and  to 
let  the  chief  command  devolve  upon  his  eldest 
son  Morrogh. 

"The  battle,"  says  a  historian,  "then  com~ 
menced ;  'a  spirited,  fierce,  violent,  vengeful, 
and  furious  battle ;  the  likeness  of  which  was  not 
to  be  found  at  that  time,'  as  the  old  annalists, 
quaintly  describe  it.  It  was  a  conflict  of  heroes. 
The  chieftains  engaged  at  every  point  in  single 
combat;  and  the  greater  part  of  them  on  both, 
sides  fell.  The  impetuosity  of  the  Irish  was  ir- 
resistible, and  their  battle-axes  did  fearful  execu- 
tion, every  man  of  the  ten  hundred  mailed  war- 
riors of  Norway  having  been  made  to  bite  the 
dust,  and  it  was  against  them,  we  are  told,  that, 
the  Dalcassians  had  been  obliged  to  contend 
single-handed.  The  heroic  Morrogh  performed 
prodigies  of  valor  throughout  the  day.  Ranks  of 
men  fell  before  him ;  and,  hewing  his  way  to  the 
Danish  standard,  he  cut  down  two  successive 
bearers  of  it  with  his  battle-ax.  Two  Danish 
leaders,  Carolus  and  Conmael,  enraged  at  this 
success,  rushed  on  him  together,  but  both  fell 
in  rapid  succession  by  his  sword.  Twice  Mor- 
rogh and  some  of  his  chiefs  retired  to  slake  their 
thirst  and  cool  their  hands,  swollen  from  the  vio- 
lent use  of  the  sword ;  and  the  Danes  observing 
the  vigor  with  which  they  returned  to  the  con- 
flict, succeeded,  by  a  desperate  effort  in  cutting 
off  the  brook  which  had  refreshed  them.  Thus. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


39 


the  battle  raged  from  an  early  hour  in  the  morn- 
ing— innumerable  deeds  of  valor  being  performed 
on  both  sides,  and  victory  appearing  still  doubt- 
ful, until  the  third  or  fourth  hour  in  the  after- 
noon, when  afresh  and  desperate  effort  was  made 
by  the  Irish,  and  the  Danes,  now  almost  desti- 
tute of  leaders,  began  to  waver  and  give  way  at 
every  point.  Just  at  this  moment  the  Norwegian 
prince,  Anrud,  encountered  Morrogh,  who  was 
unable  to  raise  his  arms  from  fatigue,  but  with 
the  left  hand  he  seized  Anrud  and  hurled  him  to 
the  earth,  and  with  the  other  placed  the  point  of 
his  sword  on  the  breast  of  the  prostrate  North- 
man, and  leaning  on  it  plunged  it  through  his 
body.  While  stooping,  however,  for  this  pur- 
pose, Anrud  contrived  to  inflict  on  him  a  mortal 
wound  with  a  dagger,  and  Morrogh  fell  in  the 
arms  of  victory.  According  to  other  accounts, 
Morrogh  was  in  the  act  of  stooping  to  relieve  an 
enemy  when  he  received  from  him  his  death 
wound.  This  disaster  had  not  the  effect  of  turn- 
ing the  fortune  of  the  day,  for  the  Danes  and 
their  allies  were  in  a  state  of  utter  disorder,  and 
along  their  whole  line  had  commenced  to  fly 
toward  the  city  or  to  their  ships.  They  plunged 
into  the  Tolka  at  a  time,  we  may  conclude,  when 
the  river  was  swollen  with  the  tide,  so  that  great 
numbers  were  droAvned.  The  body  of  young 
Turlogb  was  found  after  the  battle  'at  the  weir  of 
Clontarf, '  with  his  hands  entangled  in  the  hair 
of  a  Dane  whom  he  had  grappled  with  in  the 
pursuit. 

"But  the  chief  tragedy  of  the  day  remains  to 
be  related.  Brodar,  the  pirate  admiral,  who 
commanded  in  the  point  of  the  Danish  lines  re- 
motest from  the  city,  seeing  the  rout  general, 
was  making  his  way  through  some  thickets  with 
onlj'  a  few  attendants,  when  he  came  upon  the 
tent  of  Brian  Borumha,  left  at  that  moment  with- 
out his  guards.  The  fierce  Norseman  rushed  in 
and  found  the  aged  monarch  at  prayer  before 
the  crucifix,  which  he  had  that  morning  held  up 
to  the  view  of  his  troops,  and  attended  only  by 
his  page.  Yet,  Brian  had  time  to  seize  his  arms, 
and  died  sword  in  hand.  The  Irish  accounts  say 
that  the  king  killed  Brodar, and  was  only  overcome 
by  numbers ;  but  the  Danish  version  in  the  Niala 
Saga  is  more  probable,  and  in  this  Brodar  is 
represented  as  holding  up  his  reeking  sword  and 
crying:    'Let  it  be  proclaimed  from  man  to  man 


that  Brian  has  been  slain  by  Brodar.'  It  is 
added,  on  the  same  authority,  that  the  ferocious 
pirate  was  then  hemmed  in  by  Brian's  returned 
guards  and  captured  alive,  and  that  he  was  hung 
from  a  tree,  and  continued  to  rage  like  a  beast 
of  prey  until  all  his  entrails  were  torn  out — the 
Irish  soldiers  tlius  taking  savage  vengeance  for 
the  death  of  their  king,  who  but  for  their  own 
neglect  would  have  been  safe."* 

Such  was  the  victory  of  Clontarf — one  of  the 
most  glorious  events  in  the  annals  of  Ireland! 
It  was  the  final  effort  of  the  Danish  power  to 
effect  the  conquest  of  this  country.  Never  again 
was  that  effort  renewed.  For  a  century  subse- 
quently the  Danes  continued  to  hold  some  mari- 
time cities  in  Ireland ;  but  never  more  did  they 
dream  of  conquest.  That  design  was  overthrown 
forever  on  the  bloody  plain  of  Clontarf. 

It  was,  as  the  historian  called  it  truly,  "a  con- 
flict of  heroes."  There  was  no  flinching  on 
either  side,  and  on  each  side  fell  nearly  every 
commander  of  note  who  had  entered  the  battle ! 
The  list  of  the  dead  is  a  roll  of  nobility,  Danish 
and  Irish  ;  among  the  dead  being  the  brave  Cale- 
donian chiefs,  the  great  Stewards  of  Mar  and 
Lennox,  who  had  come  from  distant  Alba  to  fight 
on  the  Irish  side  that  day! 

But  direst  disaster  of  all — most  woeful  in  its 
ulterior  results  affecting  the  fate  and  fortunes  of 
Ireland — was  the  slaughter  of  the  reigning 
family :  Brian  himself,  Morrogh,  his  eldest  son 
and  destined  successor,  and  his  grandson,  "the 
youthful  Torlogh, "  eldest  child  of  Morrogh — ■ 
three  generations  cut  down  in  the  one  day  upon 
the  same  field  of  battle ! 

"The  fame  of  the  event  went  out  through  all 
nations.  The  chronicles  of  Wales,  of  Scotland, 
and  of  Man ;  the  annals  of  Ademar  and  Marianus  ;f 
the  saga  of  Denmark  and  the  Isles,  all  record  the 
event.  The  Norse  settlers  in  Caithness  saw  ter- 
rific visions  of  Valhalla  'the  day  after  the 
battle.'  "X  "The  annals  state  that  Brian  and 
Morrogh  both  lived  lived  to  receive  the  last 
sacraments  of  the  Church,  and  that  their  remains 

*  Haverty. 

■(•  "Brian,  king  of  Hibernia,  slain  on  Good  Friday,  the 
9th  of  tLe  calends  of  May  (23d  April),  with  his  mind  and 
his  hands  turned  toward  God." — "  Chronicles  of  Marianu« 
Scotus." 

X  M'Gee. 


40 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


were  conveyed  by  the  monks  to  Swords  (near 
Dublin),  and  thence  to  Armagh  by  the  Arch- 
bishop ;  and  that  their  obsequies  were  celebrated 
for  twelve  days  and  nights  with  great  splendor 
by  the  clergj'  of  Armagh  after  which  the  body 
of  Brian  was  deposited  in  a  stone  coffin  on  the 
north  side  of  the  high  altar  in  the  cathedral,  the 
body  of  his  son  being  interred  on  the  south  side 
of  the  same  church.  The  remains  of  Torlogh  and 
of  several  of  the  other  chieftains  were  buried  in 
the  old  churchj-ard  of  Kilmainham,  where  the 
shaft  of  an  Irish  cross  still  marks  the  spot.  "* 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
"after  the  battle."    the  scene  "upon  ossoby's 

PLAIN.  ' '      the  last  days  OF  NATIONAL  FREEDOM. 

Three  days  after  the  battle  the  decimated  but 
victorj'-crowned  Irish  legions  broke  up  camp  and 
marched  homeward  to  their  respective  provinces, 
chanting  songs  of  triumph.  The  Dalcassiaus 
(who  had  suffered  terribly  in  the  battle)  found 
their  way  barred  by  a  hostile  prince,  Fitzpat- 
rick,  lord  of  Ossory,  whose  opposing  numbers 
vastly  exceeded  their  effective  force,  which  in- 
deed was  barely  enough  to  convey  or  convoy 
their  wounded  homeward  to  Kincora.  In  this 
extremity  the  wounded  soldiers  entreated  that 
they  might  be  allowed  to  fight  with  the  rest. 
"Let  stake  "  they  said,  "be  driven  into  the 
ground,  and  suffer  each  of  us,  tied  to  and  sup- 
ported by  one  of  these  stakes,  to  be  placed  in  his 
rank  by  the  side  of  a  sound  man."  "Between 
seven  and  eight  hundred  wounded  men,"  adds 
the  historian,  "pale,  emaciated,  and  supported  in 
this  manner,  appeared  mixed  with  the  foremost 
of  the  troops!  Never  was  such  another  sight  ex- 
hibited!"! Keating's  quaint  narrative  of  the 
event  is  well  worthy  of  quotation.  He  says : 
"Donagh  then  again  gave  orders  that  one-third 
of  his  host  should  be  placed  on  guard  as  a  pro- 
tection for  the  wounded,  and  that  the  other  two- 
thirds  should  meet  the  expected  battle.  But 
when  the  wounded  men  heard  of  these  orders, 
they  sprang  up  in  such  haste  that  their  wounds 
and  sores  burst  open ;  but  they  bound  them  up 
in  moss,  and  grasping  their  lances  and  their 
ewords,  they  came  thus  equipped  into  the  midst 

*  Haverty.  f  O'Halloran. 


of  their  comrades.  Here  they  requested  of 
Donncadh,  son  of  Brian,  to  send  some  men  to  the 
forest  with  instructions  to  bring  them  a  number 
of  strong  stakes,  which  they  proposed  to  have 
thrust  into  the  ground,  'and  to  these  stakes,' 
said  they,  'let  us  be  bound  with  our  arms  in  our 
hands,  and  let  our  sons  and  our  kinsmen  be  sta- 
tioned by  our  sides;  and  let  two  warriors,  who 
are  unwounded,  be  placed  near  each  one  of  us 
wounded,  for  it  is  thus  that  we  will  help  one 
another  with  truer  zeal,  because  shame  will  not 
allow  the  sound  man  to  leave  his  position  until 
his  wounded  and  bound  comrade  can  leave  it 
likewise. '  This  request  was  complied  with,  and 
the  wounded  men  were  stationed  after  the  man- 
ner which  they  had  pointed  out.  And,  indeed, 
that  array  in  which  the  Dal  g-Cais  were  then 
drawn,  was  a  thing  for  the  mind  to  dwell  upon 
in  admiration,  for  it  was  a  great  and  amazing 
wonder. " 

Our  national  minstrel,  Moore,  has  alluded  to 
this  episode  of  the  return  of  the  Dalcassians  in 
one  of  the  melodies : 

"Forget  not  our  wounded  companions,  who  stood 
In  the  day  of  distress  by  our  side : 
While  the  moss  of  the  valley  grew  red  with  their 
blood. 

They  stirred  not,  but  conquered  and  died. 
The  sun  that  now  blesses  our  arms  with  his  light 
Saw  them  fall  upon  Ossory's  plain; 
Oh!  let  him  not  blush,  when  he  leaves  us  to- 
night. 

To  find  that  they  fell  there  in  vain!" 

"With  the  victory  of  Clontarf  the  day  of  Ire- 
land's unity  and  power  as  a  nation  may  be  said 
to  have  ended.  The  sun  of  her  national  great- 
ness, that  had  been  waning  previously,  set  sud- 
denly in  a  brilliant  flash  of  glory.  If  we  except 
the  eight  years  immediately  following  Brian's 
death,  Ireland  never  more  knew  the  blessing  of 
national  unity — never  more  was  a  kingdom,  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  word.  Malachy  Mor — well 
worthy  of  his  title  "the  great" —  the  good,  the 
magnanimous,  the  patriotic,  and  brave  king, 
whom  Brian  had  deposed,  was  unanimously  re- 
called to  the  throne  after  Brian's  death.  The 
eight  years  during  which  Malachy  ruled  in  this 
the  second  term  of  his  sovereignty,  were  marked 
by  every  evidence  of  kingly  ability  and  virtue  on 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


41 


his  part.  At  length,  finding  death  approaching, 
he  retired  for  greater  solititude  to  an  island  in 
Lough  Ennel  (now  called  Cormorant  Island), 
whither  repaired  sorrowfully  to  his  spiritual  suc- 
cor "Amalgaid,  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  the 
abbots  of  Clonmacnoise  and  of  Durrow,  and  a 
good  train  of  clergy;"  and  where,  as  the  old 
chronicles  relate  it,  "after  intense  penance,  on 
the  fourth  of  the  nones  of  September,  died  Ma- 
lachy,  the  pillar  of  the  dignity  and  nobility  of 
the  western  world. " 

He  was  the  last  "unquestioned"  monarch  of 
L'eland.  The  interval  between  his  death  and  the 
landing  of  Henry  the  Second  (over  one  hundred 
and  fifty  years)  was  a  period  of  bloody  and 
ruinous  contention  that  invited — and  I  had  al- 
most said  merited — the  yoke  of  a  foreign  rule. 
After  Malachy's  death,  Brian's  younger  son, 
Donogh,  claimed  the  throne;  but  his  claim  was 
scorned  and  repudiated  by  a  moiety  of  the 
princes,  who  had,  indeed,  always  regarded  Brian 
himself  as  little  better  than  an  usurper,  though 
a  brave  and  a  heroic  sovereign.  Never  after- 
ward was  an  Ard-Ri  fully  and  lawfully  elected  or 
acknowledged.  There  were  frequently  two  or 
more  claimants  assuming  the  title  at  the  same 
time,  and  desolating  the  country  in  their  contest 
for  sovereignty.  Brian  had  broken  the  charmed 
line  of  regulated  succession  that  had,  as  I  have 
already  detailed,  lasted  through  nearly  two  thou- 
sand years.  His  act  was  the  final  blow  at  the 
already  loosened  and  tottering  edifice  of  central- 
ized national  authority.  While  he  himself 
lived,  with  his  own  strong  hand  and  powerful 
mind  to  keep  all  things  in  order,  it  was  well ;  no 
evil  was  likely  to  come  of  the  act  that  supplied  a 
new  ground  for  wasting  discords  and  bloody  civil 
strife. 

But  when  the  powerful  hand  and  the 
strong  mind  had  passed  away ;  when  the  splendid 
talents  that  had  made  even  the  deposed  monarch, 
Malachy,  bow  to  their  supremacy,  no  longer 
availed  to  bind  the  kingdom  into  unity  and 
strength,  the  miseries  that  ensued  were  hopeless. 
The  political  disintegration  of  Ireland  was  ag- 
gravated a  thousand-fold.  The  idea  of  national 
unity  seemed  as  completely  dead,  buried,  and 
forgotten,  when  the  Normans  came  in,  as  if  it 
never  had  existence  among  the  faction-split 
people  of  Erinn. 


'Twas  self-abasement  paved  the  way 
For  villain  bonds  and  despot's  sway. 

Donogh  O'Brien,  never  acknowledged  as 
Ard-Ri,  was  driven  from  even  his  titular  sover- 
eignty by  his  own  nephew,  Torlogh.  Aged, 
broken,  and  weary,  he  sailed  for  Rome,  where 
he  entered  a  monastery  and  ended  his  life  "in 
Xienance,  "as  the  old  chronicles  say.  It  is  stated 
that  this  Donogh  took  with  him  to  Rome  the 
crown  and  the  harp  of  his  father,  the  illustrious 
Brian,  and  presented  them  to  the  pope.*  This 
donation  of  his  father's  diadem  to  the  pope  by 
Donogh  has  sometimes  been  referred  to  as  if  it 
implied  a  bestowal  of  the  Irish  sovereignty ;  a 
placing  of  it,  as  it  were,  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Father  of  Christendom,  for  the  best  interests  of 
faction-ruined  Ireland  herself,  and  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Perhaps  the  pope  was 
led  so  to  regard  it.  But  the  Supreme  Pontiff  did 
not  know  that  such  a  gift  was  not  Donogh 's  to 
give!  Donogh  never  owned  or  possessed  the 
Irish  sovereignty ;  and  even  if  he  had  been  unan- 
imously elected  and  acknowledged  Ard-Ri  (and 
he  never  was),  the  Irish  sovereignty  was  a  trust 
to  which  the  Ard-Ri  was  elected  for  life,  and 
which  he  could  not  donate  even  to  his  own  son, 
except  by  the  consent  of  the  Royal  Electors  and 
Free  Clans  of  Erinn. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

HOW    ENGLAND    BECAME    A    COMPACT    KINGDOM,  WHILE 
lEELAND  WAS  BREAKING  INTO  FRAGMENTS. 

We  now  approach  the  period  at  which,  for  the 
first  time,  the  history  of  Ireland  needs  to  be  read 
with  that  of  England. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  after  the  rout  of  the 
Danes  by  the  Irish  at  Clontarf,  the  Anglo-Saxons 
drove  them  from  the  English  throne,  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  line  being  restored  in  the  person  of  Ed- 
ward the  Confessor.  A  quarter  of  a  century  sub- 
sequently, however,  the  Anglo-Saxons  were  again 
dethroned,  and  England  was  again  conquered  by 
new  invaders — or  the  old  ones  with  a  new  name 
— the  Normans.  In  this  last  struggle,  the  Anglo- 
Saxons  were  aided  by  troops  from  Ireland,  for 
the  Normans  were  kith  and  kin  of  the  Norse  foes 


*  The  harp  is  still  in  existence.  It  is  in  the  Museum  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin. 


4a  THE  STORY 

whom  Ireland  had  such  reason  to  hate.  An  Irish 
contingent  fought  side  by  side  -with  the  Saxons 
in  their  struggle  against  William ;  and  when  the 
brave  but  unfortunate  Harold  fell  at  Hastings,  it 
was  to  Ii-eland  his  children  were  sent  for  friendly 
asylum. 

The  Normans  treasured  a  bitter  remembrance 
of  this  against  Ireland ;  and  there  is  evidence 
that  from  the  first  they  meant  to  essay  the  sub- 
jugation of  that  island  also,  as  soon  as  they 
should  have  consolidated  their  British  conquest. 
These  same  Normans  were  a  brave  race.  They 
possessed  every  quality  requisite  for  military 
conquerors.  To  the  rough,  fierce  vigor  of  their 
Norse  ancestors  thej^  had  added  the  military  dis- 
cipline and  scientific  skill  which  the  Gauls  had 
learned  from  their  Roman  masters.  They  con- 
quered united  England  in  one  year.  Yet  they 
were  five  hundred  years  unsuccessfully  laboring 
to  conquer  disunited  Ireland! 

During  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  follow- 
ing Brian's  death  (devoted  by  the  Irish  princes 
to  every  factious  folly  and  crime  that  could 
weaken,  disorganize,  disunite,  and  demoralize 
their  country),  the  Normans  in  England  were 
solidifying  and  strengthing  their  power.  Eng- 
land was  becoming  a  compact  nation,  governed 
by  concentrated  national  authority,  and  possessed 
of  a  military  organization  formidable  in  numbers 
and  in  arms,  but  most  of  all  in  scientific  mode  of 
warfare  and  perfection  of  military  discipline; 
while  Ireland,  like  a  noble  vessel  amid  the 
breakers,  was  absolutely  going  to  jjieces — break- 
ing up  into  fragments,  or  "clans,"  north,  south, 
east,  and  west.  As  a  natural  result  of  this 
anarchy  or  wasting  strife  of  factions,  social  and 
religious  disorders  supervened;  and  as  a  his- 
torian aptly  remarks,  the  "Island  of  Saints" 
became  an  "Island  of  Sinners."  The  state  of 
religion  was  deplorable.  The  rules  of  ecclesi- 
astical discipline  were  in  many  places  over- 
thrown, as  was  nearly  every  other  necessary 
moral  and  social  safeguard ;  and,  inevitably,  the 
most  lamentable  disorders  and  scandals  resulted. 
The  bishops  vainly  sought  to  calm  this  fearful 
war  of  factions  that  was  thus  ruining  the  power 
of  a  great  nation,  and  destroying  or  disgracing 
its  Christian  faith.  They  threatened  to  appeal  to 
the  Supreme  Pontiff,  and  to  invoke  his  interposi- 
tion in  behalf  of  religion  thus  outraged,  and  civil 


OF  IRELAND. 

I  society  thus  desolated,  St.  Malachy,  the  pri- 
mate of  Armagh,  the  fame  of  whose  sanctity, 
piety,  and  learning  had  reached  all  Europe, 
labored  heroically  amid  these  terrible  afflictions. 
He  proceeded  to  Rome,  and  was  received  with 
every  mark  of  consideration  by  the  reigning 
pope,  Innocent  the  Second,  who,  "descending 
from  his  throne,  ])laced  his  own  mitre  on  the 
head  of  the  Irish  saint,  presented  him  with  his 
own  vestments  and  other  religious  gifts,  and  ap- 
pointed him  apostolic  legate  in  the  place  of  Gil- 
bert, Bishop  of  Limerick,  then  a  very  old  man." 
St.  Malachy  petitioned  the  pope  for  the  neces- 
sary recognition  of  the  Irish  archiepiscopal  sees, 
by  the  sending  of  the  palliums  to  the  archbishops ; 
but  the  pope  pointed  out  that  so  grave  a  request 
should  proceed  from  a  synod  of  the  Irish  Church. 
The  primate  returned  to  Ireland ;  and  after  some 
time  devoted  to  still  more  energetic  measures  to 
cope  with  the  difficulties  created  by  perpetual 
civil  war,  he  eventually  convened  a  national 
synod,  which  was  held  at  Innis-Patrick,  near 
Skerries,  county  Dublin.  St.  Malachy  was 
authorized  again  to  proceed  to  the  Holy  Father, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Irish  Church  beseech  him 
to  grant  the  palliums.  The  aged  primate  set  out 
on  his  journej'.  But  while  on  his  way,  having 
reached  Clairvaux,  he  was  seized  with  his  death- 
sickness,  and  expired  there  (November  2,  1148), 
attended  by  the  great  St.  Bernard,  between 
whom  and  the  Irish  primate  a  personal  friend- 
ship existed,  and  a  correspondence  passed,  a  por- 
tion of  which  is  still  extant.  Three  j'ears  after- 
ward the  palliums,  sent  by  Pope  Eugene  the 
Third,  were  brought  to  Ireland  by  Cardinal 
Paparo,  and  were  solemnly  conferred  on  the 
archbishops  the  year  following,  at  a  national 
synod  held  at  Kells. 

But  all  the  eiforts  of  the  ministers  of  religion 
could  not  compensate  for  the  want  of  a  stable 
civil  government  in  the  land.  Nothing  could 
permanently  restrain  the  fierce  violence  of  the 
chiefs;  and  it  is  clear  that  at  Rome,  and  through- 
out Europe,  the  opinion  at  this  time  began  to 
gain  ground  that  Ireland  was  a  hopeless  case. 
And,  indeed,  so  it  must  have  seemed.  It  is  true 
that  the  innate  virtue  and  morality  of  the  Irish 
national  character  began  to  assert  itself  the 
moment  society  was  allowed  to  enjoy  the  least 
respite :  it  is  beyond  question  that,  during  and 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


43 


tafter  the  time  of  the  sainted  primate,  Malachy, 
vigorous  and  comprehensive  efforts  were  afoot, 
and  great  strides  made,  toward  reforming  the 
abuses  with  which  chronic  civil  war  had  covered 
the  land.  But,  like  many  another  reformation, 
it  came  too  late.  Before  the  ruined  nation  could 
be  reconstituted,  the  Nemesis  of  invasion  arrived, 
to  teach  all  peoples,  by  the  story  of  Ireland's 
fate,  that  when  national  cohesiveness  is  gone, 
national  power  has  departed  and  national  suffer- 
ing is  at  hand. 


CHAPTER  XVL 

BOW  HENRY  THE  SECOND  FEIGNED   WONDROUS  ANXIETY 
TO  HEAL  THE  DISORDERS  OF  IRELAND, 

The  grandson  of  William  of  Normandy,  Con- 
queror of  England,  Henry  the  Second,  was  not 
an  inattentive  observer  of  the  progressing  wreck 
of  the  Irish  Church  and  Nation.  He  inherited 
the  Norman  design  of  one  day  conquering  Ireland 
-also,  and  adding  that  kingdom  to  his  English 
crown.  He  was  not  ignorant  that  at  Rome  Ire- 
land was  regarded  as  derelict.  An  Englishman, 
Pope  Adrian,  now  sat  in  the  Chair  of  Peter ;  and 
the  English  ecclesiastical  authorities,  who  were 
in  constant  communication  with  the  Holy  See, 
were  transmitting  the  most  alarming  accounts  of 
the  fearful  state  of  Ireland.  It  is  now  known 
that  these  accounts  were,  in  many  cases,  mon- 
strously exaggerated;  but  it  is  true  that,  at  best, 
the  state  of  affairs  was  very  bad. 

The  cunning  and  politic  Henry  saw  his  oppor- 
tunity. Though  his  was  the  heart  of  a  mere  con- 
<lueror,  sordid  and  callous,  he  clothed  himself  in 
the  garb  of  the  most  saintly  piety,  and  wrote  to 
the  Holy  Father,  calling  attention  to  the  state  of 
Ireland,  which  for  over  a  hundred  years  had  been 
a  scandal  to  Europe.  But  oh!  it  was  the  state  of 
i-eligion  there  that  most  afflicted  his  pious  and 
holy  Norman  heart!  It  was  all  in  the  interests 
of  social  order,  moralitj%  religion,  and  civiliza- 
tion,* that  he  now  approached  the  Holy  Father 
with  a  proposition.  In  those  times  (when  Chris- 
tendom was  an  unbroken  family,  of  which  the 
pope  was  the  head),  the  Supreme  Pontiff  was,  by 
the  voice  of  the  nations  themselves,  invested  with 

*  Even  in  that  day — seven  hundred  years  ago — English 
subjugators  had  learned  the  use  of  these  amiable  pretexts 
for  invasion  and  annexation  1 


a  certain  kind  of  arbitrative  civil  authority  for 
the  general  good.  And,  indeed,  even  infidel  and 
non-Catholic  historians  declare  to  us  that,  on  the 
whole,  and  with  scarcely  a  possible  exception, 
the  popes  exerted  the  authority  thus  vested  in 
them  with  a  pure,  unselfish,  and  exalted  anxiety 
for  the  general  public  good  and  the  ends  of  jus- 
tice, for  the  advancement  of  religion,  learning, 
civilization,  and  civil  freedom.  But  this  author- 
it.y  rested  merely  on  the  principle  by  which  the 
Acadian  farmers  in  Longfellow's  poem  consti- 
tuted their  venerable  pastor  supreme  lawgiver, 
arbitrator,  and  regulator  in  their  little  commu- 
nity ;  a  practice  which,  even  in  our  own  day, 
prevails  within  the  realms  of  fact  here  in  Ireland 
and  in  other  countries. 

Henry's  proposition  to  the  pope  was  that  he, 
the  English  king,  should,  with  the  sanction  of 
the  Holy  Father,  and  (of  course)  purely  in  the 
interests  of  religion,  morality,  and  social  order, 
enter  Ireland  and  restore  order  in  that  region  of 
anarchy.  He  pleaded  that  the  pope  was  bound 
to  cause  some  such  step  to  be  taken,  and  alto- 
gether urged  numerous  grounds  for  persuading 
the  pontiff  to  credit  his  professions  as  to  his  mo- 
tives and  designs.  Pope  Adrian  is  said  to  have 
complied  by  issuing  a  bull  approving  of  Henry's 
scheme  as  presented  to  him,  and  with  the  pur- 
poses and  on  the  conditions  therein  set  forth. 
There  is  no  such  bull  now  to  be  found  in  the 
papal  archives,  yet  it  is  credited  that  some  such 
bull  was  issued;  but  its  contents,  terms,  and 
permissions  have  been  absurdly  misrepresented 
and  exaggerated  in  some  versions  coined  by 
English  writers. 

The  papal  bull  or  letter  once  issued,  Henry 
had  gained  his  point.  He.  stored  away  the  docu- 
ment until  his  other  plans  should  be  ripe ;  and, 
meanwhile,  having  no  longer  any  need  of  feign- 
ing great  piety  and  love  for  religion,  he  flung  off 
the  mask  and  entered  upon  that  course  of  con' 
duct  which,  culminating  in  the  murder  of  St. 
Thomas  a  Becket,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
drew  down  upon  him  the  excommunication  of 
Rome. 

Meantime  events  were  transpiring  in  Ireland 
destined  to  afford  him  a  splendid  opportunity  for 
practically  availing  of  his  fraudulently  obtained 
papal  letter,  and  making  a  commencement  in  his 
scheme  of  Irish  conquest. 


44 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

THE  TREASON  OF  DIAKMID  m'mUEROGH. 

About  the  year  1152,  in  the  course  of  the  inter- 
minable civil  war  desolating  Ireland,  a  feud 
of  peculiar  bitterness  arose  between  Tiernan 
O'Ruarc,  Prince  of  Brefni,  and  Diarmid  M'Mur- 
rogh,  Prince  of  Leinster.  While  one  of  the  Ard- 
Righana  favorable  to  the  latter  was  for  the 
moment  uppermost,  O'Ruarc  had  been  dispos- 
sessed of  his  territory,  its  lordship  being  handed 
over  to  M'Murrogh.  To  this  was  added  a  wrong 
still  more  dire.  Devorgilla,  the  wife  of  O'Ruarc, 
eloped  with  M'Murrogh,  already  her  husband's 
most  bitter  rival  and  foe!  Her  father  and  her 
husband  both  appealed  to  Torlogh  O'Connor  for 
justice  upon  the  guilty  prince  of  Leinster. 
O'Connor,  although  M'Murrogh  had  been  one  of 
his  supporters,  at  once  acceded  to  this  request. 
M'Murrogh  soon  found  his  territory  surrounded, 
and  Devorgilla  was  restored  to  her  husband. 
She  did  not,  however,  return  to  domestic  life. 
Recent  researches  among  the  ancient  "Manu- 
script Materials  for  Irish  History,"  by  O'Curry 
and  O'Donovan,  throw  much  light  upon  this  epi- 
sode, and  considerably  alter  the  long-prevailing 
popular  impressions  in  reference  thereto.  What- 
ever the  measure  of  Devorgilla's  fault  in  eloping 
with  M'Murrogh — and  the  researches  alluded  to 
bring  to  light  many  circumstances  invoking  for 
her  more  of  commiseration  than  of  angry  scorn 
— her  whole  life  subsequently  to  this  sad  event, 
and  she  lived  for  forty  years  afterward,  was  one 
prolonged  act  of  contrition  and  of  penitential 
reparation  for  the  scandal  she  had  given.  As  I 
have  alreadj'  said,  she  did  not  return  to  the  home 
she  had  abandoned.  She  entered  a-  religious 
retreat;  and  thenceforth,  while  living  a  life  of 
l)ractical  piety,  penance,  and  mortification,  de- 
voted the  immense  dower  which  she  possessed  in 
her  own  right  to  works  of  charity,  relieving  the 
poor,  building  hospitals,  asylums,  convents,  and 
churches. 

Thirteen  years  after  this  event,  Roderick 
O'Connor,  son  and  successor  of  the  king  who  had 
forced  M'Murrogh  to  yield  up  the  unhappy  De- 
vorgilla, claimed  the  throne  of  the  kingdom. 
Roderick  was  a  devoted  friend  of  O'Ruarc,  and 
entertained  no  very  warm  feelings  toward 
M'Murrogh.    The  king  claimant  marched  on  his 


"circuit,"  claiming  "hostages"  from  the  local 
princes  as  recognition  of  sovereignty.  M'Mur- 
rogh, who  hated  Roderick  with  intense  violence, 
burned  his  city  of  Ferns,  and  retired  to  his, 
Wicklow  fastnesses,  rather  than  yield  allegiance 
to  him.  Roderick  could  not  just  then  delay  on 
his  circuit  to  follow  him  up,  but  passed  on  south- 
ward, took  up  his  hostages  there,  and  then  re- 
turned to  settle  accounts  with  M'Murrogh.  But 
by  this  time  O'Ruarc,  apparently  only  too  glad 
to  have  such  a  pretext  and  opportunity  for  a 
stroke  at  his  mortal  foe,  had  assembled  a  power- 
ful army  and  marched  upon  M'Murrogh  from  the 
north,  while  Roderick  approached  him  from  the 
south.  Diarmid,  thus  surrounded,  and  deserted 
by  most  of  his  own  people,  outwitted  and  over- 
matched on  all  sides,  saw  that  he  was  a  ruined 
man.  He  abandoned  the  few  followers  yet  re- 
maining to  him,  fled  to  the  nearest  seaport,  and, 
with  a  heart  bursting  with  the  most  deadly  pas- 
sions, sailed  for  England  (a.d.  1168),  vowing 
vengeance,  black,  bitter,  and  terrible,  on  all  that, 
he  left  behind ! 

"A  solemn  sentence  of  banishment  was  pub- 
licly pronounced  against  him  by  the  assembled 
princes,  and  Morrogh,  his  cousin — commonly 
called  'Morrogh  na  Gael,'  (or  'of  the  Irish'),  to 
distinguish  him  from  'Morrogh  na  Gall'  (or  'of 
the  Foreigners') — was  inaugurated  in  his 
stead."* 

Straightway  he  sought  out  the  English  king, 
who  was  just  then  in  Aquitaine  quelling  a  revolt 
of  the  nobles  in  that  portion  of  his  possessions. 
M'Murrogh  laid  before  Henry  a  most  piteous 
recital  of  his  wrongs  and  grievances,  appealed  to 
him  for  justice  and  for  aid,  inviting  him  to  enter 
Ireland,  which  he  was  sure  most  easily  to  reduce 
to  his  swaj',  and  finally  offering  to  become  his 
most  submissive  vassal  if  his  majesty  would  but 
aid  him  in  recovering  the  possessions  from  M  hich 
he  had  been  expelled.  "Henry, "  as  one  of  our 
historians  justly  remarks,  "must  have  been  for- 
cibly struck  by  such  an  invitation  to  carry  out  a 
project  which  he  had  long  entertained,  and  for 
which  he  had  been  making  grave  preparations 
long  before."  He  was  too  busy  himself,  how- 
ever, just  then  to  enter  upon  the  project;  but  he- 
gave  M'Murrogh  a  royal  letter  or  proclamation^ 


*  M'Gee. 


THP]  STOKY  OF  IKELAND. 


45. 


authorizing  such  of  his  subjects  as  might  so 
desire  to  aid  the  views  of  the  Irish  fugitive. 
Diarmid  hurried  back  to  England,  and  had  all 
publicity  given  to  this  proclamation  in  his  favor; 
but  though  he  made  the  most  alluring  offers  of 
reward  and  booty,  it  was  a  long  time  before  he 
found  any  one  to  espouse  his  cause.  At  length 
Robert  Fitzstephen,  a  Norman  relative  of  the 
prince  of  North  "Wales,  just  then  held  in  prison 
by  his  Cambrian  kinsman,  was  released  or 
brought  out  of  prison  by  M'Murrogh,  on  condi- 
tion of  undertaking  his  service.  Through  Fitz- 
stephen there  came  into  the  enterprise  several 
other  knights,  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  Meyler  Fitz- 
henry,  and  others — all  of  them  men  of  supreme 
daring,  but  of  needy  circumstances.  Eventually 
there  joined  one  who  was  destined  to  take  com- 
mand of  them  all — Richard  de  Clare,  Earl  of 
Pembroke,-  commonly  called  "Strongbow;"  a 
man  of  ruined  fortune,  needy,  greedy,  unscrupu- 
lous, and  ready  for  any  desperate  adventure; 
possessing  unquestionable  military  skill  and 
reckless  daring,  and  having  a  tolerably  strong 
following  of  like  adventurous  spirits  among  the 
knights  of  the  Welsh  marches — in  fine,  just  the 
man  for  Diarmid's  purpose.  The  terms  were 
soon  settled.  Strongbow  and  his  companions 
undertook  to  raise  a  force  of  adventurers,  proceed 
to  Ireland  with  M'Murrogh,  and  reinstate  him  in 
his  principality.  M'Murrogh  was  to  bestow  on 
Strongbow  (then  a  widower  between  fifty  and 
sixty  years  of  age)  his  daughter  Eva  in  mar- 
riage, with  succession  to  the  throne  of  Leinster. 
Large  grants  of  land  also  were  to  be  distributed 
among  the  adventurers. 

Now,  Diarmid  knew  that  "succession  to  the 
throne"  was  not  a  matter  which  any  king  in  Ire- 
land, whether  provincial  or  national,  at  any  time 
could  bestow,  the  monarchy  being  elective  out 
of  the  members  of  the  reigning  family.  Even  if 
he  was  himself  at  the  time  in  full  legal  posses- 
sion of  "the  throne  of  Leinster,"  he  could  not 
promise,  secure,  or  bequeath  it,  as  of  right, 
even  to  his  own  son. 

In  the  next  place,  Diarmid  knew  that  his  offers 
of  "grants  of  land"  struck  directly  and  utterly 
at  the  existing  land  system,  the  basis  of  all  soci- 
ety in  Ireland.  For,  according  to  the  Irish  con- 
stitution and  laws  for  a  thousand  years,  the  fee- 
simple  or  ownership  of  the  soil  was  vested  in  the 


sept,' tribe,  or  clan;  its  use  or  occupancy  (by  the 
individual  members  of  the  sept  or  others)  being 
only  regulated  on  behalf  of  and  in  the  interest  of 
the  whole  sept,  by  the  elected  king  for  the  time 
being.  "Tribe  land"  could  not  be  alienated 
unless  by  the  king,  with  the  sanction  of  the  sept. 
The  users  and  occupiers  were,  so  to  speak,  a  co- 
operative society  of  agriculturists,  who,  as  a 
body  or  a  community,  owned  the  soil  they  tilled, 
while  individually  renting  it  from  that  body  or 
community  under  its  administrative  official — the 
king. 

"While  Strongbow  and  his  confederates  were 
completing  their  arrangements  in  Chester, 
M'Murrogh  crossed  over  to  his  native  "Wexford 
privately  to  prepare  the  way  there  for  their  re- 
ception. It  would  seem  that  no  whisper  had 
reached  Ireland  of  his  movements,  designs,  proc- 
lamations, and  preparations  on  the  other  side  of 
the  channel.  The  wolf  assumed  the  sheep's 
clothing.  M'Murrogh  feigned  great  humility 
and  contrition,  and  pretended  to  aspire  only  to 
the  recovery,  by  grace  and  favor,  of  his  immedi- 
ate patrimony  of  Hy-Kinsella.  Among  his  own 
immediate  clansmen,  no  doubt,  he  found  a, 
friendly  meeting  and  a  ready  following,  and, 
more  generally,  a  feeling  somewhat  of  commiser- 
ation for  one  deemed  to  be  now  so  fallen,  so  help- 
less, so  humiliated.  This  secured  him  from  very 
close  observation,  and  greatly  favored  the  prepa- 
rations he  was  stealthily  making  to  meet  the 
Norman  expedition  with  stout  help  on  the  shore. 


CHAPTER  XVIir. 

HOW  THE  NORMAN  ADVENTURERS  GOT  A  FOOTHOLD  ON 
IRISH  SOIL. 

The  fatal  hour  was  now  at  hand.  Early  in  the 
month  of  May  a  small  flotilla  of  strange  vessels 
ran  into  a  little  creek  on  the  Wexford  coast,  near 
Bannow  and  disembarked  an  armed  force  upon 
the  shore.  This  was  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
Norman  invasion ;  a  party  of  thirty  knights, 
sixty  men  in  armor,  and  three  hundred  footmen, 
under  Robert  Fitzstephen.  Next  day  at  the  same 
point  of  disembarkation  arrived  Maurice  de  Pren- 
dergast,  a  Welsh  gentleman  who  had  joined  the 
enterprise,  bringing  Mith  him  an  additional 
force.    Camping  on  the  coast,  they  quickly  dis- 


46 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


patched  a  courier  to  M'Murrogh  to  say  that  they 
had  come.  Diarmid  hastened  to  the  spot  with 
all  the  men  he  could  rally.  The  joint  force  at 
once  marched  upon  and  laid  siege  to  Wexford, 
■which  town,  after  a  gallant  defence,  capitulated 
to  them.  Elate  with  this  important  victory,  and 
strengthened  in  numbers,  Diarmid  now  marched 
into  Ossorj'.  Here  he  was  confronted  by  Fitz- 
patrick,  prince  of  Ossory,  commanding,  how- 
ever, a  force  quite  inferior  to  M'Muri'ogh's.  A 
sanguinary  engagement  ensued.  The  Ossorians 
bravely  held  their  own  throughout  the  daj',  until 
decoyed  from  their  chosen  position  into  an  open 
ground  where  the  Norman  cavalry  had  full  play, 
"the  poise  of  the  beam"  was  turned  against 
them ;  they  were  thrown  into  confusion,  pressed 
by  the  enemy,  and  at  length  overthrown  with 
great  slaughter. 

Roderick  the  Second,  titular  Ard-Ri,  now 
awakened  to  the  necessity  of  interposing  with 
the  national  forces;  not  as  against  an  invasion; 
for  at  this  period,  and  indeed  for  some  time 
afterward,  none  of  the  Irish  princes  attached 
such  a  character  or  meaning  to  the  circumstance 
that  M'Murrogh  had  enlisted  into  his  service 
some  men  of  England.  It  was  to  check  M'Mur- 
rogh, the  deposed  king  of  Leinster,  in  his  hostile 
proceedings,  that  the  Ard-Ri  summoned  the 
national  forces  to  meet  him  at  the  Hill  of  Tara. 
The  provincial  princes,  with  their  respective 
forces,  assembled  at  his  call ;  but  had  scarcely 
done  so,  when,  owing  to  some  contention,  the 
northern  contingent,  under  Mac  Dunlevy,  prince 
of  Ulidia,  withdrew.  With  the  remainder,  how- 
ever, Roderick  marched  upon  Ferns,  the  Lagen- 
ian  capital,  where  M'Murrogh  had  intrenched 
himself.  Roderick  appears  to  have  exhibited 
weakness  and  vacillation  in  the  crisis,  when  bold- 
ness, ])romptitude,  and  vigor  were  so  vitally 
requisite.  He  began  to  parley  and  diplomatize 
with  M'Murrogh,  who  cunningly  feigned  willing- 
ness to  agree  to  any  terms ;  for  all  he  secretly 
desired  was  to  gain  time  till  Strongbow  and  the 
full  force  from  Wales  would  be  at  his  side. 
M'Murrogh,  with  much  show  of  moderation  and 
humility,  agreed  to  a  treaty  with  the  Ard-Ri, 
by  which  the  sovereignty  of  Leinster  was  re- 
stored to  him ;  and  he,  on  the  other  hand, 
solemnly  bound  himself  by  a  secret  clause,  guar- 
anteed by  his  own  son  as  hostage,  that  he  would 


bring  over  no  more  foreigners  to  serve  in  his 
army. 

No  suspicion  of  any  such  scheme  as  an  invasion 
seems  even  for  an  instant  to  have  crossed  the 
monarch's  mind;  yet  he  wisely  saw  the  danger  of 
importing  a  foreign  force  into  the  country. 
He  and  the  other  princes  really  believed  that 
the  only  object  M'Murrogh  had  was  to  regain  the 
sovereignty  of  Leinster. 

The  crafty  and  perfidious  Diarmid  in  this 
treaty  gained  the  object  he  sought — time. 
Scarcely  had  Roderick  and  the  national  forces 
retired,  than  the  Leinster  king,  hearing  that  a 
further  Norman  contingent,  under  Maurice  Fitz- 
gerald, had  landed  at  Wexford,  mai'ched  upon 
Dublin — then  held  by  the  Danes  under  their 
prince  Hasculf  Mac  Turkill,  tributary  to  the 
Irish  Ard-Ri — and  set  up  a  claim  to  the  mon- 
archy of  Ireland.  The  struggle  was  now  fully 
inaugurated.  Soon  after  a  third  Norman  force, 
under  Raymond  le  Gros  (or  "the  Fat"),  landed 
in  Waterford  estuary,  on  the  Wexford  side,  and 
hastily  fortified  themselves  on  the  rock  of  Dun- 
donolf,  awaiting  the  main  force  under  Strongbow. 

And  now  we  encounter  the  evil  and  terrible 
results  of  the  riven  and  disorganized  state  of 
Ireland,  to  which  I  have  already  sufficientlj^  ad- 
verted. The  hour  at  last  had  come,  when  the 
curse  was  to  work,  when  the  punishment  was  to 
fall! 

It  was  at  such  a  moment  as  this — just  as 
Roderick  was  again  preparing  to  take  the  field  to 
crush  the  more  fully  developed  designs  of  Diar- 
mid—that  Donogh  O'Brien,  Prince  of  Thomond, 
chose  to  throw  off  allegiance  to  the  Ard-Ri,  and 
precipitate  a  civil  war  in  the  very  face  of  a  for- 
eign invasion!  Meanwhile,  Strongbow  was  on 
the  point  of  embarking  at  Milford  Haven  with  a 
most  formidable  force,  when  King  Henry,  much 
mistrustiug  the  adventurous  and  powerful  knight 
— and  having,  secretlj',  his  own  designs  about 
Ireland,  which  he  feared  the  ambition  of  Strong- 
bow, if  successful,  might  thwart — imperatively 
forbade  his  sailing.  Strongbow  disregarded  the 
royal  mandate,  and  set  sail  with  his  fleet.  He 
landed  at  Waterford  (August  23,  1171),  and 
joined  by  the  force  of  Raymond,  which  had  been 
cooped  up  in  their  fort  on  the  rock  of  Dundo- 
nolf,  laid  siege  to  the  city.  Waterford,  like 
Dublin,  was  a  Dano-Irish  city,  and  was  governed 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


47 


and  commanded  by  Reginald,  a  prince  of  Danish 
race.  Tlie  neighboring  Irish  under  O'Felan, 
prince  of  the  Deisi,  patriotically  hurried  to  the 
assistance  of  the  Danish  citizens ;  and  the  city 
was  defended  -with  a  heroism  equal  to  that  of  the 
three  hundred  at  Thermopylae.  Again  and  again 
the  assailants  were  hurled  from  the  walls ;  but  at 
length  the  Noi-man  sieging  skill  prevailed;  a 
breach  was  effected ;  the  enemy  poured  into  the 
town,  and  a  scene  of  butchery  shocking  to  con- 
template ensued.  Diarmid  arrived  just  in  time 
to  congratulate  Strongbowon  this  important  vic- 
tory. He  had  brought  his  daughter  Eva  with 
him,  and  amid  the  smoking  and  blood-stained 
ruins  of  the  city  the  nuptials  of  the  Norman 
inight  and  the  Irish  princess  were  celebrated. 

Strongbow  and  M'Murrogh  now  marched  for 
Dublin.  The  Ard-Ri  who  had  meantime  taken 
the  field,  made  an  effort  to  intercept  them,  but 
he  was  out-maneuvered,  and  they  reached  and 
commenced  to  siege  the  city.  The  citizens 
sought  a  parley.  The  fate  of  Waterford  had 
struck  terror  into  them.  They  dispatched  to  the 
besiegers'  camp,  as  negotiator  or  mediator,  their 
archbishop,  Laurence,  or  Lorcan  O'Tuahal,  the 
first  prelate  of  Dublin  of  Irish  origin. 

"This  illustrious  man,  canonized  both  by 
sanctity  and  patriotism,  was  then  in  the  thirty- 
ninth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  ninth  of  his  epis- 
copate. His  father  was  lord  of  Imayle  and  chief 
of  his  clan ;  his  sister  had  been  wife  of  Dermid 
and  mother  of  Eva,  the  prize  bride  of  Earl 
Richard.  He  himself  had  been  a  hostage  with 
Dermid  in  his  youth,  aud  afterward  abbot  of 
Glendalough,  the  most  celebrated  monastic  city 
of  Leinster.  He  stood,  therefore,  to  the  besieged, 
being  their  chief  pastor,  in  the  relation  of  a 
father;  to  Dermid,  and  strangely  enough  to 
Strongbow  also,  as  brother-in-law  and  uncle  by 
marriage.  A  fitter  ambassador  could  not  be 
found. 

"Maurice  Regan,  the  'Latiner, '  or  secretary  of 
Dermid,  had  advanced  to  the  walls  and  summoned 
the  city  to  surrender,  and  deliver  up  'thirty 
pledges'  to  his  master,  their  lawful  prince. 
Asculph,  son  of  Torcall,  was  in  favor  of  the  sur- 
render, but  the  citizens  could  not  agree  among 
themselves  as  to  hostages.  No  one  was  willing 
to  trust  himself  to  the  notoriously  untrustworthy 
-Dermid.    The  archbishop  was  then  sent  out  on 


the  part  of  the  citizens  to  arrange  the  terms  in 
detail.  He  was  received  with  all  reverence  in 
the  camp,  but  while  he  was  deliberating  with  the 
commanders  without,  and  the  townsmen  were 
anxiously  awaiting  his  return,  Milo  de  Cogan 
and  Raymond  the  Fat,  seizing  the  opportunity, 
broke  into  th^  city  at  the  head  of  their  compa- 
nies, and  began  to  put  the  inhabitants  ruthlessly 
to  the  sword.  They  were  soon  followed  by  the 
whole  force  eager  for  massacre  and  pillage.  The 
archbishop  hastened  back  to  endeavor  to  stay  the 
havoc  which  was  being  made  of  his  people.  He 
threw  himself  before  the  infuriated  Irish  and 
Normans,  he  thi'eatened,  he  denounced,  he  bared 
his  own  breast  to  the  swords  of  the  assassins. 
All  to  little  purpose :  the  blood  fury  exhausted 
itself  before  peace  settled  over  the  city.  Its 
Danish  chief  Asculph,  with  many  of  his  follow- 
ers, escaped  to  their  ships,  and  fled  to  the  Isle  of 
Man  and  the  Hebrides  in  search  of  succor  and 
revenge.  Roderick,  unprepared  to  besiege  the 
enemy  who  had  thus  outmarched  and  outwitted 
him,  at  that  season  of  the  year — it  could  not  be 
earlier  than  October — broke  up  his  encampment 
at  Clondalkin  and  retired  to  Connaught.  Earl 
Richard  having  appointed  De  Cogan  his  governor 
of  Dublin,  followed  on  the  rear  of  the  retreating 
Ard-Ri,  at  the  instigation  of  M'Murrogh,  burn- 
ing and  plundering  the  churches  of  Kells,  Clon- 
ard,  and  Slane,  and  carrying  off  the  hostages  of 
East-Meath.  "* 

Roderick,  having  first  vainly  notified  M'Mur- 
rogh to  return  to  his  allegiance  on  forfeit  of  the 
life  of  his  hostage,  beheaded  the  son  of  Diarmid, 
who  had  been  given  as  surety  for  his  father's 
good  faith  at  the  treaty  of  Ferns.  Soon  after 
M'Murrogh  himself  died,  and  his  end,  as  re- 
corded in  the  chronicles,  was  truly  horrible. 
"His  death,  which  took  place  in  less  than  a  year 
after  his  sacrilegious  church  burnings  in  Meath, 
is  described  as  being  accompanied  by  fearful 
evidence  of  divine  displeasure.  He  died  intes- 
tate, and  without  the  sacraments  of  the  church. 
His  disease  was  of  some  unknown  and  loathsome 
kind,  and  was  attended  with  insufferable  pain, 
which,  acting  on  the  naturally  savage  violence  of 
his  temper,  rendered  him  so  furioiis  that  his 
ordinary  attendants  must  have  been  afraid  to  ap- 


*  M'Oee. 


48 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


preach  him,  and  his  body  became  at  once  a  putrid 
mass,  so  that  its  presence  aboveground  could  not 
be  endured.  Some  historians  suggest  that  this 
account  of  his  death  may  have  been  the  invention 
of  enemies,  yet  it  is  so  consistent  with  what  we 
know  of  M'Murrogh's  character  and  career  from 
other  sources,  as  to  be  noways  incredible.  He 
was  at  his  death  eighty-one  years  of  age,  and  is 
known  in  Irish  history  as  Diarmaid-na-Gall,  or 
Dermot  of  the  Foreigners. ' ' 

An  incident  well  calculated  to  win  our  admira- 
tion presents  itself,  in  the  midst  of  the  dismal 
chapter  I  have  just  sketched  in  outline;  au  in- 
stance of  chivalrous  honor  and  good  faith  on  the 
part  of  a  Norman  lord  in  behalf  of  an  Irish 
chieftain !  Maurice  de  Prendergast  was  deputed 
by  Earl  "Strongbow"  as  envoy  to  Mac  Gilla 
Patrick,  jirince  of  Ossory,  charged  to  invite  him 
to  a  conference  in  the  Norman  camp.  Prender- 
gast undertook  to  prevail  upon  the  Ossorian 
prince  to  comply,  on  receiving  from  Strongbow 
a  solemn  pledge  that  good  faith  would  be  ob- 
served toward  the  Irish  chief,  and  that  he  should 
be  free  and  safe  coming  and  returning.  Relying 
on  this  pledge,  Prendergast  bore  the  invitation 
to  Mac  Gilla  Patrick,  and  prevailed  upon  him  to 
accompany  him  to  the  earl.  "Understanding, 
however,  during  the  conference,"  says  the  his- 
torian, "that  treacherj'  was  about  to  be  used 
toward  Mac  Gilla  Patrick,  he  rushed  into  Earl 
Strongbow 's  presence,  and  'sware  by  the  cross 
of  his  sword  that  no  man  there  that  day  should 
dare  lay  handes  on  the  kyng  of  Ossery.'  "  And 
well  kept  he  his  word.  Out  of  the  camp,  when 
the  conference  ended,  rode  the  Irish  chief,  and 
by  his  side,  good  sword  in  hand,  that  glorious 
type  of  honor  and  chivalry,  Prendergast,  ever 
since  named  in  Irish  tradition  and  history  as 
"the  Faithful  Norman" — "faithful  among  the 
faithless"  we  might  truly  say!  Scrupulously  did 
he  redeem  his  word  to  the  Irish  prince.  He  not 
only  conducted  him  safely  back  to  his  own  camp, 
but,  encountering  on  the  way  a  force  belonging 
to  Strongbow 's  ally,  O'Brien,  returning  from  a 
foray  into  Ossory,  he  attacked  and  defeated  them. 
That  night  "the  Faithful  Norman"  remained, 
as  the  old  chronicler  has  it,  "in  the  woods,"  the 
guest  of  the  Irish  chief,  and  next  day  returned 
to  the  English  lines.  This  truly  pleasing 
episode — this  little  oasis  of  chivalrous  honor  in 


the  midst  of  a  trackless  expanse  of  treacherous; 
and  ruthless  warfare,  has  been  made  the  subject 
of  a  short  poem  by  Mr.  Aubrey  De  Vere,  in  hia, 
"Lyrical  Chronicle  of  Ireland:" 

THE  FAITHFUL  NORMAN. 

Praise  to  the  valiant  and  faithful  foe! 

Give  us  noble  foes,  not  the  friend  who  lies! 
We  dread  the  drugged  cup,  not  the  open  blowr 

We  dread  the  old  hate  in  the  new  disguise. 

To  Ossory 's  king  they  had  pledged  their  word: 
He  stood  in  their  camp,  and  their  pledge  they^ 
broke ; 

Then  Maurice  the  Norman  upraised  his  sword; 
The  cross  on  its  hilt  he  kiss'd,  and  spoke: 

"So  long  as  this  sword  or  this  arm  hath  mighty 
I  swear  by  the  cross  which  is  lord  of  all. 
By  the  faith  and  honor  of  noble  and  knight. 
Who  touches  you.  Prince,  by  this  hand  shall 
fall!" 

So  side  by  side  through  the  throng  they  pass'dj 
And  Eire  gave  praise  to  the  just  and  true. 

Brave  foe !  the  past  truth  heals  at  last : 

There  is  room  in  the  great  heart  of  Eire  for 
you! 

It  is  nigh  seven  hundred  years  since  "the 
Faithful  Norman"  linked  the  name  of  Prender- 
gast to  honor  and  chivalry  on  Irish  soil.  Thosft 
who  have  read  that  truly  remarkable  work,  Pren- 
dergast's  "Cromwellian  Settlement  of  L-eland  will 
conclude  that  the  spirit  of  Maurice  is  still  to  h& 
found  among  some  of  those  who  bear  his  name. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

HOW    HENRY    RECALLED    THE    ADVENTURERS  HOW  HE. 

CAME  OVER  HIMSELF  TO  PUNISH  THEM  AND  BEFRIEND 
THE  IRISH. 

Strongbow  having  now  assumed  the  sovereignty 
of  Leinster,  King  Henry's  jealousy  burst  into  a 
flame.  He  issued  a  proclamation  ordering 
Strongbow  and  every  other  Englishman  in  Ire- 
land to  return  forthwith  to  England  on  pain  of 
outlawry!  Strongbow  hurriedly  dispatched  am- 
bassador after  ambassador  to  soothe  Henry's, 
anger;  but  all  was  vain.    At  length  he  hastened 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


49 


to  England  himself,  and  found  the  English  sover- 
eign assembling  an  enormous  fleet  and  army  with 
the  intent  of  himself  invading  Ireland!  The 
crafty  knight  humiliated  himself  to  the  utmost; 
yet  it  was  with  great  difficulty  the  king  was 
induced  even  to  grant  him  audience.  "When  he 
did,  Strongbow,  partly  by  his  own  most  abject 
protestations  of  submission,  and  partly  by  the 
aid  of  mediators,  received  the  royal  pardon  for 
his  contumacy,  and  was  confirmed  in  his  grants 
of  land  in  "Wexford. 

Early  in  October,  1171,  Henry  sailed  with  his 
armada  of  over  four  hundred  ships,  with  a  power- 
ful army ;  and  on  the  18th  of  that  month  landed 
at  Crooch,  in  "Waterford  harbor.  In  his  train 
came  the  flower  of  the  Norman  knigkts,  captains, 
and  commanders;  and  even  in  the  day  of  Ire- 
land's greatest  unity  and  strength  she  would 
have  found  it  difficult  to  cope  with  the  force 
^hich  the  English  king  now  led  into  the  land. 

Coming  in  such  kingly  power,  and  with  all  the 
pomp  and  pageantry  with  which  he  was  particu- 
larly careful  to  surround  himself — studiously 
polished,  politic,  plausible,  aignified,  and  cour- 
tierlike toward  such  of  the  Irish  princes  as  came 
within  his  presence — proclaiming  himself  by 
word  and  act,  angry  with  the  lawless  and  ruth- 
less proceedings  of  Strongbow,  Kaymond,  Fitz- 
stephen,  and  Fitzgerald — Henry  seems  to  have 
appeared  to  the  Irish  of  the  neighborhood  some- 
thing like  an  illustrious  deliverer!  They  had 
full  and  public  knowledge  of  his  strong  procla- 
mation against  Strongbow  and  his  companions, 
calling  upon  all  the  Norman  auxiliaries  of  Der- 
mot  to  return  forthwith  to  England  on  pain  of 
•outlawry.  On  every  occasion  subsequent  to  his 
landing  Henry  manifested  a  like  feeling  and  pur- 
pose ;  so  much  so  that  the  Irish  of  Wexford,  who 
had  taken  Fitzstephen  prisoner,  sent  a  deputation 
to  deliver  him  up  to  be  dealt  with  by  Henry,  and 
the  king  imprisoned  him  forthwith  in  Reginald's 
tower  to  wait  further  sentence!  In  fine,  Henry 
pretended  to  come  as  an  angry  king  to  chastise 
his  own  contumacious  subjects — the  Norman 
auxiliaries  of  the  Leinster  prince — and  to  adjudi- 
cate upon  the  complicated  issues  which  had 
arisen  out  of  the  treaties  of  that  prince  with 
them.  This  most  smooth  and  plausible  hypoc- 
risy, kept  up  with  admirable  skill,  threw  the 
-Irish  utterly  off  their  guard,  and  made  them 


regard  his  visit  as  the  reverse  of  hostile  or  unde- 
sirable. As  I  have  already  pointed  out,  the  idea 
of  national  unity  was  practically  defunct  among 
the  Irish  at  the  time.  For  more  than  a  hundred 
years  it  had  been  very  much  a  game  of  "every 
one  for  himself"  (varied  with  "every  man  against 
everybody  else")  with  them.  There  was  no 
stable  or  enduring  national  government  or  cen- 
tral authority  in  the  land  since  Brian's  time. 
The  nakedly  hostile  and  sanguinary  invasion  of 
Strongbow  they  were  all  ready  enough,  in  their 
disintegrated  and  ill-organized  way,  to  confront 
and  bravely  resist  to  the  death ;  and  had  Henry 
on  this  occasion  really  appeared  to  them  to  come 
as  an  invader,  they  would  have  instantly  encoun- 
tered him  sword  in  hand ;  a  truth  most  amply 
proven  by  the  fact  that  when  subsequently  (but 
too  late)  they  found  out  the  real  nature  of  the 
English  designs,  not  all  the  power  of  united, 
compact,  and  mighty  England  was  able,  for  hun- 
dreds and  hundreds  of  years,  to  subdue  the 
broken  and  weakened,  deceived  and  betrayed, 
but  still  heroic  Irish  nation. 

Attracted  by  the  fame  of  Henry's  magnanim- 
ity, the  splendor  of  his  power,  the  (supposed) 
justice  and  friendliness  of  his  intentions,  the 
local  princes  one  by  one  arrived  at  his  temporary 
court ;  where  they  were  dazzled  by  the  pomp, 
and  caressed  by  the  courtier  affabilities,  of  the 
great  English  king.  To  several  of  them  it  seems 
very  quickly  to  have  occurred  that,  considering 
the  ruinously  distracted  and  demoralized  state  of 
the  country,  and  the  absence  of  any  strong  cen- 
tral governmental  authority  able  to  protect  any 
one  of  them  against  the  capricious  lawlessness  of 
his  neighbors,  the  very  best  thing  they  could  do 
— possibly  for  the  interests  of  the  whole  country, 
certainly  for  their  own  particular  personal  or 
local  interests — would  be  to  constitute  Henry  a 
friendly  arbitrator,  regulator,  and  protector,  on 
a  much  wider  scale  than  (as  they  imagined)  he 
intended.  The  wilj'  Englishman  only  wanted 
the  whisper  of  such  a  desirable  pretext.  It  was 
just  what  he  had  been  angling  for.  Yes ;  he,  the 
mighty  and  magnanimous,  the  just  and  friendly, 
English  sovereign  would  accept  the  position. 
They  should  all,  to  this  end,  recognize  him  as  a 
nominal  liege  lord ;  and  then  he,  on  the  other 
hand,  would  undertake  to  regulate  all  their 
differences,  tranquillize  the  island,  and  guarantee 


50  THE  STORY 

to  each  individual  secure  possession  of  bis  own 
territory ! 

Thus,  by  a  smooth  and  plausible  diplomacy, 
Heurj'  found  himself,  -with  the  consent  or  at  the 
request  of  the  southern  Irish  princes,  in  a  posi- 
tion which  he  never  could  have  attained,  except 
through  seas  of  blood,  if  he  had  allowed  them  to 
suspect  that  he  came  as  a  hostile  invader,  not  as 
a  neighbor  and  powerful  friend. 

From  Waterford  he  marched  to  Cashel,  and 
from  Cashel  to  Dublin,  receiving  on  the  way 
visits  from  the  several  local  princes;  and  now 
that  the  news  spread  that  the  magnanimous 
English  king  had  consented  to  be  their  arbitra- 
tor, protector,  and  liege  lord,  every  one  of  them 
that  once  visited  Henry  went  away  wheedled 
into  adhesion  to  the  scheme.  Among  the  rest 
was  Donald  O'Brien,  prince  of  Thomond,  who 
the  more  readily  gave  in  his  adhesion  to  the  new 
idea,  for  that  he,  as  I  have  already  mentioned  of 
him,  had  thrown  off  allegiance  to  Roderick,  the 
titular  Ard-Ri,  and  felt  the  necessity  of  protec- 
tion by  some  one  against  the  probable  conse- 
quences of  his  conduct.  Arrived  at  Dublin, 
Henry  played  the  king  on  a  still  grander  scale. 
A  vast  palace  of  wicker-work  was  erected*  for 
his  especial  residence ;  and  here,  during  the 
winter,  he  kept  up  a  continued  round  of  feasting, 
hospitality,  pomp  and  pageantry.  Every  effort 
was  used  to  attract  the  Irish  princes  to  the  royal 
court,  and  once  attracted  thither,  Henry  made 
them  the  object  of  the  most  flattering  attentions. 
They  were  made  to  feel  painfully  the  contrast 
between  the  marked  superiority  in  elegance, 
wealth,  civilization — especially  in  new  species  of 
armor  and  weapons,  and  in  new  methods  of  war 
and  military  tactics — presented  by  the  Norman- 
English,  and  the  backwardness  of  their  own 
country  in  each  particular;  a  change  wrought, 
as  they  well  knew,  altogether  or  mainly  within 
the  last  hundred  and  fifty  years ! 

"Where  was  the  titular  Ard-Ri  all  this  time? 
Away  in  his  western  home,  sullen  and  perplexed, 
scarcely  knov/ing  what  to  think  of  this  singular 
and  unprecented  turn  of  affairs.  Henry  tried 
hard  to  persuade  Roderick  to  visit  him ;  but 
neither  Roderick  nor  any  of  the  northern  princes 
could  be  persuaded  to  an  interview  with  the 

*  On  the  spot  where  now  stands  the  Protestant  church  of 
St.  Andrew,  St.  Andrew  Street,  Dublin. 


OF  IRELAND. 

English  king.  On  the  contrary,  the  Ard-Ri, 
when  he  heard  that  Henry  was  likely  to  come 
westward  and  visit  him,  instantly  mustered  an 
army  and  boldly  took  his  stand  r.t  Athlone, 
resolved  to  defend  the  integrity  and  independence 
of  at  least  his  own  territory-.  Henry,  however, 
disclaimed  the  idea  of  conflict;  and,  once  again 
trusting  more  to  smooth  diplomacy  than  to  the 
sword,  dispatched  two  ambassadors  to  the  Irish 
titular  monarch.  The  result  was,  according  to 
some  English  versions  of  very  doubtful  and  sus- 
picious authority,  that  Roderick  so  far  came  in 
to  the  scheme  of  constituting  Henry  general 
suzerain  as  to  agree  to  offer  it  no  opposition  on 
condition  (readily  acceded  to  hy  the  ambassa- 
dors) that  his  own  sovereignty,  as,  at  least,  next 
in  supremacy  to  Henry,  should  be  recognized. 
But  there  is  no  reliable  proof  that  Roderick  made 
any  such  concession,  conditional  or  uncondi- 
tional ;  and  most  Irish  historians  reject  the  story. 

Having  spent  the  Christmas  in  Dublin,  and 
devoted  the  winter  season  to  feasting  and  enter- 
tainment on  a  right  royal  scale,  Henry  now  set 
about  exercising  his  authority  as  general  pacifi- 
cator and  regulator ;  and  his  first  exercise  of  it 
was  marked  by  that  profound  policy  and  sagacity 
which  seem  to  have  guided  all  his  acts  since  he 
landed.  He  began,  not  by  openly  aggrandizing 
himself  or  his  followers — that  might  have  excited 
suspicion — but  by  evidencing  a  deep  and  earnest 
solicitude  for  the  state  of  religion  in  the  country. 
This  strengthened  the  opinion  that  estimated 
him  as  a  noble,  magnanimous,  unselfish  and 
friendly  protector,  and  it  won  for  him  the  favor 
of  the  country.  As  his  first  exercise  of  general 
authority  in  the  land,  he  convened  a  sj-nod  at 
Cashel ;  and  at  this  synod,  the  decrees  of  which 
are  known,  measures  were  devised  for  the  repres- 
sion and  correction  of  such  abuses  and  irregulari- 
ties in  connection  with  religion  as  were  known  to 
exist  in  the  country.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  we 
find  by  the  statutes  and  decrees  of  this  synod 
nothing  of  a  doctrinal  nature  requiring  correc- 
tion; nothing  more  serious  calling  for  regulation 
than  what  is  referred  to  in  the  following  enact- 
ments then  made : 

1.  That  the  prohibition  of  marriage  within  the 
canonical  degrees  of  consanguinity  be  enforced. 

2.  That  children  should  be  regularly  catechized 
before  the  church  door  in  each  parish. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


51 


3.  That  children  should  be  baptized  in  the 
public  fonts  of  the  parish  churches. 

4.  That  regular  tithes  should  be  paid  to  the 
clergy  rather  than  irregular  donations  from  time 
to  time. 

5.  That  church  lands  should  be  exempt  from 
the  exaction  of  "livery,"  etc. 

6.  That  the  clergy  should  not  be  liable  to  any 
share  of  the  eric  or  blood-fine,  levied  off  the 
kindred  of  a  man  guilty  of  homicide. 

7.  A  decree  regulating  wills. 

Such  and  no  more  were  the  reforms  found  to 
be  necessary  in  the  Irish  Church  under  Henry's 
own  eye,  notwithstanding  all  the  dreadful  stories 
he  had  been  hearing,  and  which  he  (not  without 
addition  by  exaggeration)  had  been  so  carefully 
forwarding  to  Rome  for  years  before!  Truth 
and  candor,  however,  require  the  confession  that 
the  reason  why  there  was  so  little,  comparatively, 
needing  to  be  set  right  just  then,  was  because 
there  had  been  during  and  ever  since  St. 
Malachy's  time  vigoi'ous  efforts  on  the  part  of 
the  Irish  prelates,  priests,  princes,  and  people 
themselves,  to  restore  and  repair  the  ruins  caused 
by  long  years  of  bloody  convulsion. 

The  synod  over,  Henry  next  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  civil  affairs.  He  held  a  roj-al  court  at 
Lismore,  whereat  he  made  numerous  civil  ap- 
pointments and  regulations  for  the  government 
of  the  territories  and  cities  possessed  by  the 
Norman  allies  of  the  late  prince  of  Leinster, 
or  those  surrendered  by  Irish  princes  to  him- 
self. 

While  Henry  was  thus  engaged  in  adroitly 
causing  his  authority  to  be  gradually  recognized, 
respected  and  obeyed  iu  the  execution  of  peace- 
ful, wise  and  politic  measures  for  the  general 
tranquillity  and  welfare  of  the  country — for,  from 
the  hour  of  his  landing,  he  had  not  spilled  one 
drop  of  Irish  blood,  nor  harshly  treated  a  native 
of  Ireland — he  suddenly  found  himself  summoned 
to  England  by  gathering  troubles  there.  Papal 
commissioners  had  arrived  in  his  realm  of  Nor- 
mandy to  investigate  the  murder  of  St.  Thomas  a 
Becket,  and  threatening  to  lay  England  under 
an  interdict  if  Henry  could  not  clear  or  purge 
himself  of  guilty  part  in  that  foul  deed.  There 
was  nothing  for  it  but  to  hasten  thither  with  all 
speed,  abandoning  for  the  time  his  Irish  plans 
and  schemes,  but  taking  the  best  means  he  could 


to  provide  meantime  for  the  retention  of  his. 
power  and  authority  in  the  realm  of  Ireland. 

I  do  not  hesitate  to  express  my  opinion  that, 
as  the  Normans  had  fastened  at  all  upon  Ireland, 
it  was  unfortunate  that  Henry  was  called  away  at 
this  juncture.  No  one  can  for  an  instant  rank 
side  by  side  the  naked  and  heartless  rapacity  and 
bloody  ferocity  of  the  Normans  who  preceded  and 
who  succeeded  him  in  Ireland  with  the  modera- 
tion, the  statesmanship,  and  the  tolerance  ex- 
hibited by  Henry  while  remaining  here.  Much 
of  this,  doubtless,  was  policy  on  his  part;  but. 
such  a  policy,  though  it  might  result  in  bring- 
ing the  kingdom  of  Ireland  under  the  same 
crown  with  England  many  centuries  sooner  than 
it  was  so  brought  eventually  by  other  means, 
would  have  spared  our  country  centuries  of 
slaughter,  persecution,  and  suffering  unexampled 
in  the  annals  of  the  world.  There  are  abundant, 
grounds  for  presuming  that  Henry's  views  and 
designs  originally  were  wise  and  comprehensive, 
and  certainly  the  reverse  of  sanguinary.  He 
meant  simply  to  win  the  sovereignty  of  another 
kingdom ;  but  the  spirit  in  which  the  Normans, 
who  remained  and  who  came  after  him  in  Ire- 
land acted  was  that  of  mere  freebooters — rapa- 
cious and  merciless  plunderers — whose  sole, 
redeeming  trait  was  their  indomitable  pluck  and 
undaunted  bravery. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

HOW  HENRY  MADE  A  TEEATY  WITH  THE  IRISH   KING  ^ 

AND  DID  NOT  KEEP  IT. 

Soon  the  Irish  began  to  learn  the  difference- 
between  King  Henry's  friendly  courtesies  and 
mild  adjudications  and  the  rough  iron-shod  rule 
of  his  needy,  covetous,  and  lawless  lieutenants. 
On  all  sides  the  Normans  commenced  to  encroach 
upon,  outrage,  and  despoil  the  Irish,  until,  be- 
fore three  years  had  elapsed,  Henry  found  all  ha 
had  won  in  Ireland  lost,  and  the  English  power 
there  apparently  at  the  last  extremity.  A  signal 
defeat  which  Strongbow  encountered  in  one  of 
his  insolent  forays,  at  the  hands  of  O'Brien, 
prince  of  Thomond,  was  the  signal  for  a  general 
assault  upon  the  Normans.  They  were  routed 
on  all  sides;  Strongbow  himself  being  chased 
into  and  cooped  up  with  a  few  men  in  a  fortified 


63 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


tower  in  Waterford.  But  this  simultaneous  out- 
break lacked  the  unity  of  direction,  the  reach  of 
purpose,  and  the  perseverance  ■which  would 
cause  it  to  accomplish  permanent  rather  than 
transitory  results.  The  Irish  gave  no  thought  to 
the  necessity  of  following  up  their  victories;  and 
the  Norman  power,  on  the  verj'  point  of  extinc- 
tion, was  allowed  slowly  to  recruit  and  extend 
itself  again. 

Henrj'  was  sorely  displeased  to  find  affairs  in 
Ireland  in  this  condition;  but,  of  course,  the 
versions  which  reached  him  laid  all  the  blame  on 
the  Irish,  and  represented  the  Norman  settlers 
as  meek  and  peaceful  colonists  driven  to  defend 
themselves  against  treacherous  savages.  The 
English  monarch,  unable  to  repair  to  Ireland 
himself,  bethought  him  of  the  papal  letters,  and 
resolved  to  try  their  influence  on  the  Irish.  He 
accordingly  commissioned  William  Fitzadelm  De 
Burgo  and  Nicholas,  the  prior  of  Wallingford,  to 
proceed  with  these  documents  to  Ireland,  and 
report  to  him  on  the  true  state  of  affairs  there. 
These  royal  commissioners  duly  reached  that 
country,  and  we  are  told  that,  having  assembled 
the  Irish  prelates,  the  papal  letters  were  read. 
But  no  chronicle,  English  or  Irish,  tells  us  what 
was  said  by  the  Irish  bishops  on  hearing  them 
read.  Very  likely  there  were  not  wanting  pre- 
lates to  point  out  that  the  pope  had  been  utterly 
misinformed  and  kept  in  the  dark  as  to  the  truth 
about  Ireland;  and  that  so  far  the  bulls  were  of 
no  valid  force  as  such :  that  as  to  the  authority 
necessary  to  King  Henry  to  effect  the  excellent 
designs  he  professed,  it  had  already  been  pretty 
generally  yielded  to  him  for  such  purpose  by  the 
Irish  princes  themselves  without  these  letters  at 
all:  that, /or  the  purposes  and  on  the  conditions 
specified  in  the  papal  letters,  he  was  likely  to 
receive  every  co-operation  from  the  Irish  princes; 
but  that  it  was  quite  another  thing  if  he  expected 
them  to  yield  themselves  up  to  be  plundered  and 
■enslaved — that  they  would  resist  forever  and 
ever;  and  if  there  was  to  be  peace,  morality,  or 
religion  in  the  land,  it  was  his  own  Norman 
lords  and  governors  he  should  recall  or  curb. 

Very  much  to  this  effect  was  the  report  of  the 
royal  commissioners  v,^hen  they  returned,  and  as  if 
to  confirm  the  conclusion  that  these  were  the  views 
of  the  Irish  prelates  and  princes  at  the  time,  we 
■find  the  Irish  monarch,  Roderick,  sending  special 


ambassadors  to  King  Henry  to  negotiate  a  formal 
treaty,  recording  and  regulating  the  relations 
which  were  to  exist  between  them.  "In  Septem- 
ber 1175,"  we  are  told,  "The  Irish  monarch  sent 
over  to  England  as  his  plenipotentiaries,  Cathol- 
icus  O'Duffy,  the  archbishop  of  Tuam;  Concors, 
abbot  of  St.  Brendan's  of  Clonfert;  and  a  third, 
who  is  called  Master  Laurence,  his  chancellor, 
but  who  was  no  other  than  the  holy  Archbishop 
of  Dublin,  as  we  know  that  that  illustrious  man 
was  one  of  those  who  signed  the  treaty  on  this 
occasion.  A  great  council  was  held  at  Windsor, 
within  the  octave  of  Michaelmas,  and  a  treaty 
was  agree  on,  the  articles  of  which  were  to  the 
effect  that  Roderick  was  to  be  king  under 
Henry,  rendering  him  service  as  his  vassal ;  that 
he  was  to  hold  his  hereditary  territory  of  Con- 
naught  in  the  same  way  as  before  the  coming  of 
Henry  into  Ireland;  that  he  was  to  have  juris- 
diction and  dominion  over  the  rest  of  the  island, 
including  its  kings  and  piinces,  whom  he  should 
oblige  to  pay  tribute,  through  his  hands,  to  the 
king  of  England;  that  these  kings  and  princes 
were  also  to  hold  possession  of  their  respective 
territories  as  long  as  they  remained  faithful  to 
the  king  of  England  and  paid  their  tribute  to 
him ;  that  if  they  departed  from  their  fealty  to 
the  king  of  England,  Roderick  was  to  judge  and 
depose  them,  either  by  his  own  power,  or,  if  that 
was  not  suflQcient,  by  the  aid  of  the  Anglo- 
Norman  authorities;  but  that  his  jurisdiction 
should  not  extend  to  the  territories  occupied  by 
the  English  settlers,  which  at  a  later  period  was 
called  the  English  Pale,  and  comprised  Meath 
and  Leinster,  Dublin  with  its  dependent  district, 
Waterford,  and  the  country  thence  to  Dungarvan. 

The  treaty  between  the  two  sovereigns,  Roder- 
ick and  Henry,  clearly  shows  that  the  mere 
recognition  of  the  English  king  as  suzerain  was 
all  that  appeared  to  be  claimed  on  the  one  side 
or  yielded  on  the  other  With  this  single  ex- 
ception or  qualification,  the  native  Irish  power, 
authority,  rights  and  liberties,  were  fully  and 
formally  guaranteed.  What  Henry  himself 
thought  of  the  relations  in  which  he  stood  by 
this  treaty  toward  Ireland,  and  the  sense  in 
which  he  read  its  stipulations,  is  very  intelligibly 
evidenced  in  the  fact  that  he  never  styled, 
signed,  or  described  himself  as  either  king  or 
lord  of  Ireland  in  the  documents  reciting  and 


THE  STOKY 

referring  to  his  relations  with  and  toward  that 
country. 

But  neither  Henry  nor  his  Norman  barons  kept 
the  treaty.  Like  that  made  with  Ireland  by 
another  English  king,  five  hundred  years  later 
on  at  Limerick,  it  was  "broken  ere  the  ink  where- 
with 't  was  writ  was  dry." 

I  am  inclined  to  credit  Henry  with  having  at 
one  time  intended  to  keep  it.  I  think  there  are 
indications  that  he  was  in  a  certain  sense  coerced 
by  his  Norman  lords  into  the  abandonment,  or 
at  least  the  alteration,  of  his  original  policy, 
plans,  and  intentions  as  to  teland,  which  were 
quite  too  peaceful  and  afforded  too  little  scope 
for  plunder  to  please  those  adventurers.  In  fact 
the  barons  revolted  against  the  idea  of  not  being 
allowed  full  scope  for  robbing  the  Irish ;  and  one 
of  them,  De  Courcy,  resolved  to  fling  the  king's 
restrictions  overboard,  and  set  off  on  a  conquer- 
ing or  freebooting  expedition  on  his  own  ac- 
count !  A  historian  tells  us  that  the  royal  com- 
missioner Fitzadelm  was  quite  unpopular  with 
the  colony.  "His  tastes  were  not  military;  he 
did  not  afford  sufficient  scope  for  spoliation;  and  he 
was  openly  accused  of  being  too friendly  to  the  Irish. 
De  Courcy,  one  of  his  aides  in  the  government, 
became  so  disgusted  with  his  inactivity  that  he 
set  out,  in  open  defiance  of  the  viceroy's  pro- 
hibition, on  an  expedition  to  the  north.  Having 
selected  a  small  army  of  twenty-two  knights  and 
three  hundred  soldiers,  all  picked  men,  to  ac- 
company him,  by  rapid  marches  he  arrived  the 
fourth  day  at  Downpatrick,  the  chief  city  of 
Ulidia,  and  the  clangor  of  his  bugles  ringing 
through  the  streets  at  the  break  of  day  was  the 
first  intimation  which  the  inhabitants  received  of 
this  wholly  unexpected  incursion.  In  the  alarm 
and  confusion  which  ensued,  the  people  became 
easy  victims,  and  the  English,  after  indulging 
their  rage  and  rapacity,  intrenched  themselves 
in  a  corner  of  the  city.  Cardinal  Vivian,  who 
had  come  as  legate  from  Pope  Alexander  the 
Third  to  Ihe  nations  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and 
who  had  only  recently  arrived  from  the  Isle  of 
Man,  happened  to  be  then  in  Down,  and  was  hor- 
rified at  this  act  of  aggression.  He  attempted  to 
negotiate  terms  of  peace,  and  proposed  that  De 
Courcy  should  withdraw  his  army  on  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Ulidians  paying  tribute  to  the  English 
king;  but  any  such  terms  being  sternly  rejected 


OF  IRELAND.  53- 

by  De  Courcy,  the  cardinal  encouraged  and  ex- 
horted Mac  Dunlevy,  the  king  of  Ulidia  and  Dal- 
ariada,  to  defend  his  territories  manfully  against, 
the  invaders.  Coming  as  this  advice  did  from 
the  pope's  legate,  we  may  judge  in  what  light, 
the  grant  of  Ireland  to  King  Henry  the  Second 
was  regarded  by  the  pope  himself." 

It  became  clear  that  whatever  policy  or  princi- 
ples Henry  might  originally  have  thought  of  act- 
ing on  in  Ireland,  he  should  abandon  them  and 
come  into  the  scheme  of  the  barons,  which  was, 
that  he  should  give  them  free  and  full  license  for 
the  plunder  of  the  Irish,  and  they  in  return 
would  extend  his  realm.  So  we  find  the  whole 
aim  and  spirit  of  the  royal  policy  forthwith 
altered  to  meet  the  piratical  views  of  the  barons. 

One  of  Roderick's  sons,  Murrogh,  rebelled 
against  and  endeavored  to  depose  his  father  (as. 
the  sons  of  Henry  endeavored  to  dethrone  him  a. 
few  years  subsequently),  and  Milo  de  Cogan,  by 
the  lord  deputy's  orders,  led  a  Norman  force  into. 
Connaught  to  aid  the  parricidal  revolt!  The 
Connacians,  however,  stood  by  their  aged  king, 
shrank  from  the  rebellious  son,  and  under  the 
command  of  Roderick  in  person  gave  battle  to 
the  Normans  at  the  Shannon.  De  Cogan  and  his 
Norman  treaty -breakers  and  plunder-seekers  were 
utterly  and  disastrously  defeated ;  and  Murrogh, 
the  unnatural  son,  being  captured,  was  tried  for 
his  offence  by  the  assembled  clans,  and  suffered 
the  eric  decreed  by  law  for  his  crime. 

This  was  the  first  deliberate  rent  in  the  treaty 
by  the  English.  The  next  was  by  Henry  him- 
self, who,  in  violation  of  his  kingly  troth,  under- 
took to  dub  his  son  John,  yet  a  mere  child, 
either  lord  or  king  of  Ireland,  and  by  those 
plausible  deceits  and  diplomatic  arts  in  which  he 
proved  himself  a  master,  he  obtained  the  appro- 
bation of  the  pope  for  his  proceeding.  Quickly 
following  upon  these  violations  of  the  treaty  of 
Windsor,  and  suddenly  and  completely  changing 
the  whole  nature  of  the  relations  between  the 
Irish  and  the  Normans  as  previously  laid  down, 
Henry  began  to  grant  and  assign  away  after  the 
most  wholesale  fashion  the  lands  of  the  Irish, 
apportioning  among  his  hungry  followers  whole 
territories  yet  unseen  by  an  English  eyet 
Naturalists  tell  how  the  paw  of  a  tiger  can  touch, 
with  the  softness  of  velvet  or  clutch  with  the 
force  of  a  vice,  according  as  the  deadly  fangs  are 


64 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


sheathed  or  put  forth.  The  Irish  princes  had 
been  treated  with  the  velvet  smoothness ;  they 
were  now  to  be  torn  by  the  lacerating  fangs  of 
that  tiger  grip  to  which  they  had  yielded  them- 
selves UP  so  easilj'. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

DEATH-BED  SCENES. 

It  is  a  singular  fact — one  which  no  historian 
can  avoid  particularly  noticing — that  every  one 
of  the  principal  actors  on  the  English  side  in  this 
■eventful  episode  of  the  first  Anglo-Norman  inva- 
sion, ended  life  violently,  or  under  most  painful 
circumstances.  M'Murrogh  the  traitor  died,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  of  a  mysterious  disease, 
by  which  his  body  became  putrid  while  yet  he 
lingered  between  life  and  death.  Strongbow 
died  under  somewhat  similar  circumstances;  an 
ulcer  in  his  foot  spread  upward,  and  so  eat  away 
his  body  that  it  almost  fell  to  pieces.  Strong- 
bow's  son  was  slain  by  the  father's  hand.  The 
death-bed  of  King  Henry  the  Second  was  a  scene 
of  horror.  He  died  cursing  with  the  most  fear- 
ful maledictions  his  own  sons!  In  vain  the 
bishops  and  ecclesiastics  surrounding  his  couch, 
horror-stricken,  sought  to  prevail  upon  him  to 
revoke  these  awful  imprecations  on  his  own 
offspring!  "Accursed  be  the  day  on  which  I 
was  born ;  and  accursed  of  God  be  the  sons  that 
I  leave  after  me,"  were  his  last  words.*  Far 
different  is  the  spectacle  presented  to  us  in  the 
death-scene  of  the  hapless  Irish  monarch  Roder- 
ick. Misfortunes  in  every  shape  had  indeed 
overwhelmed  him,  and  in  his  last  hours  sorrows 
were  multiplied  to  him.  "Near  the  junction  of 
Lough  Corrib  with  Lough  Mask,  on  the  bound- 
ary line  between  Mayo  and  Galway,  stand  the 
ruins  of  the  once  populous  monastery  and  village 
of  Cong.  The  first  Christian  kings  of  Connaught 
had  founded  the  monastery,  or  enabled  St. 
Fechin  to  do  so  by  their  generous  donations. 
The  father  of  Roderick  had  enriched  its  shrine 
by  the  gift  of  a  particle  of  the  true  crows,  rever- 
ently enshrined  in  a  reliquary,  the  Avorkmanship 
of  which  still  excites  the  admiration  of  anti- 
quaries.   Here  Roderick  retired  in  the  seventieth 

•"Mandit  soil  le  jour  ou  je  suis  ne  ;  et  mandits  de 
Dieu  soient  les  fils  qui  je  laisse." 


year  of  his  age,  and  for  twelve  years  thereafter 
— until  the  29th  day  of  November,  1198 — here  he 
wept  and  prayed  and  withered  away.  Dead  to 
the  world,  as  the  world  to  him,  the  opening  of  a 
new  grave  in  the  royal  corner  at  Clonmacnoise 
was  the  last  incident  connected  with  his  name 
which  reminded  Connaught  that  it  had  lost  its 
once  prosperous  prince,  and  Ireland  that  she  had 
seen  her  last  Ard-Ri,  according  to  the  ancient 
Milesian  constitution.  Powerful  princes  of  his 
own  and  other  houses  the  land  was  destined  to 
know  for  many  generations,  before  its  sover- 
eignity was  merged  in  that  of  England,  but  none 
fully  entitled  to  claim  the  high-sounding  but 
often  fallacious  title  of  Monarch  of  all  Ireland." 

One  other  deathbed  scene,  described  to  us  by 
the  same  historian,  one  more  picture  from  the 
Irish  side,  and  we  shall  take  our  leave  of  this 
eventful  chapter  of  Irish  history,  and  the  actors 
who  moved  in  it.  The  last  hours  of  Roderick's 
ambassador,  the  illustrious  archbishop  of  Dublin, 
are  thus  described:  "From  Rome  he  returned 
with  legatine  powers  which  he  used  with  great 
energy  during  the  year  1180.  In  the  autumn  of 
that  year  he  was  intrusted  with  the  delivery  to 
Henry  the  Second  of  the  son  of  Roderick  O'Con- 
nor, as  a  pledge  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  treaty 
of  Windsor,  and  with  other  diplomatic  functions. 
On  reaching  England  he  found  the  king  had 
gone  to  France,  and  following  him  thither,  he 
was  seized  with  illness  as  he  approached  the 
monastery  of  Eu,  and  with  a  prophetic  foretaste 
of  death,  he  exclaimed  as  he  came  in  sight  of  the 
towers  of  the  convent,  'Here  shall  I  make  my 
resting  place. '  The  Abbot  Osbert  and  the  monks 
of  the  order  of  St.  Victor  received  him  tenderly 
and  watched  his  couch  for  the  few  days  he  yet 
lingered.  Anxious  to  fulfill  his  mission,  he  dis- 
patched David,  tutor  of  the  son  of  Roderick, 
with  messages  to  Henry,  and  waited  his  return 
with  anxiety.  David  brought  him  a  satisfactory 
response  from  the  English  king,  and  the  last 
anxiety  only  remained.  In  death,  as  in  life,  his 
thoughts  were  with  his  country.  'Ah,  foolish 
and  insensible  people,'  he  exclaimed  in  his  latest 
hours,  'what  will  become  of  you?  Who  will  re- 
lieve your  miseries?  Who  will  heal  you?' 
When  recommended  to  make  his  last  will,  he 
answered  with  apostolic  simplicity :  'God  knows 
out  of  all  my  revenues  I  have  not  a  single  coin 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


55 


to  bequeath. '  And  thus  on  the  11th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1180,  in  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age, 
under  the  shelter  of  a  Norman  roof,  surrounded 
by  Norman  mourners,  the  Gaelic  statesman-saint 
departed  out  of  this  life,  bequeathing  one  more 
canonized  memory  to  Ireland  and  to  Rome." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

HOW  THE  ANGLO-KOEVIAN  COLONY  FARED. 

I  HAVE,  in  the  foregoing  pages,  endeavored  to 
narrate  fully  and  minutely  all  the  circumstances 
leading  to,  and  attendant  upon,  the  Anglo-Nor- 
man landing  and  settlement  in  this  country,  A. 
D.  1169-1172.  It  transcends  in  importance  all 
other  events  in  our  history,  having  regard  to 
ulterior  and  enduring  consequences;  and  a  clear 
■and  correct  understanding  of  that  event  will  fur- 
nish a  key  to  the' confused  history  of  the  troubled 
period  which  immediately  succeeded  it. 

It  is  not  my  design  to  follow  the  formal  his- 
tories of  Ii-eland  in  relating  at  full  length,  and  in 
consecutive  detail,  the  events  of  the  four  centu- 
ries that  succeeded  the  date  of  King  Henry's 
landing.  It  was  a  period  of  such  wild,  confused 
and  chaotic  struggle  that  youthful  readers  would 
be  hopelessly  bewildered  in  the  effort  to  keep  its 
incidents  minutely  and  consecutively  remem- 
bered. Moreover,  the  history  of  those  four  cen- 
turies, fully  written  out,  would  make  a  goodly 
volume  in  itself;  a  volume  abounding  with  stir- 
ring incidents  and  affecting  tragedies,  and  with 
•episodes  of  valor  and  heroism,  adventurous 
<laring,  and  chivalrous,  patriotic  devotion,  not  to 
be  surpassed  in  the  pages  of  romance.  But  the 
scope  of  my  story  forbids  my  dwelling  at  any 
great  length  upon  the  events  of  this  period. 
Such  of  my  readers  as  may  desire  to  trace  them 
in  detail  will  find  them  succinctly  related  in  the 
formal  histories  of  Ireland.  What  I  propose  to 
do  here  is  to  make  my  youthful  readers  ac- 
quainted -with  the  general  character,  course,  and 
progress  of  the  struggle;  the  phases,  changes, 
or  mutations  through  which  it  passed;  the 
aspects  it  presented,  and  the  issues  it  contested, 
as  each  century  rolled  on,  dwelling  only  upon 
■events  of  comparative  importance,  and  incidents 
illustrating  the  actions  and  the  actors  of  the 
period. 


Let  us  suppose  a  hundred  years  to  have  passed 
away  since  King  Henry's  visit  to  Ireland — that 
event  which  Englishmen  who  write  Irish  history 
affect  to  regard  as  an  "easy  conquest"  of  our 
country.  Let  us  see  what  the  Normans  have 
achieved  by  the  end  of  one  hundred  years  in 
Ireland.  They  required  but  one  year  to  conquer 
England;  and,  accordingly,  judging  by  all  or- 
dinary calculations  and  probabilities,  we  ought 
surely,  in  one  hundred  times  that  duration,  to 
find  Ireland  as  thoroughlj'  subdued  and  as  com- 
pletely pacified  as  England  had  been  in  the 
twelvemonth  that  sufficed  for  its  utter  subjuga- 
tion. 

The  nature  of  the  struggle  waged  by  the 
Anglo-Normans  against  Ireland  during  this 
period  was  rather  peculiar.  At  no  time  was  it 
an  open  and  avowed  effort  to  conquer  Ireland  as 
England  had  been  conquered,  though,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  the  military  force  engaged  against 
the  Irish  throughout  the  period  exceeded  that 
which  had  sufficed  the  Normans  to  conquer 
England.  King  Henry,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
presented  himself  and  his  designs  in  no  such 
hostile  guise  to  the  Irish.  He  seems  to  have 
concluded  that,  broken  and  faction-split,  disor- 
ganized and  demoralized,  as  the  Irish  princes 
were,  they  would  probably  be  rallied  into  union 
by  the  appearance  of  a  nakedly  hostile  invasion ; 
and  he  knew  well  that  it  would  be  easier  to  con- 
quer a  dozen  Englands  than  to  overcome  this 
soldier  race  if  only  united  against  a  common  foe. 
So  the  crown  of  England  did  not,  until  long  after 
this  time,  openly  profess  to  pursue  a  conquest  of 
Ireland,  any  more  than  it  professed  to  pursue  a 
conquest  in  India  in  the  time  of  Clive.  An 
Anglo-Norman  colony  was  planted  on  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  island.  This  colony,  which 
was  well  sustained  from  England,  was  to  push  its 
own  fortunes,  as  it  were,  in  Ireland,  and  to  ex- 
tend itself  as  rapidly  as  it  could.  To  it,  as  ample 
excitement,  sustainment,  and  recompense  was 
given,  prospectively,  the  land  to  be  taken  from 
the  Irish.  The  planting  of  such  a  colony — com- 
posed, as  it  was,  of  able,  skillful,  and  desperate 
military  adventurers — and  the  endowing  of  it,  so 
to  speak,  with  such  rich  prospect  of  plunder,  was 
the  establishment  of  a  perpetual  and  self-acting 
mechanism  for  the  gradual  reduction  of  Ireland. 

Against  this  colony  the  Irish  warred  in  their 


5(3 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


own  desultory  way,  very  much  as  thej^  warred 
against  each  other,  neither  better  nor  worse ;  and 
in  the  fierce  warring  of  the  Ii'ish  princes  with 
each  other,  the  Anglo-Norman  colonists  sided 
now  with  one,  now  with  another;  nay,  very  fre- 
quently in  such  conflicts  Anglo-Normans  fought 
on  each  side!  The  colonj',  however,  had  pre- 
cisely that  which  the  Irish  needed — a  supreme 
authority  ever  guiding  it  in  the  one  purpose ; 
and  it  always  felt  strong  in  the  consciousness 
that,  at  the  worst,  England  was  at  its  back,  and 
that  in  its  front  lay,  not  the  Irish  nation,  but  the 
broken  fragments  of  that  once  great  and  glorious 
power. 

The  Irish  princes,  meantime,  each  one  for  him- 
self, fought  away  as  usual,  either  against  the 
Norman  colonists  or  against  some  neighboring 
Irish  chief.  Indeed,  they  may  be  described  as 
fighting  each  other  with  one  hand,  and  fighting 
England  with  the  other!  Quite  as  curious  is  the 
fact  that  in  all  their  struggles  with  the  latter, 
they  seem  to  have  been  ready  enough  to  admit 
the  honorary  lordship  or  suzerainty  of  the 
English  king,  but  resolved  to  resist  to  the  death 
the  Norman  encroachments  beyond  the  cities  and 
lands  to  the  possession  of  which  they  had  at- 
tained by  reason  of  their  treaties  with,  or  siic- 
cesses  under,  Dermot  M'Murrogh.  The  fight 
was  all  for  the  soil.  Then,  as  in  our  own  times, 
the  battle  cry  was  "Land  or  Life!" 

But  the  English  power  had  two  modes  of  ac- 
tion ;  and  when  one  failed  the  other  was  tried. 
As  long  as  the  rapacious  freebooting  of  the  barons 
was  working  profitably,  not  only  for  themselves 
but  for  the  king,  it  was  all  very  well.  But  when 
that  policy  resulted  in  arousing  the  Irish  to  suc- 
cessful resistance,  and  the  freebooters  were  being 
routed  everywhere,  or  when  they  had  learned  to 
think  too  much  of  their  own  profit  and  too  little 
of  the  king's,  then  his  English  majesty  could 
take  to  the  role  of  magnanimous  friend,  protec- 
tor, or  suzeiain  of  the  Irish  princes,  and  angry 
punisher  of  the  rapacious  Norman  barons. 

We  have  already  seen  that  when  Henry  the 
Second  visited  Ireland  it  was  (pretendedly  at 
least)  in  the  character  of  a  just-minded  king 
who  came  to  chastise  his  own  subjects,  the  Nor- 
man settlers.  When  next  an  English  king  vis- 
ited these  shores,  it  was  professedly  with  a  like 
design.        ^^JO  King  John  arrived,  and  during 


his  entire  stay  in  this  country  he  was  occupied^ 
not  in  wars  or  conflicts  with  the  Irish — quite  the 
contrary — in  chastising  the  most  powerful  and 
presumptuous  of  the  great  Norman  lords !  What 
wonder  that  the  Irish  princes  were  confirmed  in 
the  old  idea,  impressed   upon  them  by  King 
Henry's  words  and  actions,  that  though  in  the 
Norman  barons  they  had  to  deal  with  savage  and 
merciless  spoliators,  in  the  English  king  they 
had  a  friendly  suzerain  ?    As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  Irish  princes  who  had  fought  most  stoutly- 
and  victoriously  against  the  Normans  up  to  the- 
date  of  John's  arrival,  at  once  joined  their  armiea 
to  his,  and  at  the  head  of  this  combined  force 
the  English  king  proceeded  to  overthrow  the 
most  piratical  and  powerful  of  the  barons!  Says 
M'Gee:  "The  visit  of  King  John,  which  lasted 
from  20th  of  June  to  the  25th  of  August,  waa 
mainly  directed  to  the  reduction  of  those  intrac- 
table Anglo-Irish  princes  whom  Fitz-Henry  and 
Gray  had  proved  themselves  unable  to  cope  with. 
Of  these  the  De  Lacys  of  Meath  were  the  most- 
obnoxious.    They  not  only  assumed  an  indepen- 
dent state,  but  had  sheltered  De  Braos,  Lord  of 
Brecknock,  one  of  the  recusant  barons  of  Wales, 
and  refused  to  surrender  him  on  the  royal  sum- 
mons.   To  assert  his  authority  and  to  strike 
terror  into  the  nobles  of  other  possessions,  John 
crossed  the  channel  with  a  prodigious  fleet — in 
the  Irish  annals  said  to  consist  of  seven  hundred 
sail.    He  landed  at  Crook,  reached  Dublin,  and 
prepared  at  once  to  subdue  the  Lacys.  With 
his  own  army,  and  the  co-operation  of  Cathal 
O'Conor,  he  drove  out  Walter  de  Lacy,  Lord  of 
Meath,  who  fled  to  his  brother,  Hugh  de  Lacy,^ 
since   De  Courcy's  disgrace.    Earl   of  Ulster. 
From  Meath  into  Louth  John  pursued  the  broth- 
ers, crossing  the  lough  at  Carlingford  with  his 
ships,  which  must  have  coasted  in  his  company. 
From  Carlingford  they  retreated,  and  he  pursued 
to  Carrickfergus,  and  that  fortress,  being  unable 
to  resist  a  royal  fleet  and  navy,  they  fled  into 
Man  or  Scotland,  and  thence  escaped  in  disguise 
into  France.    With  their  guest  De  Braos,  they 
wrought  as  gardeners  in  the  grounds  of  the 
Abbey  of  Saint  Taurin  Evreux,  until  the  abbot, 
having  discovered  by  their  manners  the  key  to 
their  real  rank,  negotiated  successfully  with  John 
for  their  restoration  to  their  estates.  Walter 
agreed  to  pay  a   fine  of  twenty-five  hundred 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


67 


marks  for  his  lordship  in  Meath,  and  Hugh  four 
thousand  for  his  possessions  in  Ulster.  Of  De 
Braos  we  have  no  particulars ;  his  high-spirited 
"wife  and  children  were  thought  to  have  been 
starved  to  death  by  order  of  the  unforgiving 
iiyrant  in  one  of  his  castles." 

In  the  next  succeeding  reign  (that  of  Henry 
the  Third),  we  find  a  like  impression  existing 
find  encouraged  among  the  Irish  princes;  the 
king  of  Connaught  proceeding  to  England  and 
complaining  to  the  king  of  the  unjust,  oppres- 
sive, and  rapacious  conduct  of  the  barons.  And 
we  find  King  Henry  ordering  him  substantial 
redress,  writing  to  his  lord  justice  in  Ireland, 
Maurice  Fitzgerald,  to  "pluck  up  by  the  root" 
the  powerful  De  Burgo,  who  lorded  it  over  all 
the  west.  There  is  still  in  existence  a  letter 
written  by  the  Connacian  king  to  Henry  the 
Third,  thanking  him  for  the  many  favors  he  had 
•conferred  upon  him,  but  particularly  for  this  one. 


CHAPTER  XXni. 

"the  bier  that  CONQUEKEd"  THE  STORY  OF 

GODFREY  OF  TYRCONNELL. 

I  HAVE  remarked  that  the  Irish  chiefs  may  be 
«aid  to  have  fought  each  other  with  one  hand, 
while  they  fought  the  English  with  the  other. 
Illustrating  this  state  of  things,  I  may  refer  to 
the  story  of  Godfrey,  Prince  of  Tj'rconnell — as 
glorious  a  character  as  ever  adorned  the  page  of 
history.  For  years  the  Normans  had  striven  in 
vain  to  gain  a  foothold  in  Tyrconnell.  Else- 
where— in  Connaught,  in  Munster,  throughout 
all  Leinster,  and  in  Southern  Ulster — they  could 
betimes  assert  their  sway,  either  by  dint  of  arms 
or  insidious  diplomatic  strategy.  But  never 
could  they  overreach  the  wary  and  martial  Cinel- 
Connal,  from  whom  more  than  once  the  Norman 
armies  had  suffered  overthrow.  At  length  the 
lord  justice,  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  felt  that  this 
hitherto  invulnerable  fortress  of  native  Irish 
power  in  the  northwest  had  become  a  formidable 
standing  peril  to  the  entire  English  colony ;  and 
it  was  accordingly  resolved  that  the  whole 
strength  of  the  Anglo-Norman  force  in  Ii'eland 
should  be  put  forth  in  one  grand  expedition 
against  it;  and  this  expedition  the  lord  justice 
decided  that  he  himself  would  lead  and  command 
in  person!    At  this  time  Tyrconnell  was  ruled 


by  a  prince  who  was  the  soul  of  chivalric  brav- 
ery, wise  in  the  council,  and  daring  in  the  field 
— Godfrey  O'Donnell.  The  lord  justice,  while 
assembling  his  forces,  employed  the  time,  more- 
over, in  skillfully  diplomatizing,  playing  the  in- 
sidious game  which,  in  every  century,  most 
largely  helped  the  Anglo-Norman  interest  in  Ire- 
land— setting  up  rivalries  and  inciting  hostilities 
among  the  Irish  princes !  Having,  as  he  thought, 
not  only  cut  off  Godfrey  from  all  chance  of  alli- 
ance or  support  from  his  fellow-princes  of  the 
north  and  west,  but  environed  him  with  their 
active  hostility,  Fitzgerald  marched  on  Tyrcon- 
nell. His  army  moved  with  all  the  pomp  and 
panoply  of  Norman  pride.  Lords,  earls,  knights, 
and  squires,  from  every  Norman  castle  or  settle- 
ment in  the  land,  had  rallied  at  the  summons  of 
the  king's  representative.  Godfrey,  isolated 
though  he  found  himself,  was  nothing  daunted 
by  the  tremendous  odds  which  he  knew  were 
against  him.  He  was  conscious  of  his  own  mili- 
tary superiority  to  any  of  the  Norman  lords  yet 
sent  against  him — he  was  in  fact  one  of  the  most 
skillful  captains  of  the  age — and  he  relied  im- 
plicitly on  the  unconquerable  bravery  of  his 
clansmen.  Both  armies  met  at  Credan-Kille  in 
the  north  of  Sligo.  A  battle  which  the  Normans 
describe  as  fiercely  and  vehemently  contested, 
ensued  and  raged  for  hours  without  palpable 
advantage  to  either  side.  In  vain  the  mail-clad 
battalions  of  England  rushed  upon  the  saffron 
kilted  Irish  clansmen;  each  time  they  reeled 
from  the  shock  and  fled  in  bloody  rout!  In  vain 
the  cavalry  squadrons — long  the  boasted  pride  of 
the  Normans — headed  by  earls  and  knights  whose 
names  were  rallying  cries  in  Norman  England, 
swept  upon  the  Irish  lines!  Riderless  horses 
alone  returned, 

"Their  nostrils  all  red  with  the  sign  of  despair. " 

The  lord  justice  in  wild  dismay  saw  the  proudest 
army  ever  rallied  by  Norman  power  on  Irish  soil 
being  routed  and  hewn  piecemeal  before  his 
eyes!  Godfrey,  on  the  other  hand,  the  very  im- 
personation of  valor,  was  everywhere  cheering 
his  men,  directing  the  battle  and  dealing  destruc- 
tion to  the  Normans.  The  gleam  of  his  battle- 
ax  or  the  flash  of  his  sword  was  the  sure  pre- 
cursor of  death  to  the  haughtiest  earl  or  knight 
that  dared  to  confront  him.    The  lord  justice — 


58 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


tbau  whom  no  abler  general  or  braver  soldier 
served  the  king — saw  tbat  the  day  was  lost  if  he 
could  not  save  it  by  some  desperate  effort,  and  at 
the  Avorbt  he  had  no  wish  to  survive  the  over- 
throw of  the  splendid  army  he  had  led  into  the 
field.  The  flower  of  the  Norman  nobles  had  fallen 
under  the  sword  of  Godfrey,  and  him  the  Lord 
Maurice  now  sought  out,  dashing  into  the  thick- 
est of  the  fight.  The  two  leaders  met  in  single 
combat.  Fitzgerald  dealt  the  Tj'rconnell  chief  a 
deadly  wound;  but  Godfrey,  still  keeping  his 
seat,  with  one  blow  of  his  battle-ax,  clove  the 
lord  justice  to  the  earth,  and  the  proud  baron 
was  carried  senseless  oft  the  field  by  his  follow- 
ers. The  English  fled  in  hopeless  confusion ; 
and  of  them  the  chroniclers  tell  us  there  was 
made  a  slaughter  that  night's  darkness  alone 
arrested.  The  Lord  Maurice  was  done  with 
pomp  and  power  after  the  ruin  of  that  day.  He 
survived  his  dreadful  wound  for  some  time ;  he 
retired  into  a  Franciscan  monastery  which  he 
himself  had  built  and  endowed  at  Youghal,  and 
there  taking  the  habit  of  a  monk,  he  departed 
this  life  tranquilly  in  the  bosom  of  religion. 
Godfrey,  meanwhile,  mortally  wounded,  was 
unable  to  follow  up  quickly  the  great  victory  of 
Credan-Kille ;  but  stricken  as  he  was,  and  with 
life  ebbing  fast,  he  did  not  disband  his  army  till 
he  had  demolished  the  only  castle  the  English 
had  dared  to  raise  on  the  soil  of  Tyrconnell. 
This  being  done,  and  the  last  soldier  of  England 
chased  beyond  the  frontier  line,  he  gave  the  order 
for  dispersion,  and  himself  was  borne  homeward 
to  die. 

This,  however,  sad  to  tell,  was  the  moment 
seized  upon  bj^  O'Neill,  Prince  of  Tyrone,  to 
wrest  from  the  Cinel-Connal  submission  to  his 
power!  Hearing  that  the  lion-hearted  Godfrey 
lay  dying,  and  while  yet  the  Tyrconnellian  clans, 
disbanded  and  on  their  homeward  roads,  were 
suffering  from  their  recent  engagement  with  the 
Normans,  O'Neill  sent  envoys  to  the  dying  prince 
demanding  hostages  in  token  of  submission. 
The  envoys,  say  all  the  historians,  no  sooner  de- 
livered this  message  than  they  fled  for  their 
lives!  Dying  though  Godfrey  was,  and  broken 
and  wounded  as  were  his  clansmen  by  their 
recent  glorious  struggle,  the  messengers  of 
Tyrowen  felt  but  too  forcibly  the  peril  of  deliver- 
ing this  insolent  demand!    And  characteristic- 


ally was  it  answered  by  Godfrey !  His  only  reply 
was  to  order  an  instantaneous  muster  of  all  the 
fighting  men  of  Tyrconnell.  The  army  of  Tyrowen 
meanwhile  pressed  forward  rapidly  to  strike  the 
Cinel-Connal,  if  possible,  before  their  available 
strength  (such  as  it  was),  could  be  rallied. 
Nevertheless,  they  found  the  quickly  reassembled 
victors  of  Credan-Kille  awaiting  them.  But  alas, 
sorrowful  story !  On  the  morning  of  the  battle 
death  had  but  too  plainly  set  his  seal  upon  the 
brow  of  the  heroic  Godfrey !  As  the  troops  were 
being  drawn  up  in  line,  ready  to  march  into  the 
field,  the  pliysicians  announced  that  his  last  mo- 
ments were  at  hand;  he  had  but  a  few  hours  to 
live!  Godfrey  himself  received  the  information 
with  sublime  composure.  Having  first  received 
the  last  sacraments  of  the  chirrch,  and  given 
minute  instructions  as  to  the  order  of  battle,  he 
directed  that  he  should  be  laid  upon  the  bier 
which  was  to  have  borne  him  to  the  grave ;  and 
that  thus  he  should  be  carried  at  the  head  of 
his  army  on  their  march !  His  orders  were 
obeyed,  and  then  was  witnessed  a  scene  for 
which  history  has  not  a  parallel!  The  dying 
king,  laid  on  his  bier,  was  borne  at  the  head  of 
his  troops  into  the  field!  After  the  bier  came 
the  standard  of  Godfrey — on  which  was  embla- 
zoned a  cross  with  the  words,  In  hoc  signo  mnces*- 


*0n  the  banner  and  shield  of  Tyrconnell  were  embla-. 
zoned  a  cross  surrounded  by  the  words  In  hoc  signo  mnces. 
One  readily  inclines  to  the  conjecture  that  this  was  bor- 
rowed from  the  Roman  euiperor  Constantine.  The  words 
may  have  been  ;  but  among  the  treasured  traditions  of 
the  Cinel-Connal  was  one  which  there  is  reason  for  regard, 
ing  as  historically  reliable,  assigning  to  an  interesting  cir.i 
cunistance  the  adoption  by  them  of  the  cross  as  the  armorial 
bearings  of  the  sept.  One  of  the  earliest  of  St.  Patrick's 
converts  was  Conall  Crievan,  brother  of  Ard-Ri  Laori  and 
ancestor  of  the  Cinel-Connal.  Conall  was  a  prince  famed 
for  his  courage  and  bravery,  and  much  attached  to  military 
pursuits ;  but  on  his  conversion  he  desired  to  become  a 
priest;  preferring  his  request  to  this  efiFect  to  St.  Patrick, 
when  either  baptizing  or  confirming  him.  The  saint,  how- 
ever, commanded  him  to  remain  a  soldier  ;  but  to  fight 
henceforth  as  became  a  Christian  warrior  ;  "  and  under  this 
sign  serve  and  conquer,"  said  the  saint,  raising  the  iron, 
pointed  end  of  the  "  StafE  of  Jesus,"  and  marking  on  the. 
shield  of  Conall  a  cross.  The  shield  thus  marked  by  St. 
Patrick's  crozier  was  ever  after  called  "  Sciath  Bachlach," 
or  the  "  Shield  of  the  Crozier."  Mr.  Aubrey  de  Vere  very 
truly  calls  this  the  "  inauguration  of  Irish  (Christian)  chiv- 
alry," and  has  made  the  incident  the  subject  of  the  follow-^ 
ing  poem  ; 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


5a- 


— and  next  came  tlae  charger  of  the  dying  king, 
caparisoned  as  if  for  battle!  But  Godfrey's  last 
fight  was  fought!  Never  more  was  that  charger 
to  bear  him  where  the  sword-blows  fell  thickest. 
Never  more  would  his  battle-ax  gleam  in  the 
front  of  the  combat.  But  as  if  his  presence,  liv- 
ing, dead,  or  dying,  was  still  a  potential  assur- 
ance of  triumph  to  his  people,  the  Cinel-Connal 
bore  down  all  opposition.  Long  and  fiercely, 
but  vainly,  the  army  of  Tyrowen  contested  the 
field.  Around  the  bier  of  Godfrey  his  faithful 
clansmen  made  an  adamantine  rampart  which  no 
foe  could  penetrate.  "Wherever  it  was  borne  the 
Tyrconnell  phalanx,  of  which  it  was  the  heart 
and  center,  swept  all  before  them.  At  length, 
when  the  foe  was  flying  on  all  sides,  they  laid 
the  bier  upon  the  ground  to  tell  the  king  that 
the  day  was  won.  But  the  face  of  Godfrey  was 
marble  pale,  and  cold  and  motionless!  All  was 
over!  His  heroic  spirit  had  departed  amid  his 
people's  shouts  of  victory! 

Several  poems  have  been  written  on  this  tragic 
yet  glorious  episode.  That  from  which  I  take 
the  following  passages  is  generally  accounted 
the  best  :* 

"All  worn  and  wan,  and  sore  with  wounds  from 
Credan's  bloody  fray, 
In  Donegal  for  weary  months  the  proud  O'Don- 
nell  lay ; 

Around  his  couch  in  bitter    grief  his  trusty 

clansmen  wait. 
And  silent  watch,  with  aching  hearts,  his  faint 

and  feeble  state. " 


ST.  PATRICK  AND  THE  KNIGHT. 
"  Thou  shalt  not  be  a  priest,"  lie  said  ; 

"Christ  hath  for  thee  a  lowlier  task  : 
Be  thou  his  soldier  !   Wear  with  dread 

His  cross  upon  thy  shield  an-d  casque  1 
Put  on  God's  armor,  faithful  knight  I 

Mercy  witii  justice,  love  with  law  ; 
Nor  e'er,  except  for  truth  and  right, 

This  sword,  cross-hilted,  dare  to  draw." 

He  spake,  and  with  his  crozier  pointed 

Graved  on  the  broad  shield's  brazen  boss 
(That  hour  baptized,  confirmed,  anointed, 

Stood  Erin's  chivalry)  the  Cross: 
And  there  was  heard  a  whisper  low — 

(Saint  Michael,  was  that  whisper  thine?)— 
Thou  sword,  keep  pure  thy  virgin  vow, 

And  trenchant  thou  shalt  be  as  mine, 

*The  name  of  the  author  is  unknown. 


The  chief  asks  one  evening  to  be  brought  into 
the  open  air,  that  he  may  gaze  once  more  on  the- 
landscape's  familiar  scenes: 

"  'And  see  the  staa;  upon  the  hills,  the  white 
clouds  drifting  by; 
And  feel  upon  my  wasted  cheek  God's  sun- 
shine ere  I  die. '  " 

Suddenly  he  starts  on  his  pallet,  and  exclaims : 

"  'A  war-steed's  tramp  is  on  the  heath,  and  on- 
ward Cometh  fast. 

And  by  the  rood!  a  trumpet  sounds!  hark!  it 
is  the  Red  Hand's  blast!' 

And  soon  a  kern  all  breathless  ran,  and  told  a 
stranger  train 

Across  the  heath  was  spurring  fast,  and  then, 
in  sight  it  came. 

"  'Go,  bring  me,  quick,  my  father's  sword,*  the- 
noble  chieftain  said; 
'My  mantle  o'er  my  shoulders  fling,  place 

helmet  on  my  head; 
And  raise  me  to  my  feet,  for  ne'er  shall  clans-^ 

man  of  my  foe 
Go  boasting  tell  in  far  Tyrone  he  saw  O'Don- 
nell  low.'  " 

The  envoys  of  O'Neill  arrive  in  Godfrey's  pres- 
ence, and  deliver  their  message,  demanding 
tribute : 

"  'A  hundred  hawks  from  out  your  woods,  all 
trained  their  prey  to  get; 

A  hundred  steeds  from  o£E  j'our  hills,  un- 
crossed by  rider  yet ; 

A  huiidred  kine  from  off  your  hills,  the  best 
your  land  doth  know; 

A  hundred  hounds  from  out  your  halls,  to: 
hunt  the  stag  and  roe.'  " 

Godfrey,  however,  is  resolved  to  let  his  foes, 
be  they  Norman  or  native,  know  that,  though- 
dying,  he  is  not  dead  yet.  He  orders  a  levy  of 
all  the  fighting  men  of  Tyrconnell: 

"  'Go  call  around  Tyrconnell 's  chief  my  warriors? 
tried  and  true ; 
Send  forth  a  friend  to  Donal  More,  a  scout  to- 
Lisuahue ; 

Light  baal-fires  quick  on  Esker's  towers,  that 

all  the  land  may  know 
O'Donnell  needeth  help  and  haste  to  meet  his; 

haughty  foe. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


'  'Ob,  could  I  but  my  people  head,  or  wield  once 
more  a  spear. 

Saint  Angus!  but  we'd  bunt  tbeir  hosts  like 
herds  of  fallow  deer. 

But  vain  the  wish,  since  I  am  now  a  faint  and 
failing  man ; 

Yet,  ye  shall  bear  me  to  the  field,  in  the  cen- 
ter of  my  clan. 

'  'Eight  in  the  midst,  and  lest,  perchance,  upon 
the  march  I  die. 
In  my  coffin  ye  shall  place  me,  uncovered  let 
me  lie; 

And  swear  ye  now,  my  body  cold  shall  never 

rest  in  clay, 
Until  you  drive  from  Donegal  O'Niall's  host 
away. ' 

'Then  sad  and  stern,  with  band  on  skian,  that 

solemn  oath  they  swore. 
And  in  a  coffin  placed  their  chief,  and  on  a  lit- 
ter bore. 

Tho'  ebbing  fast  his   life-throbs   came,  yet 

dauntless  in  his  mood. 
He  marshaled  well  Tyrconnell's  chiefs,  like 

leader  wise  and  good. 

'Lough  Swilly's  sides  are  thick  with  spears, 

O'Niall's  host  is  there. 
And  proud  and  gay  their  battle  sheen,  their 

banners  float  the  air ; 
And  haughtily  a  challege  bold  their  trumpets 

bloweth  free, 
"^IMien   winding   down   the   heath-clad  hills, 

O'Donnell's  band  they  see! 
'No  answer  back  those  warriors  gave,  but  sternly 

on  they  stept. 
And  in  their  center,  curtained  black,  a  litter 

close  is  kept; 
And  all  their  host  it  guideth  fair,  as  did  in 

Galilee 

Proud  Judah's  tribes  the  Ark  of  God,  when 
crossing  Egypt's  sea. 

'Then  rose  the  roar  of  battle  loud,  as  clan  met 

clan  in  fight; 
The  ax  and  skian  grew  red  with  blood,  a  sad 

and  woeful  sight; 
Yet  in  the  midst  o'er  all,  unmoved,  that  litter 

black  is  seen, 
Like  some  dark  rock  that  lifts  its  head  o'er 

ocean's  war  serene. 


"Yet  once,  when  blenching  back  fierce  Bryan's 
charge  before, 
Tyrconnell  wavered  in  its  ranks,  and  all  was 
nearly  o'er. 

Aside  those   curtains  wide   were  flung,  and 

plainly  to  the  view 
Each  host  beheld  O'Donnell  there,  all  pale  and 

wan  in  hue. 

"And  to  his  tribes  he  stretcb'd  his  hands — then 

pointed  to  the  foe, 
"When  with  a  shout  they  rally  round,  and  on 

Clan  Hugh  they  go; 
And  back  the3'  beat  their  horsemen  fierce,  and 

in  a  column  deep, 
With  O'Donnell  in  their  foremost  rank,  in  one 

fierce  charge  they  sweep. 

"Lough  Swilly's  banks  are  thick  with  spears! — 

O'Niall's  host  is  there, 
But  rent  and  tost  like  tempest  clouds — Clan 

Donnell  in  the  rere! 
Lough  Swilly's  waves  are  red  with  blood,  as 

madly  in  its  tide 
O'Niall's  horsemen  wildly  plunge,  to  reach  the 

other  side. 

"And  broken  is  Tyrowen's  pride,  and  vanquished 
Clannaboy, 

And  there  is  wailing  thro'  the  land,  from  Bann 

to  Aughnacloy; 
The  Red  Hand's  crest  is  bent  in  grief,  upon  its 

shield  a  stain. 
For  its  stoutest  clans  are  broken,  its  stoutest 

chiefs  are  slain. 

"And  proud  and  high  Tyrconnell  shouts;  but 
blending  on  the  gale. 

Upon  the  ear  ascendeth  a  sad  and  sullen  wail ; 

For  on  that  field,  as  back  they  bore,  from  chas- 
ing of  the  foe. 

The  spirit  of  O'Donnell  fled! — oh,  woe  for  Uls- 
ter, woe! 

"Yet  died  he  there  all  gloriously — a  victor  in  the 

fight; 

A  chieftain  at  his  people's  bead,  a  warrior  in 
his  might; 


THE  STORY  OP  IRELAND. 


6i 


'They  dug  him  there  a  fitting  grave  upon  that 

field  of  pride, 
And  a  lofty  cairn  they  raised  above,  by  fair 

Lough  Swilly's  side." 

In  this  storj'  of  Godfrey  of  Tyrconnell  we  have 
a  perfect  illustration  of  the  state  of  affairs  in  Ire- 
land at  the  time.  Studying  it,  no  one  can  marvel 
that  the  English  power  eventually  prevailed ;  but 
many  may  wonder  that  the  struggle  lasted  so 
many  centuries.  What  Irishman  can  contemplate 
without  sorrow  the  spectacle  of  those  brave  sol- 
diers of  Tyrconnell  and  their  heroic  prince,  after 
■contending  with,  and  defeating,  the  concentrated 
power  of  the  Anglo-Norman  settlement,  called 
upon  to  hurriedly  re-unite  their  broken  and 
wounded  ranks  that  they  might  fight  yet  another 
battle  against  fresh  foes — those  foes  their  own 
countrymen!  Only  among  a  people  given  over 
to  the  madness  that  precedes  destruction,  could 
conduct  like  that  of  O'Neill  be  exhibited.  At  a 
moment  when  Godfrey  and  his  battle-wounded 
clansmen  had  routed  the  common  foe — at  a  mo- 
ment when  they  were  known  to  be  weakened  after 
such  a  desperate  combat — at  a  moment  when  they 
should  have  been  hailed  with  acclaim,  and  greeted 
with  aid  and  succour  by  every  chief  and  clan  in 
Ireland — they  are  foully  taken  at  disadvantage, 
and  called  upon  to  fight  anew  by  their  own  fel- 
low-countrymen and  neighbors  of  Tj-rowen! 

The  conduct  of  O'Neill  on  this  occasion  was  a 
fair  sample  of  the  prevailing  practice  among  the 
Irish  princes.  Faction-split  to  the  last  degree, 
•each  one  sought  merely  his  own  personal  advan- 
tage or  ambition.  Nationality  and  patriotism 
were  sentiments  no  longer  understood.  Bravery 
in  battle,  dauntless  courage,  heroic  endurance, 
marvelous  skill,  we  find  them  displaying  to  the 
last;  but  the  higher  political  virtues  so  essential 
to  the  existence  of  a  nation — unity  of  purpose 
and  of  action  against  a  common  foe — recognition 
of  and  obedience  to  a  central  national  authority — 
weie  utterly  absent.  Let  us  own  in  sorrow  that  a 
people  among  whom  such  conduct  as  thatof  O'Neill 
ioward  Godfrey  of  Tyrconnell  was  not  only  pos- 
sible but  of  frequent  occurrence,  deserved  sub- 
jection— invited  it — rendered  it  inevitable.  Na- 
tions, like  individuals,  must  expect  the  penalty 
of  disregarding  the  first  essentials  to  existence. 
"Eternal   vigilance  is  the   price  of  liberty." 


Factionism  like  that  of  the  Irish  princes  found 
its  sure  punishment  in  subjugation. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

HOW  THE  IBISH  NATION  AWOKE  FROM  ITS  TRANCE, 
AND  FLUNG  OFF  ITS  CHAINS.  THE  CAREER  OP 
KING  EDWARD  BRUCE. 

Early  in  the  second  century  of  the  Norman 
settlement  we  find  the  Irish  for  the  first  time  ap- 
parently realizing  their  true  position  in  relation 
to  England.  They  begin  to  appreciate  the  fact 
that  it  is  England  and  not  the  Anglo-Norman 
colony  they  have  to  combat,  and  that  recognition 
of  the  English  power  means  loss  of  liberty,  loss 
of  honor,  loss  of  property,  alienation  of  the  soil! 
Had  the  Irish  awakened  sooner  to  these  facts,  it 
is  just  possible  they  might  have  exerted  them- 
selves and  combined  in  a  national  struggle 
against  the  fate  thus  presaged.  But  they  awoke 
to  them  too  late : 

The  fatal  chain  was  o'er  them  cast, 
.And  they  were  men  no  more ! 

As  if  to  quicken  within  them  the  strings  of 
self-reproach,  they  saw  their  Gaelic  kinsmen  of 
Caledonia  bravely  battling  in  compact  national 
array  against  this  same  English  power  that  had 
for  a  time  conquered  them  also.  When  King 
Edward  marched  northward  to  measure  swords 
with  the  Scottish  "rebel"  Robert  Bruce,  he 
summoned  his  Norman  lieges  and  all  other  true 
and  royal  subjects  in  Ireland  to  send  him  aid. 
The  Anglo-Norman  lords  of  Ireland  did  accord- 
ingly equip  considerable  bodies,  and  with  them 
joined  the  king  in  Scotland.  The  native  Irish, 
on  the  other  hand,  sent  aid  to  Bruce ;  and  on  the 
field  of  Bannockburn  old  foes  on  Irish  soil  met 
once  more  in  deadly  combat  on  new  ground — the 
Norman  lords  and  the  Irish  chieftains.  "Twenty- 
one  clans,  Highlanders  and  Islesmen,  and  many 
Ulstermen  fought  on  the  side  of  Bruce  on  the 
field  of  Bannockburn.  The  grant  of 'Kincardine- 
O'Neill,'  made  by  the  victor-king  to  his  Irish  fol- 
lowers, remains  a  striking  evidence  of  their 
fidelity  to  his  person  and  their  sacrifices  in  his 
cause.  The  result  of  that  glorious  day  was,  by 
the  testimony  of  all  historians,  English  as  well 


62 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


as  Scottish,  received  with  enthusiasm  on  the  Irish 
side  of  the  channel.  "* 

Fired  by  the  glorious  example  of  their  Scot- 
tish kinsmen,  the  native  Irish  princes  for  the  first 
time  took  up  the  design  of  a  really  national  and 
united  effort  to  expel  the  English  invaders  root 
and  branch.  Utterly  unused  to  union  or  com- 
bination as  they  had  been  for  hundreds  of  years, 
it  is  really  wonderful  how  readily  and  success- 
fully they  carried  out  their  design.  The  north- 
ern Irish  princes  with  few  exceptions  entered 
into  it;  and  it  was  agreed  that  as  well  to  secure 
the  prestige  of  Bruce 's  name  and  the  alliance  of 
Scotland,  as  also  to  avoid  native  Irish  jealousies 
in  submitting  to  a  national  leader  or  king,  Ed- 
wai"d  Bruce,  the  brother  of  King  Robert,  should 
be  invited  to  land  in  Ireland  with  an  auxiliary 
liberating  army,  and  should  be  recognized  as 
king.  The  Ulster  princes,  with  Donald  O'Neill 
at  their  head,  sent  off  a  memorial  to  the  pope 
(John  the  Twelfth),  a  document  which  is  still 
extant,  and  is,  as  may  be  supposed,  of  singular 
interest  and  importance.  In  this  memorable  let- 
ter the  Ii-ish  princes  acquaint  his  holiness  with 
their  national  design;  and  having  reference  to 
the  bulls  or  letters  of  popes  Adrian  and  Alexan- 
der, they  proceed  to  justify  their  resolution  of 
destroying  the  hated  English  power  in  their 
country,  and  point  out  the  fraud  and  false  pre- 
tense upon  which  those  documents  were  obtained 
by  King  Henry  from  the  pontiffs  named.  The 
sovereign  pontiff  appears  to  have  been  profoundly' 
moved  by  the  recital  of  facts  in  this  remonstrance 
or  memorial.  Not  long  after  he  addressed  to  the 
English  king  (Edwaror  the  Third)  a  letter  forci- 
bly reproaching  the  English  sovereigns  who  had 
obtained  those  bulls  from  popes  Adrian  and 
Alexander,  with  the  crimes  of  deceit  and  viola- 
tion of  their  specific  conditions  and  covenants. 
To  the  objects  of  those  bulls,  his  holiness  says, 
"neither  King  Henry  nor  his  successors  paid  any 
regard ;  but,  passing  the  bounds  that  had  been 
prescribed  for  them,  they  had  heaped  upon  the 
Irish  the  most  unheard-of  miseries  and  persecu- 
tions, and  had,  during  a  long  period,  imposed 
on  them  a  yoke  of  slavery  which  could  not  be 
borne. " 

The  Irish   themselves   were  now,  however. 


*  M'Gee. 


about  to  make  a  brave  effort  to  break  that  un- 
bearable yoke,  to  terminate  those  miseries  and 
persecutions,  and  to  establish  a  national  throne 
once  more  in  the  land.  On  May  25,  1315,  Ed- 
ward Bruce,  the  invited  deliverer,  landed  near 
Glenarm  in  Antrim  with  a  force  of  six  thousand 
men.  He  was  instantly  joined  by  Donald 
O'Neill,  prince  of  Ulster,  and  throughout  all  the 
northern  half  of  the  island  the  most  intense  ex- 
citement spread.  The  native  Irish  flocked  to 
Bruce's  standard;  the  Anglo-Normans,  in  dis- 
may, hurried  from  all  parts  to  encounter  this 
truly  formidable  danger,  and  succeeded  in  com- 
pelling, or  inducing,  the  Connacian  prince, 
O'Connor,  to  join  them.  Meanwhile  the  Scotto- 
Irish  army  marched  southward,  defeating  every 
attempt  of  the  local  English  garrisons  to  obstruct 
its  victorious  progress.  The  lord  justice,  com- 
ing from  Dublin  with  all  the  forces  he  could 
bring  from  the  south,  and  Richard  de  Burgo, 
Anglo-Norman  titular  Earl  of  Ulster,  hurrj'ing 
from  Athlone  with  a  powerful  contingent  raised 
in  the  west,  came  up  with  the  national  army  at 
Ardee,  too  late  however,  to  save  that  town,  which 
the  Irish  had  just  captured  and  destroyed.  This 
Earl  Richard  is  known  in  Anglo-Irish  history 
as  "the  Red  Earl. "  He  was  the  most  prominent 
character,  and  in  every  sense  the  greatest — the 
ablest  and  most  powerful  and  influential — man  of 
that  centurj'  among  the  Anglo-Norman  rulers  or 
nobles.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  his  influence  and 
power  overtopped  and  overshadowed  that  of  the 
lord  justice;  and,  singular  to  relate,  the  king's 
letters  and  writs,  coming  to  Ireland,  were  invari- 
ably, as  a  matter  of  form,  addressed  to  him  in 
the  first  instance,  that  is,  his  name  came  first, 
and  that  of  the  lord  justice  for  the  time  being 
next.  He  was,  in  truth,  king  of  the  Anglo- 
Normans  in  Ireland.  He  raised  armies,  levied 
war,  made  treaties,  conferred  titles,  and  bestowed 
lands,  without  the  least  reference  to  the  formal 
royal  deputy — the  lord  justice  in  Dublin — whom 
he  looked  down  ujion  with  disdain.  According- 
ly, when  these  two  magnates  met  on  this  occa- 
sion, the  Red  Earl  contemptuously  desired  the 
lord  justice  to  get  him  back  to  his  castle  of  Dub- 
lin as  quickly  as  he  pleased,  for  that  he  himself. 
Earl  Richard,  as  befitted  his  rank  of  Earl  of  Uls- 
ter, would  take  in  hands  the  work  of  clearing  the 
province  of  the  Scottish-Irish  army,  and  would. 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


63 


guarantee  to  deliver  Edward  Bruce,  living  or 
dead,  into  the  justice's  Lands  ere  many  days. 
Notwithstanding  this  haughty  speech,  the  lord 
justice  and  his  forces  remained,  and  the  com- 
bined army  now  confronted  Bruce,  outnumber- 
ing him  hopelessly ;  whereupon  he  commenced 
to  retreat  slowly,  his  object  being  to  effect, 
either  by  military  strategy  or  diplomacy,  a 
separation  of  the  enemy's  forces.  This  object 
was  soon  accomplished.  "When  the  Connacian 
king,  Felim  O'Connor,  joined  the  Eed  Earl  and 
marched  against  Bruce  in  his  own  principality, 
his  act  was  revolted  against  as  parricidal  treason. 
Ruari,  son  of  Cathal  Roe  O'Conor,  head  of  the 
Clanna-Murtough,  unfurled  the  national  flag, 
declared  for  the  national  cause,  and  soon  struck 
for  it  boldly  and  decisively.  Hurriedly  dispatch- 
ing envoys  to  Bruce,  tendering  adhesion,  and 
requesting  to  be  commissioned  or  recognized  as 
Prince  of  Connaught  in  place  of  Felim,  who  had 
forfeited  by  fighting  against  his  country  at  such 
a  crisis,  he  meanwhile  swept  through  all  the 
west,  tearing  down  the  Norman  rule  and  erecting 
in  its  stead  the  national  authority,  declaring  the 
penalty  of  high  treason  against  all  who  favored 
or  sided  with  the  Norman  enemy  or  refused  to 
aid  the  national  cause.  Felim  heard  of  these 
proceedings  before  Ruari 's  envoys  reached 
Bruce,  and  quickly  saw  that  his  only  chance  of 
safety — and  in  truth  the  course  most  in  conso- 
nance with  his  secret  feelings — was,  himself,  to 
make  overtures  to  Bruce,  which  he  did ;  so  that 
about  the  time  Ruari 's  envoys  arrived,  Felim 's 
offers  were  also  before  the  Scotto-Irish  com- 
mander. Valuable  as  were  Ruari 's  services  in 
the  west,  the  greater  and  more  urgent  considera- 
tion was  to  detach  Felim  from  the  Norman  army, 
w2iich  thus  might  be  fought,  but  which  other- 
wise could  not  be  withstood.  Accordingly, 
Bruce  came  to  terms  with  Felim,  and  answered 
to  Ruari  that  he  was  in  no  way  to  molest  the  pos- 
sessions of  Felim,  who  was  now  on  the  right 
side,  but  to  take  all  he  could  from  the  common 
enemy  the  English.  Felim,  in  pursuance  of  his 
agreement  with  Bruce,  now  withdrew  from  the 
English  camp  and  faced  homeward,  whereupon 
Bruce  and  O'Neill,  no  longer  afraid  to  encounter 
the  enemy,  though  still  superior  to  them  in  num- 
bers, gave  battle  to  the  lord  justice.  A  desperate 
engagement  ensued  at  Connoyr,  on  the  banks  of 


the  river  Bann,  near  Ballymena.  The  great  Nor- 
man army  was  defeated ;  the  haughty  Earl  Rich- 
ard was  obliged  to  seek  personal  safety  in  flight; 
his  brother,  William,  with  quite  a  number  of 
other  Norman  knights  and  nobles,  being  taken 
prisoners  by  that  same  soldier-chie&whom  he  had 
arrogantly  undertaken  to  capture  and  present, 
dead  or  alive,  within  a  few  days,  at  Dublin  Castle 
gate!  The  shattered  forces  of  the  lord  justice 
retreated  southward  as  best  they  could.  The 
Red  Earl  fled  into  Connaught,  where,  for  a  year, 
he  was  fain  to  seek  safety  in  comparative  obscu- 
rity, shorn  of  all  power,  pomp,  and  possessions. 
Of  these,  what  he  had  not  lost  on  the  battlefield 
at  Connoyr,  he  found  wrested  from  him  by  the 
Prince  of  Tyrconnell,  who,  by  way  of  giving  the 
Red  Earl  something  to  do  near  home,  had  burst 
down  upon  the  Anglo-Norman  possessions  in  the 
west,  and  levelled  every  castle  that  flew  the  red 
flag  of  England !  The  Irish  army  now  marched 
southward  once  more,  capturing  all  the  great 
towns  and  Norman  castles  on  the  way.  At 
Loughsweedy,  in  West-Meath,  Bruce  and  O'Neill 
went  into  winter  quarters,  and  spent  their  Christ- 
mas "in  the  midst  of  the  most  considerable  chiefs 
of  Ulster,  Meath,  and  Connaught." 

Thus  closed  the  first  campaign  in  this,  the  first 
really  national  war  undertaken  against  the  Eng- 
lish power  in  Ireland.  "The  termination  of  his 
first  campaign  on  Irish  soil,"  says  a  historian, 
"might  be  considered  highly  favorable  to  Bruce. 
More  than  half  the  clans  had  risen,  and  others 
were  certain  to  follow  their  example ;  the  clergy 
were  almost  wholly  with  him,  and  his  heroic 
brother  had  promised  to  lead  an  army  to  his  aid 
in  the  ensuing  spring." 

In  the  early  spring  of  the  succeeding  year 
(1316)  he  opened  the  next  campaign  by  a  march 
southward.  The  Anglo-Norman  armies  made 
several  ineffectual  efforts  to  bar  his  progress. 
At  Kells,  in  King's  County  of  the  present  day, 
Sir  Roger  Mortimer  at  the  head  of  fifteen  thou- 
sand men  made  the  most  determined  stand.  A 
great  battle  ensued,  the  Irish  utterly  routing 
this  the  last  army  of  any  proportions  now  op- 
posed to  them.  Soon  after  this  decisive  victory, 
Bruce  and  O'Neill  returned  northward  in  proud 
exultation.  Already  it  seemed  that  the  libera- 
tion of  Ireland  was  complete.  Having  arrived  at 
Dundalk,  the  national  army  halted,  and  prepara.% 


64 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


tioiis  were  commenced  for  the  great  ceremonial 
that  was  to  consummate  and  commemorate  the 
national  deliverance.  At  a  solemn  council  of  the 
native  princes  and  chiefs,  Edward  Bruce  was 
elected  king  of  Ireland;  Donald  O'Neill,  the 
heai't  and  head  of  the  entire  movement,  formally 
resigning  by  letters  patent  in  favor  of  Bruce  such 
rights  as  belonged  to  him  as  son  of  the  last  ac- 
knowledged native  sovereign.  After  the  election, 
the  ceremonial  of  iuauguaratiou  w  as  carried  out 
in  the  native  Irish  forms,  Avith  a  pomp  and 
splendor  such  as  had  not  been  witnessed  since 
the  reign  of  Brian  the  First.  This  imposing 
ceremonj'  took  place  on  the  hill  of  Knocknemelan, 
within  a  mile  of  Dundalk;  and  the  formal  elec- 
tion and  inauguaration  being  over,  the  king  and 
the  assembled  princes  and  chiefs  marched  in  pro- 
cession into  the  town,  where  the  solemn  conse- 
cration took  place  in  one  of  the  churches.  King 
Edward  now  established  his  court  in  the  castle  of 
Northburg,  possessing  and  exercising  all  the  pre- 
rogatives, powers,  and  privileges  of  royalty, 
holding  courts  of  justice,  and  enforcing  such 
regulations  as  were  necessary  for  the  welfare  and 
good  order  of  the  country. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

HOW  THIS  BRIGHT  DAY  OF  INDEPENDENCE  WAS  TURNED 
TO  GLOOM.  HOW  THE  SEASONS  FOUGHT  AGAINST 
IRELAND,   AND  FAMINE  FOR  ENGLAND. 

The  Anglo  Irish  power  was  almost  extinct.  It 
would  probably  never  more  have  been  heard  of, 
and  the  newly-revived  nationality  would  have 
lasted  long  and  prospered,  had  there  not  been 
behind  that  broken  and  ruined  colony  all  the 
resources  of  a  great  and  powerful  nation.  The 
English  monarch  summoned  to  a  conference  with 
himself  in  London  several  of  the  Anglo-Irish 
barons,  and  it  was  agreed  by  all  that  nothing  but 
a  compact  union  among  themselves,  strong  rein- 
forcements from  England,  and  the  equipment  of 
an  army  of  great  magnitude  for  a  new  campaign 
in  Ireland,  could  avert  the  complete  and  final  ex- 
tinction of  the  English  power  in  that  country. 
Preparations  were  accordingly  made  for  placing 
in  the  field  such  an  army  as  had  never  before 
been  assembled  by  the  Anglo-Irish  colony.  King 


Ed  ward  of  Ireland,  on  the  other  hand,  was  fully 
conscious  that  the  next  campaign  would  be  the 
supreme  trial,  and  both  parties,  English  and 
Irish,  prepared  to  put  forth  their  utmost 
strength.  True  to  his  promise,  King  Robert  of 
Scotland  arrived  to  the  aid  of  his  brother,  bring- 
ing with  him  a  small  contingent.  The  royal 
brothers  soon  opened  the  campaign.  Marching 
southward  at  the  head  of  thirty- six  thousand 
men,  they  crossed  the  Boj^ne  at  Slane,  and  soon 
were  beneath  the  walls  of  Castleknock,  a  power- 
ful Anglo-Norman  fortress,  barely  three  miles 
form  the  gate  of  Dublin.  Castleknock  was 
assaulted  and  taken,  the  governor,  Hugh  Tyrell, 
being  made  prisoner.  The  Irish  and  Scotch 
kings  took  up  their  quarters  in  the  castle,  and 
the  Anglo-Normans  of  Dublin,  gazing  from  the 
city  walls,  could  see  between  them  and  the  set- 
ting sun  the  royal  standards  of  Ireland  and  Scot- 
land floating  proudly  side  by  side!  In  this 
extremity  the  citizens  of  Dublin  exhibited  a 
spirit  of  indomitable  courage  and  determination. 
To  their  action  in  this  emergency — designated 
by  some  as  the  desperation  of  wild  panic,  but  by 
others,  in  my  opinion  more  justly,  intrepidity 
and  heroic  public  spirit — ^they  saved  the  chief 
seat  of  Anglo-Norman  authority  and  power,  the 
loss  of  which  at  that  moment  would  have  altered 
the  whole  fate  and  fortunes  of  the  ensuing  cam- 
paign. Led  on  by  the  mayor,  they  exhibited  a 
frantic  spirit  of  resistance,  burning  down  the 
suburbs  of  their  city,  and  freely  devoting  to 
demolition  even  their  churches  and  priories  out- 
side the  walls,  lest  these  should  afford  shelter  or 
advantage  to  a  besieging  armj'.  The  Irish  army 
had  no  sieging  materials,  and  could  not  just  then 
pause  for  the  tedious  operations  of  reducing  a 
walled  and  fortified  city  like  Dublin,  especially 
when  such  a  spirit  of  vehement  determination 
was  evinced  not  merely  by  the  garrison  but  by 
the  citizens  themselves.  In  fact,  the  city  could 
not  be  invested  without  the  co-operation  of  a 
powerful  fleet  to  cut  off  supplies  by  sea  from 
England.  The  Irish  army,  therefore,  was  com- 
pelled to  turn  away  from  Dublin,  and  leave  that 
formidable  position  intact  in  their  rear.  They 
marched  southward  as  in  the  previous  cam- 
paigns, this  time  reaching  as  far  as  Limerick. 
Again,  as  before,  victory  followed  their  banners. 
Their  course  was  literally  a  succession  of  splen- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


65 


did  achievements.  The  Normans  never  offered 
battle  that  they  were  not  utterly  defeated. 

The  full  strength  of  the  English,  however,  had 
not  j'et  been  available,  and  a  foe  more  deadly  and 
more  formidable  than  all  the  power  of  England 
was  about  to  fall  upon  the  Ii'ish  army. 

By  one  of  those  calamitous  concurrences  which 
are  often  to  be  noted  in  history,  there  fell  upon 
Ii-eland  in  this  year  (1317)  a  famine  of  dreadful 
severity.  The  crops  had  entirely  failed  the  pre- 
vious autumn,  and  now  throughout  the  land  the 
dread  consequences  were  spreading  desolation. 
The  brothers  Bruce  each  day  found  it  more  and 
more  difficult  to  provision  the  army,  and  soon  it 
became  apparent  that  hunger  and  privation  were 
destroying  and  demoralizing  the  national  force. 
This  evil  in  itself  was  bad  enough,  but  a  worse 
followed  upon  it.  As  privation  and  hunger 
loosed  the  bonds  of  military  discipline,  the 
soldiers  spread  themselves  over  the  country  seek- 
ing food,  and  soon  there  sprung  up  between  the 
Scottish  contingent  and  the  Irish  troops  and 
inhabitants  bitter  ill  feeling  and  contention. 
The  Scots — who  from  the  very  outset  appear  to 
have  discriminated  nought  in  plundering  castles 
and  churches  when  the  opportunity  came  fairly 
in  their  way — now,  throwing  off  all  restraint, 
broke  into  churches,  and  broke  open  and  rifled 
shrines  and  tombs.  The  Irish,  whose  reverence 
for  religion  was  always  so  intense  and  solemn, 
were  horrified  at  these  acts  of  sacrilege  and 
desecration,  and  there  gradually  spread  through 
the  country  a  vague  but  all-powerful  popular  be- 
lief that  the  dreadful  scourge  of  famine  was  a 
"visitation  of  heaven"  called  down  upon  the 
country  by  the  presence  of  the  irreverent  Scots ! 

Meanwhile  the  English  were  mustering  a  tre- 
mendous force  in  the  rear  of  the  wasted  Irish 
army.  The  Bruces,  on  learning  the  iaot,  quickly 
ordered  a  night  retreat,  and  pushed  northward 
by  forced  marches.  An  Anglo-Irish  army  of 
thirty  thousand  men,  well  appointed  and  provi- 
sioned, lay  across  their  path ;  yet  such  was  the 
ten'or  inspired  by  vivid  recollection  of  the  recent 
victories  of  the  Irish  and  the  prestige  of  Bruce's 
name,  that  this  vast  force,  as  the  historian  tells 
us,  hung  around  the  camp  of  the  half-starved  and 
diminished  Scotto-Irish  armj-,  without  ever  once 
daring  to  attack  them  in  a  pitched  battle!  On 
the  1st  May,  after  a  march  full  of  unexampled 


suffering,  the  remnant  of  the  Irish  army  safely 
reached  Ulster. 

The  famine  now  raged  with  such  intensity  all 
over  Ireland  that  it  brought  about  a  suspension 
of  hostilities.  Neither  party  could  provision  an 
army  in  the  field.  King  Robert  of  Scotland, 
utterly  disheartened,  sailed  homeward.  His 
own  country  was  not  free  from  suffering,  and  in 
any  event,  the  terrible  privations  of  the  past  few 
months  had  filled  the  Scottish  contingent  with 
discontent.  King  Edward,  however,  nothing 
daunted,  resolved  to  stand  by  the  Irish  kingdom 
to  the  last,  and  it  was  arranged  that  whenever  a 
resumption  of  hostilities  became  feasible,  Robert 
should  send  him  another  Scottish  contingent. 

The  harvest  of  the  following  year  1318  was  no 
sooner  gathered  in  and  found  to  be  of  compara- 
tive abundance,  than  both  parties  sprang  to 
arms.  The  English  commander-in-chief,  John 
de  Birmingham,  was  quickly  across  the  Boj-ne  at 
the  head  of  twelve  thousand  men,  intent  on 
striking  King  Edward  before  his  hourly  expected 
Scottish  contingent  could  arrive.  The  Irish 
levies  were  but  slowly  coming  in,  and  Edward 
at  this  time  had  barely  two  or  three  thousand 
men  at  hand.  Nevertheless  he  resolved  to  meet 
the  English  and  give  them  battle.  Donald 
O'Neill  and  the  other  native  princes  saw  the 
madness  of  this  course,  and  vainly  endeavored  to 
dissuade  the  king  from  it.  They  pointed  out 
that  the  true  strategy  to  be  adopted  under  the 
circumstances  was  to  gain  time,  to  retire  slowly 
on  their  northern  base,  disputing  each  inch  of 
ground,  but  risking  no  pitched  battle  until  the 
national  levies  would  have  come  in,  and  the  Scot- 
tish contingent  arrived,  by  which  time,  more- 
over, they  would  have  drawn  Birmingham  away 
from  his  base,  and  would  have  him  in  a  hostile 
country.  There  can  be  no  second  opinion  about 
the  merits  of  this  scheme.  It  was  the  only  one 
for  Edward  to  pursue  just  then.  It  was  identi- 
cal with  that  which  had  enabled  him  to  over- 
throw the  Red  Earl  three  years  before  and  had 
won  the  battle  of  Connoyr.  But  the  king  was 
immovable.  At  all  times  headstrong,  self- 
willed,  and  impetuous,  he  now  seemed  to  have 
been  rendered  extravagantly  over-confident  by 
the  singular  fact  (for  fact  it  was),  that  never  yet 
had  he  met  the  English  in  battle  on  Irish  soil 
that  he  did  not  defeat  them.    It  is  said  th;it 


66 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


some  of  the  Irish  princes,  fully  persuaded  of  the 
inaduess  of  the  coarse  resolved  upon,  and  in- 
censed by  the  despotic  obstinacy  of  the  king, 
withdrew  from  the  camp.  "There  remained 
r>ith  the  iron-headed  king,"  says  the  historian, 
"the  lords  Mowbray  de  Soulis  and  Stewart,  with 
the  three  brothers  of  the  latter,  Mac  Roy,  Lord 
of  the  Isles,  and  Mac  Donald,  chief  of  his  clan. 
The  neighborhood  of  Dundalk,  the  scene  of  his 
triumphs  and  coronation,  was  to  be  the  scene  of 
the  last  act  of  Bruce 's  chivalrous  and  stormy 
career."  From  the  same  authority  (M'Gee)  I 
quote  the  following  account  of  that  scene : 

"On  the  14th  of  October,  1318,  at  the  Hill  of 
Faughard,  within  a  couple  of  miles  of  Dundalk, 
the  advance  guard  of  the  hostile  armies  came  into 
the  presence  of  each  other,  and  made  ready  for 
battle.  Roland  de  Jorse,  the  foreign  Arch- 
bishop of  Armagh,  who  had  not  been  able  to  take 
possession  of  his  see,  though  appointed  to  it 
seven  years  before,  accompanied  the  Anglo- 
Ii'ish,  and  moving  through  their  ranks,  gave  his 
benediction  to  their  banners.  But  the  impetuos- 
ity of  Bruce  gave  little  time  for  prevaration.  At 
the  head  of  the  vanguard,  without  waiting  for 
the  whole  of  his  company  to  come  up,  he 
charged  the  enemy  with  impetuosity.  The  action 
became  general,  and  the  skill  of  De  Birmingham 
as  a  leader  was  again  demonstrated.  An  in- 
cident common  to  the  warfare  of  that  age  was, 
however,  the  immediate  cause  of  the  victory. 
Master  John  de  Maupas,  a  burgher  of  Dundalk, 
believing  that  the  death  of  the  Scottish  leader 
would  be  the  signal  for  the  retreat  of  his  follow- 
ers, disguised  as  a  jester  or  a  fool,  sought  him 
throughout  the  field.  One  of  the  royal  esquires 
named  Gilbert  Harper,  wearing  the  surcoat  of 
his  master,  was  mistaken  for  him  and  slain ;  but 
the  true  leader  was  at  length  found  by  De  Maupas, 
and  struck  down  by  the  blow  of  a  leaden  plummet 
or  slung-shot.  After  the  battle,  when  the  field 
was  searched  for  his  body,  it  was  found  under 
that  of  De  Maupas,  who  had  bravely  yielded  up 
life  for  life.  The  Hiberno-Scottish  forces  dis- 
persed in  dismay,  and  when  King  Robert  of 
Scotland  landed,  a  day  or  two  afterward,  he  was 
met  by  the  fugitive  men  of  Carrick,  under  their 
leader  Thompson,  who  informed  him  of  his 
brother's  fate.  He  returned  at  once  into  his 
0  vn  country,  carrying  off  the  few  Scottish  sur- 


vivors. The  head  of  the  impetuous  Edward  was 
sent  to  London,  but  the  body  was  interred  in 
the  churchyard  of  Faughard,  where,  within  liv- 
ing memory,  a  tall  pillar  stone  was  pointed  out 
by  every  peasant  in  the  neigborhood  as  marking 
the  grave  of  King  Bruce." 

Thus  ended  the  first  grand  effort  of  Ireland  as 
an  independent  nation  to  expel  the  Anglo-Norman 
power.  Never  was  so  great  an  effort  so  brill- 
iantly successful,  yet  eventually  defeated  by 
means  outside  and  beyond  human  skill  to  avert, 
or  human  bravery  to  withstand.  The  seasons 
fought  against  Ireland  in  this  great  crisis  of  her 
fate.  A  dreadful  scourge  struck  down  the  coun- 
try in  the  very  moment  of  national  triumph. 
The  ai'm  that  was  victorious  in  battle  fell  lifeless 
at  the  breath  of  this  dread  destroyer.  To  the 
singular  and  calamitous  coincidence  of  a  famine 
so"  terrible  at  such  a  critical  moment  for  Ireland, 
and  to  this  alone  was  the  ruin  of  the  national 
cause  attributable.  The  Ii'ish  under  the  king  of 
their  choice  had,  in  three  heavy  campaigns, 
shown  themselves  able  to  meet  and  overcome  the 
utmost  force  that  could  be  brought  against  them. 
England  had  put  forth  her  best  energies  and  had 
been  defeated.  Prestige  was  rapidly  multiply- 
ing the  forces  and  increasing  the  moral  and 
material  resources  of  the  Irish;  and  but  for  the 
circumstances  which  compelled  the  retreat  north- 
ward from  Limerick,  reducing  and  disorganizing 
the  national  army,  and  leading  in  a  long  train  of 
still  greater  evils,  as  far  as  human  ken  could  see, 
the  independent  nationality  of  Ireland  was  tri- 
umphantly consolidated  and  her  freedom  securely 
established. 

The  battle  of  Faughard — or  rather  the  fall  of 
Edward  under  such  circumstances — was  a  deci- 
sive termination  of  the  whole  struggle.  The  ex- 
pected Scottish  contingent  arrived  soon  after; 
but  all  was  over,  and  it  returned  home.  The 
English  king,  some  years  subsequent^',  took 
measures  to  guard  against  the  recurrence  of 
such  a  formidable  danger  as  that  which  had  so 
nearly  wrested  Ireland  from  his  grasp — a  Scotto- 
Irish  alliance.  On  March  17,  1328,  a  treaty 
between  England  and  Scotland  was  signed  at 
Edinburg,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  that,  in 
the  event  of  a  rebellion  against  Scotland  in 
Skye,  Man,  or  the  Islands,  or  against  England  in 
Ireland,  the  respective  kings  would  not  assist 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND, 


67 


•each  other's  "rebel  subjects."  Ireland  had 
played  for  a  great  stake,  and  lost  the  game.  The 
nation  that  had  reappeared  for  a  moment  again 
disappeared,  and  once'more  the  struggle  against 
ihe  English  power  was  waged  merely  by  isolated 
-chiefs  and  princes,  each  one  acting  for  himself 
alone. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

HOW  THE  ANGLO-IRISH  LORDS  LEARNED  TO  PREFER 
IRISH  MANNERS,  LAWS,  AND  LANGUAGE,  AND  WERE 
BECOMING  "more  IRISH  THAN  THE  IRISH  THEM- 
SELVES." HOW  THE  KING  IN  LONDON  TOOK 
MEASURES  TO  ARREST  THAT  DREADED  EVIL. 

But  a  new  danger  arose  to  the  English  power. 
It  was  not  alone  fresh  armies  and  a  constant 
stream  of  subsidies  that  England  found  it  neces- 
sary to  be  pouring  into  Ireland,  to  insure  the 
retention  of  the  Anglo-Norman  Colony.  ,  Some- 
thing more  became  requisite  now.  It  was  found 
that  a  constant  stream  of  fresh  colonization  from 
England,  a  frequent  change  of  governors,  nay, 
further,  the  most  severe  repressive  laws,  could 
alone  keep  the  colony  English  in  spirit,  in  inter- 
est, in  language,  laws,  manners,  and  customs. 
The  descendants  of  the  early  Anglo-Norman  set- 
tlers— gentle  and  simple,  lord  and  burgher — 
were  becoming  thoroughly  Hibernicized.  Not- 
withstanding the  ceaseless  warfare  waged  between 
the  Norman  lords  and  the  Irish  chiefs,  it  was 
found  that  the  former  were  becoming  absorbed 
into  or  fused  with  the  native  element.  The  mid- 
dle of  the  fourteenth  century  found  the  Irish 
language  and  Brehon  law,  native  Irish  manners, 
habits  and  customs,  almost  universally  prevalent 
among  the  Anglo-Normans  in  Ireland;  while 
marriage  and  "fosterage" — that  most  sacred 
domestic  tie  in  Gaelic  estimation — were  becom- 
ing quite  frequent  between  the  noble  families  of 
■each  race.  In  fact  the  great  lords  and  nobles  of 
the  Colony  became  chieftains,  and  their  families 
and  following,  Septs.  Like  the  Irish  chiefs, 
whom  they  imitated  in  most  things,  they  fought 
against  each  other  or  against  some  native  chief, 
■or  sided  with  either  of  them,  if  choice  so  de- 
termined. Each  earl  or  baron  among  them  kept 
his  bard  and  his  brehon,  like  any  native  prince ; 
and,  in  several  instances,  they  began  to  drop 


their  Anglo-Norman  names  and  take  Irish  ones 
instead. 

It  needed  little  penetration  on  the  part  of  the 
king  and  his  council  in  London  to  discern  in 
this  state  of  things  a  peril  far  and  away  more 
formidable  than  any  the  English  power  had  yet 
encountered  in  Ireland.  True,  the  Anglo-Irish 
lords  had  always  as  yet  professed  allegiance  to  the 
English  sovereign,  and  had,  on  the  whole,  so  far 
helped  forward  the  English  designs.  But  it  was 
easy  to  foresee  that  it  would  require  but  a  few 
more  years  of  this  process  of  fusion  with  the 
native  Irish  race  to  make  the  Anglo-Irish  element 
Irish  in  every  sense.  To  avert  this  dreaded  and 
now  imminent  evil,  the  London  government 
resolved  to  adopt  the  most  stringent  measures. 
Among  the  first  of  these  was  a  royal  ordinance 
issued  in  1341,  declaring  that  whereas  it  had 
appeared  to  the  King  (Edward  the  Third)  and  his 
council  that  they  would  be  better  and  more  use- 
fully served  in  Ireland  by  Englishmen  whose 
revenues  were  derived  from  England  than  by 
Irish  or  English  who  possessed  estates  only  in 
Ireland,  or  were  married  there,  the  king's  jus- 
ticiary should  therefore,  after  diligent  inquiries, 
remove  all  such  officers  as  were  married  or  held 
estates  in  Ireland,  and  replace  them  by  fit 
Englishmen,  having  no  personal  interest  what- 
ever in  Ireland.  This  ordinance  set  the  Anglo- 
Irish  colony  in  a  flame.  Edward's  lord-deputy. 
Sir  John  Morris,  alarmed  at  its  effect  on  the 
proud  and  powerful  barons,  summoned  them  to 
a  parliament  to  meet  in  Dublin  to  reason  over  the 
matter.  But  they  would  have  no  reasoning  with 
him.  They  contemptuously  derided  his  sum- 
mons, and  called  a  parliament  of  their  own, 
which,  accordingly,  met  at  Kilkenny  in  Novem- 
ber, 1342,  whereat  they  adopted  a  strong  remon- 
strance, and  forwarded  it  to  the  king,  complain- 
ing of  the  royal  ordinance,  and  recriminating  by 
alleging,  that  to  the  ignorance  and  incapacity  of 
the  English  officials  sent  over  from  time  to  time 
to  conduct  the  government  of  the  colony,  was 
owing  the  fact  that  the  native  Irish  had  possessed 
themselves  of  nearly  all  the  land  that  had  ever 
hitherto  been  wrested  from  them  by  the  "gallant 
services  of  themselves  (the  remonstrancers)  or 
their  ancestors. "  Edward  was  obliged  to  tempo- 
rize. He  answered  this  remonstrance  graciously, 
and  "played"  the  dangerous  barons. 


68  THE  STORY 

But  the  policy  of  the  ordinance  was  not  relin- 
quished. It  -was  to  be  pushed  on  as  opportunity 
oflfered.  Eight  years  subsequent  to  the  above 
proceedings — in  1360 — Lionel,  son  of  King 
Edward,  was  sent  over  as  lord-lieutenant.  He 
brought  with  him  a  considerable  army,  and  was 
to  inaugurate  the  new  system  with  great  eclat. 
He  had  personal  claims  to  assert  as  well  as  a 
state  policy  to  carry  out.  By  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth de  Burgh,  he  succeeded  to  the  empty  titles 
of  Earl  of  Ulster  and  Lord  of  Connaught,  and 
the  possessions  supposed  to  follow  them;  but 
these  were  just  then  held  by  their  rightful  Irish 
owners,  and  one  of  Lionel's  objects  was  to  ob- 
tain them  by  force  of  arms  for  himself.  Soon 
after  landing  he  marched  against  "the  Irish 
enemy,"  and,  confident  in  the  strength  of  newly- 
landed  legions,  he  issued  a  proclamation  "for- 
bidding any  of  Irish  birth  to  come  near  his 
army."  This  arrogance  was  soon  humbled. 
His  vaunted  English  army  was  a  failure.  The 
Irish  cut  it  to  pieces;  and  Prince  Lionel  was 
obliged  to  abandon  the  campaign,  and  retreated 
to  Dublin  a  prey  to  mortification  and  humilia- 
tion. His  courtiers  plied  him  with  flatteries  in 
order  to  cheer  him.  By  a  process  not  very 
intelligible,  they  argued  that  he  conquered 
Clare,  though,  O'Brien  had  utterly  defeated  him 
there,  and  compelled  him  to  fly  to  Dublin ;  and 
they  manufactured  for  him  out  of  this  piece  of 
adulatory  invention  the  title  oi"  Clarence."  But 
he  only  half  accepted  these  pleasant  fictions,  the 
falseness  of  which  he  knew  too  well.  He  recalled 
his  arrogant  and  offensive  proclamation,  and 
besought  the  aid  of  the  Anglo-Irish.  To  gain 
their  favor  he  conferred  additional  titles  and 
privileges  on  some  of  them,  and  knighted  several 
of  the  most  powerful  commoners.  After  an  ad- 
ministration of  seven  years  it  was  deemed  high 
time  for  Lionel  to  bring  the  new  policy  into 
greater  prominence.  In  1367  he  convened  a  par- 
liament at  Kilkenny,  whereat  he  succeeded  in 
having  passed  that  memorable  statute  known 
ever  since  in  history  as  "The  Statute  of  Kil- 
kenny"— the  first  foi'mal  enactment  in  that  "penal 
code  of  race"  which  was  so  elaborately  developed 
by  all  subsequent  English  legislation  for  hun- 
dreds of  years.  The  act  sets  out  by  reciting  that 
"Whereas,  at  the  conquest  of  the  land  of  Ireland, 
and  for  a  long  time  after,  the  English  of  the  said 


OF  IRELAND. 

land  used  the  English  language,  mode  of  riding,, 
and  apparel,  and  were  governed  and  ruled,  both 
they  and  their  subjects,  called  Betaghese  (villeins) 
according  to  English  lawj  etc. ;  but  now  many 
English  of  the  said  land,  forsaking  the  English 
language,  manners,  mode  of  riding,  laws,  and 
usages,  live  and  govern  themselves  according 
to  the  manners,  fashion  and  language  of  the 
Irish  enemies,  and  also  have  made  divers  mar- 
riages and  alliances  between  themselves  and  the 
Irish  enemies  aforesaid:  it  is  therefore  enacted 
(among  other  provisions),  that  all  intermarriages, 
fosterings,  gossipred,  and  buying  or  selling  with 
the  enemy  shall  be  accoixnted  treason;  that 
English  names,  fashions,  and  manners  shall  be 
resumed  under  penalty  of  the  confiscation  of  the 
delinquent's  lands;  that  March  laws  and  Brehon 
laws  are  illegal,  and  that  there  shall  be  no  law 
but  English  law;  that  the  Irish  shall  not  pasture 
their  cattle  on  English  lands,  that  the  English 
shall  not  entertain  Irish  rhymers,  minstrels,  or 
news  men;  and,  moreover,  that  no  'mere  Irish- 
man' shall  be  admitted  to  any  ecclesiastical 
benefice  or  religious  house  situated  within  the 
English  district. " 

The  Anglo-Irish  barons  must  have  been 
strangely  overawed  or  overreached  when  they 
were  brought  to  pass  this  statute;  several  of' 
themselves  being  at  that  moment  answerable  tO' 
all  its  penalties!  Its  immediate  result,  however, 
wellnigh  completed  the  ruin  of  the  power  it  Avas 
meant  to  restore  and  strengthen.  It  roused  the 
native  Irish  to  a  full  conception  of  the  English 
policy,  and  simultaneously,  though  without  the 
least  concert,  they  fell  upon  the  colony  on  all 
sides,  drove  in  the  outposts,  destroyed  the 
castles,  hunted  the  barons,  and  reoccupied  the^ 
country  very  nearly  up  to  the  walls  of  Dublin. 
"O'Connor  of  Connaught  and  O'Brien  of  Tho- 
mond, "  says  Hardiman,  "laid  aside  for  the 
moment  their  jirivate  feuds,  and  united  against 
the  common  foe.  The  Earl  of  Desmond,  lord 
justice,  marched  against  them  with  a  consider- 
able army,  but  was  defeated  and  slain  (captured) 
in  a  sanguinary  engagement,  fought  a.d.  1369 
in  the  county  of  Limerick.  O'Farrell,  the  chief- 
tain of  Annaly,  committed  great  slaughter  in 
Meath.  The  O'Mores,  Cavanaghs,  O'Byrnes, 
and  O'Tooles,  pressed  upon  Leinster,  and  the- 
O'Neills  raised  the  red  arm  in  the  north.  The.- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


69 


English  of  the  Pale  were  seized  with  consterna- 
tion and  dismay,  and  terror  and  confusion 
reigned  in  their  councils,  while  the  natives  con- 
tinued to  gain  ground  upon  them  in  every  direc- 
tion. At  this  crisis  an  opportunity  offered  such 
as  had  never  before  occurred,  of  terminating  the 
dominion  of  the  English  in  Ireland;  but  if  the 
natives  had  ever  conceived  such  a  project,  they 
were  never  sufficiently  united  to  achieve  it.  The 
opportunity  passed  away,  and  the  disunion  of 
the  Irish  saved  the  colony." 

As  for  the  obnoxious  statute,  it  was  found  im- 
possible to  enforce  it  further.  Cunning  policy 
did  not  risk  permanent  defeat  by  pressing  it  at 
such  a  moment.  It  was  allowed  to  remain  "a 
dead  letter"  for  a  while;  not  dead,  however,  but 
only  slumbering. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

HOW  THE  VAINGLORIOUS  RICHARD  OF  ENGLAND  AND 
HIS  OVERWHELMING  ARMY  FAILED  TO  "dAZZLE" 
OR  CONQUER  THE  PRINCE  OF  LEINSTER.  CAREER 
OF  THE  HEROIC  ART  m'mURROGH. 

The  close  of  the  century  which  witnessed  the 
events  I  have  been  mentioning,  brought  about 
another  "royal  visit"  to  Ireland.  The  weak, 
vain,  and  pomp-loving  Richard  the  Second  vis- 
ited this  country  twice  in  the  course  of  his  ill- 
fated  career — for  the  first  time  1394.  I  would 
not  deem  either  worth  more  than  a  passing  word 
(for  both  of  them  were  barren  of  results),  were 
it  not  that  they  interweave  with  the  story  of  the 
chivalrous  Art  M'Murrogb  "Kavanagh,"  Prince 
of  Leinster,  whose  heroic  figure  stands  out  in 
glorious  prominence  on  this  page  of  Irish  his- 
tory. 

If  the  M'Murroghs  of  Leinster  in  1170  contrib- 
uted to  our  national  annals  one  character  of  evil 
fame,  they  were  destined  to  give,  two  centuries 
later  on,  another,  illustrious  in  all  that  ennobles 
or  adorns  the  patriot,  the  soldier,  or  the  states- 
man. Eva  M'Murrogb,  daughter  of  Diarmid  the 
Traitor,  who  married  Strongbow  the  Freebooter, 
claimed  to  be  only  child  of  her  father  born  in 
lawful  wedlock.  That  there  were  sons  of  her 
father  then  living,  was  not  questioned;  but  she, 
or  her  husband  on  her  behalf,  setting  up  a  claim 
•of  inheritance  to  Diarmid's  possessions,  im- 
,pugned  their  legitimacy.    However   this  may 


have  been,  the  sept  proceeded  according  to  law 
and  usage  under  the  Irish  constitution,  to  elect 
from  the  reigning  family  a  successor  to  Diarmid, 
and  they  raised  to  the  chieftaincy  his  son  Donal. 
Thenceforth  the  name  of  M'Murrogb  is  heard  of 
in  Irish  history  only  in  connection  with  the 
bravest  and  boldest  efforts  of  patriotism.  When- 
ever a  blow  was  to  be  struck  for  Ireland,  the 
M'Murroghs  were  the  readiest  in  the  field — the 
"first  in  front  and  last  in  rear."  They  became 
a  formidable  barrier  to  the  English  encroach- 
ments, and  in  importance  were  not  second  to  any 
native  power  in  Ireland.  In  1350  the  sept  was 
ruled  by  Art,  or  Arthur  the  First,  father  of  our 
hero.  "To  carry  on  a  war  against  him,"  we  are 
told,  "the  whole  English  interest  was  assessed 
with  a  special  tax.  Louth  contributed  twenty 
pounds,  Meath  and  "Waterford  two  shillings,  on 
every  carucate  (one  hundred  and  forty  acres)  of 
tilled  land ;  Kilkenny  the  same  sum,  with  the 
addition  of  6d.  in  the  pound  on  chattels.  This 
Art  captured  the  strong  castles  of  Kilbelle,  Gal- 
barstown,  R-ithville;  and  although  his  career  was 
not  one  of  invariable  success,  he  bequeathed  to 
his  son,  also  called  Art,  in  1375,  an  inheritance 
extending  over  a  large  portion — perhaps  one-half 
— of  the  territory  ruled  by  his  ancestors  before 
the  invasion. " 

From  the  same  historian*  I  take  the  subjoined 
sketch  of  the  early  career  of  that  son.  Art  the 
Second.  "Art  M'Murrogb,  or  Art  Kavanagh,  as 
he  is  commonly  called,  was  born  in  the  year 
1357,  and  from  the  age  of  sixteen  and  upward 
was  distinguished  by  his  hospitality,  knowledge, 
and  feats  of  arms.  Like  the  great  Brian,  he  was 
a  younger  son,  but  the  fortune  of  war  remo-ved 
one  by  one  those  who  would  otherwise  have 
preceded  him  in  the  captaincy  of  his  clan  and 
connections.  About  the  year  1375 — while  he  was 
still. under  age — he  was  elected  successor  to  his 
father,  according  to  the  annalists,  who  record  his 
death  in  1417,  'after  being  forty-two  years  in  the 
government  of  Leinster.'  Fortunately  he  at- 
tained command  at  a  period  favorable  to  his 
genius  and  enterprise.  His  own  and  the  adjoin- 
ing tribes  were  aroused  by  tidings  of  success 
from  other  provinces,  and  the  partial  victories  of 
their  immediate  predecessors,  to  entertain  bolder 


»  M'Gee. 


70 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


schemes,  and  they  only  waited  fox'  a  chief  of  dis- 
tinguished ability  to  concentrate  their  efforts. 
This  chief  they  found,  where  they  naturally 
looked  for  him,  amoug  the  old  ruling  family  of 
the  province.  Nor  were  the  English  settlers 
ignorant  of  his  promise.  In  the  parliament  held 
at  Castledermot  in  1377  they  granted  to  him  the 
customary  annual  tribute  paid  to  his  house. 
.  .  .  .  Art  M'Murrogh  the  younger  not  only  ex- 
tended the  bounds  of  his  inheritance  and  imposed 
tribute  on  the  English  settlers  in  adjoining  dis- 
tricts during  the  first  years  of  his  rule,  but  hav- 
ing married  a  noble  lady  of  the  'Pale,'  Elizabeth, 
heiress  to  the  barony  of  Norragh,  in  Kildare, 
which  included  Naas  and  its  neighborhood,  he 
claimed  her  inheritance  in  full,  though  forfeited 
under  'the  statute  of  Kilkenny,'  according  to 
English  notions.  So  necessary  did  it  seem  to 
the  deputy  and  council  of  the  day  to  conciliate 
their  formidable  neighbor,  that  they  addressed  a 
special  representation  to  King  Richard,  setting 
forth  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  adding  that 
M'Murrogh  threatened,  until  this  lady's  estates 
were  restored  and  the  arrears  of  tribute  due  to 
him  fully  discharged,  he  should  never  cease  from 
war,  'but  would  join  with  the  Earl  of  Desmond 
against  the  Earl  of  Ormond,  and  afterward  return 
with  a  great  force  out  of  Munster  to  ravage  the 
Countrj'. "...  By  this  time  the  banner  of 
Art  M'Murrogh  floated  over  all  the  castles  and 
raths  on  the  slope  of  the  Ridge  of  Leinster,  or 
the  steps  of  the  Blackstair  hills ;  while  the  for- 
ests along  the  Barrow  and  the  Upper  Slaney,  as 
well  as  in  the  plain  of  Carlow  and  in  the  south- 
western angle  of  Wicklow  (now  the  barony  of 
Shillelagh),  served  still  better  his  purposes  of 
defensive  warfare. 

"So  entirely  was  the  range  of  country  thus 
vaguely  defined  under  native  sway  that  John 
Griffin,  the  English  bishop  of  Leighlin  and 
chancellor  of  the  exchequer,  obtained  a  grant 
in  1389  of  the  town  of  Gulroestown,  in  the 
county  of  Dublin,  'near  the  marches  of  O'Toole, 
seeing  he  could  not  live  within  his  own  see  for 
the  rebels.'  In  1390,  Peter  Creagh,  Bishop  of 
Limerick,  on  his  way  to  attend  an  Anglo-Irish 
parliament,  was  taken  prisoner  in  that  region, 
and  in  consequence  the  usual  fine  was  remitted  in 
bis  favor.  In  1392,  James,  the  third  earl  of 
Ormond,  gave  M'Murrogh  a  severe  check  at  Tis- 


coffin,  near  Shankill,  where  six  hundred  of  his. 
clansmen  were  left  dead  among  the  hills. 

"This  defeat,  however,  was  thrown  into  the 
shade  by  the  capture  of  New  Ross,  on  the  very 
eve  of  Richard's  arrival  at  Waterford.  In  a 
previous  chapter  we  have  described  the  fortifica- 
tions erected  round  this  important  seaport 
toward  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  Since 
that  period  its  progress  had  been  steadily  on- 
ward. In  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Third  the 
controversy  which  had  long  subsisted  between 
the  merchants  of  New  Ross  and  those  of  Water- 
ford,  concerning  the  trade  monopolies  claimed 
by  the  latter,  had  been  decided  in  favor  of  Ross. 
At  this  period  it  could  muster  in  its  own  defense 
363  cross-bowmen,  .  1,200  long  bowmen,  1,200 
pikemen,  and  104  horsemen — a  force  which 
would  seem  to  place  it  second  to  Dublin  in  point 
of  military  strength.  The  cai)ture  of  so  impor- 
tant a  place  by  M'Murrogh  was  a  cheering  omen 
to  his  followers.  He  razed  the  walls  and  towers, 
and  carried  off  gold,  silver,  and  hostages." 

From  the  first  sentence  in  the  concluding  pas- 
sage of  the  foregoing  extract  it  will  be  gathered, 
that  it  was  at  this  juncture  the  vainglorious. 
Richard  made  his  first  visit  to  Ireland.  He  had 
just  recently  been  a  candidate  for  the  imperial 
throne  of  the  Germanic  empire,  and  had  been 
rejected  in  a  manner  most  wounding  to  his  pride. 
So  he  formed  the  project  of  visiting  Ireland  with 
a  display  of  pomp,  power,  and  royal  splendor, 
such  as  had  not  been  seen  in  Europe  for  a  long 
time,  and  would,  he  was  firmly  persuaded, 
enable  him  to  accomplish  the  complete  subjuga- 
tion of  the  Irish  kingdom  after  the  manner  of 
that  Roman  general  who  came  and  saw  and  con- 
quered. Early  in  October  he  landed  at  Water- 
ford  with  a  force  of  30,000  bowmen  and  4,000 
men-at-arms;  a  force  in  those  days  deemed 
ample  to  overrun  and  conquer  the  strongest  king- 
dom, and  far  exceeding  many  that  sufficed  to. 
change  the  fate  of  empires  previously  and  subse- 
quently in  Europe.  This  vast  army  was  trans- 
ported across  the  channel  in  a  fleet  of  some  three 
hundred  ships  or  galleys.  Great  pains  were 
taken  to  provide  the  expedition  with  all  the  ap- 
pliances and  features  of  impressive  pageantry ; 
and  in  the  king's  train,  as  usual,  came  the  chief 
nobles  of  England — his  uncle,  the  duke  of  Glos- 
ter,  the  young  earl  of  March  (heir  apparent),  and 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


71 


of  earls  and  lords  a  goodly  attendance,  besides 
several  prelates,  abbots,  and  other  ecclesiastical 
dignitaries.  But  with  this  vast  expedition  King 
Richard  accomplished  in  Ireland  just  as  much  as 
that  king  in  the  ballad,  who  "marched  up  the 
hill,  and  then  marched  down  again."  He  re- 
hearsed King  Henry  and  King  John  on  Irish  soil. 
The  Irish  princes  were  invited  to  visit  their 
"friend"  the  mighty  and  puissant  king  of  Eng- 
land. They  did  visit  him,  and  were  subjected, 
as  of  old,  to  the  "dazzling"  process.  They  were 
patronizingly  fondled;  made  to  understand  that 
their  magnanimous  suzei'ain  was  a  most  power- 
ful, and  most  grand,  and  most  gorgeous  poten- 
tate, own  brother  of  the  Sun  and  Moon.  They 
accepted  his  flattering  attentions ;  but  they  did 
not  altogether  so  clearly  understand  or  accept  a 
proposition  be  made  them  as  to  surrendering 
their  lands  and  chieftaincies  to  him,  and  receiv- 
ing, instead,  royal  pensions  and  English  titles 
from  his  most  gracious  hand.  Many  of  the  Irish 
princes  yielded,  from  one  motive  or  another,  to 
this  insidious  proposition.  But  foremost  among 
those  who  could  not  be  persuaded  to  see  the  ex- 
cellence of  this  arrangement  was  the  young 
prince  of  Leinster,  whose  fame  had  already  filled 
the  land,  and  whose  victories  had  made  the  Eng- 
lish king  feel  ill  at  ease.  Art  would  not  come  to 
"court"  to  reason  over  the  matter  with  the  bland 
and  puissant  king.  He  was  obdurate.  He  re- 
sisted all  "dazzling. "  He  mocked  at  the  royal 
pageants,  and  snapped  his  fingers  at  the  brother 
of  the  Sun  and  Moon.  All  this  was  keenly  mor- 
tifying to  the  vainglorious  Richard.  There  was 
nothing  for  it  but  to  send  a  royal  commissioner 
to  treat  with  Art.  He  accordingly  dispatched 
the  earl  marshal  (Mowbray)  to  meet  and  treat 
with  the  prince  of  Leinster.  On  the  plain  of 
Balligory,  near  Carlow,  the  conference  took  place, 
Art  being  accompanied  by  his  uncle  Malachi. 
The  earl  marshal  soon  found  that  he  had  in  Art  a 
statesman  as  well  as  a  soldier  to  treat  with.  Art 
proudly  refused  to  treat  with  an  inferior.  If  he 
was  to  treat  at  all,  it  should  be  with  the  king 
himself!  Mowbray  had  to  bend  to  this  humiliat- 
ing rebuff  and  try  to  palaver  the  stern  M'Mur- 
rogh.  In  vain!  Art's  final  answer  was,  that  "so 
far  from  yielding  his  own  lauds,  his  wife's  patri- 
mony in  Kildare  should  instantly  be  restored  to 
him;  or — "    Of  Course  this  broke  up  the  confer- 


ence. The  earl  marshal  returned  with  the  un- 
welcome news  to  the  king,  who  flew  into  rage ! 
What!  He,  the  great,  the  courtly,  the  puissant, 
and  gorgeous  King  Richard  of  England,  thus 
haughtily  treated  by  a  mere  Irish  prince!  By 
the  toenails  of  "William  the  Conqueror,  this  as- 
tounding conduct  should  meet  a  dreadful  chas- 
tisement! He  would  wipe  out  this  haughty 
prince!  The  defiant M'Murrogh  should  be  made 
to  feel  the  might  of  England's  royal  arm!  So, 
putting  himself  at  the  head  of  his  grand  army. 
King  Richard  set  out  wrathfuUy  to  annihilate 
Art. 

But  the  Legenian  chief  soon  taught  him  a  bit- 
ter lesson.  Art's  superior  military  genius,  the 
valor  of  his  troops,  and  the  patriotism  of  the 
population,  soon  caused  the  vastness  of  the  in- 
vading English  host  to  be  a  weakness,  not  a 
strength.  Richard  found  his  march  tedious  and 
tardy.  It  was  impossible  to  make  in  that 
strange  and  hostile  country  commissariat  ar- 
rangements for  such  an  enormous  army.  Im- 
penetrable forests  and  impassable  bogs  were 
varied  only  by  mountain  defiles  defended  with 
true  Spartan  heroism  by  the  fearless  M'Murrogh 
clansmen.  Then  the  weather  broke  into  severity 
awful  to  endure.  Fodder  for  the  horses,  food 
for  the  men,  now  became  the  sole  objects  of  each 
day's  labor  on  the  part  of  King  Richard's  grand 
army;  "but,"  says  the  historian,  "M'Murrogh 
swept  off  everything  of  the  nature  of  food — took 
advantage  of  his  knowledge  of  the  country  to 
burst  upon  the  enemy  by  night,  to  entrap  them 
into  ambuscades,  to  separate  the  cavalry  from  the 
foot,  and  by  many  other  stratagems  to  thin  their 
ranks  and  harass  the  stragglers."  In  fine,  King 
Richard's  splendid  army,  stuck  fast  in  the  Wick- 
low  mountains,  was  a  wreck :  while  the  vengeful 
and  victorious  Lagenians  hovered  around,  daily 
groAving  more  daring  in  their  disastrous  assaults. 
Richard  found  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to 
supplicate  Art,  and  obtain  peace  at  any  price. 
A  deputation  of  "the  English  and  Irish  of  Lein- 
ster" was  dispatched  to  him  by  the  king,  making 
humble  apologies  and  inviting  him  to  a  confer- 
ence with  bis  majesty  in  Dublin,  where,  if  he 
would  thus  honor  the  king,  he  should  be  the 
royal  guest,  and  learn  how  highly  his  valor  and 
wisdom  were  esteemed  by  the  English  sovei'eigu. 
Art  acceded,  and  permitted  Richard  to  make  his 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


way  in  peace  northward  to  Dublin,  crestfallen 
and  defeated,  with  the  relics  of  his  grand  army 
and  the  tattered  rags  of  the  gilt  silk  banners,  the 
crimson  canopies  and  other  regal  "properties" 
that  were  to  have  "dazzled"  the  sept  of  M'Mur- 
rogh. 

Art,  a  few  months  afterward  followed,  accord- 
ing to  invitation;  but  he  had  not  been  long  in 
Dublin — where  Richard  had  by  great  exertions 
once  more  established  a  royal  court  with  all  its 
splendors — when  he  found  himself  in .  the  hands 
of  treacherous  and  faithless  foes.  He  was  seized 
and  imprisoned  on  a  charge  of  "conspiring" 
against  the  king.  Nevertheless,  Richard  found 
that  he  dared  not  carry  out  the  base  plot  of 
which  this  was  meant  to  be  the  beginning.  He 
had  already  got  a  taste  of  what  he  might  expect 
if  he  relied  on  lighting  to  conquer  Ireland ;  and, 
on  reflection,  he  seems  to  have  decided  that  the 
overreaching  arts  of  diplomacy,  and  the  seduc- 
tions of  court  life  were  pleasanter  modes  of  ex- 
tending his  nominal  sway  than  conducting  cam- 
paigns like  that  in  which  he  had  alreadj'  lost  a 
splendid  army  and  tarnished  the  tinsel  of  his 
vain  prestige.  So  Art  was  eventually  set  at  lib- 
erty, but  three  of  his  neighboring  fellow-chief- 
tains were  retained  as  "hostages"  for  him;  and 
it  is  even  said  that  before  he  was  released  some 
form  or  promise  of  submission  was  extorted  from 
him  by  the  treacherous  "hosts"  who  had  so 
basely  violated  the  sanctity  of  hospitality  to 
which  he  had  frankly  trusted.  Not  long  after, 
an  attempt  was  made  to  entrap  and  murder  him 
in  one  of  the  Norman  border  castles,  the  owner 
of  which  had  invited  him  to  a  friendly  feast.  As 
M'Murrogh  was  sitting  down  to  the  banquet,  it 
happened  that  the  quick  eye  of  his  bard  detected 
in  the  courtyard  outside  certain  movements  of 
troops  that  told  him  at  once  what  was  afoot.  He 
knew  that  if  he  or  his  master  openly  and  sud- 
denly manifested  their  discovery  of  the  danger, 
they  were  lost;  their  perfidious  hosts  would  slay 
them  at  the  board.  Striking  his  harp  to  an  old 
Irish  air,  the  minstrel  commenced  to  sing  to  the 
music;  but  the  words  in  the  Gaelic  tongue  soon 
caught  the  ear  of  M'Murrogh.  They  warned 
him  to  be  calm,  circumspect,  yet  ready  and  reso- 
lute, for  that  he  was  in  the  toils  of  the  foe.  The 
prince  divined  all  in  an  instant.  He  maintained 
a  calm  demeanor  until,  seizing  a  favorable  pre- 


text for  reaching  the  yard,  he  sprang  to  horse, 
dashed  through  his  foes,  and,  sword  in  hand, 
hewed  his  way  to  freedom.  This  second  instance 
of  perfidy  completely  persuaded  M'Murrogh  that 
he  was  dealing  with  faithless  foes,  whom  no  bond 
of  honor  could  bind,  and  with  whom  no  truce 
was  safe ;  so,  unfurling  once  more  the  Lagenian 
standard,  he  declared  war  a  la  mort  against  the 
English  settlement. 

It  was  no  light  struggle  he  thus  inaugurated. 
Alone,  unaided,  he  challenged  and  fought  for 
twenty  years  the  full  power  of  England;  in  many 
a  dearly-bought  victory  proving  himself  truly 
worthy  of  his  reputation  as  a  master  of  military 
science.  The  ablest  generals  of  England  were 
one  by  one  sent  to  cope  with  him ;  but  Art  out- 
matched them  in  strategy  and  outstripped  them 
in  valor.  In  the  second  year's  campaign  the 
strongly -fortified  frontier  town  and  castle  of  Car- 
low  fell  before  him ;  and  in  the  next  year  (July 
20,  1398)  was  fought  the  memorable  battle  of 
Kenlis.  "Here,"  says  a  historian,  "fell  the  heir 
presumptive  to  the  English  crown,  whose  prema- 
ture removal  was  one  of  the  causes  which  con- 
tributed to  the  revolution  in  England  a  j-ear  or 
two  later.  "*  We  can  well  credit  the  next  suc- 
ceeding observation  of  the  historian  just  quoted, 
that  "the  tidings  of  this  event  filled  the  Pale  with 
consternation,  and  thoroughly  aroused  the  vin- 
dictive temper  of  Richard.  He  at  once  dis- 
patched to  Dublin  his  half-brother,  the  Earl  of 
Kent,  to  whom  he  made  a  gift  of  Carlow  castle 
and  town,  to  be  held  (if  taken)  by  knight's  serv- 
ice. He  then,  as  much  perhaps  to  give  occupa- 
tion to  the  minds  of  his  people  as  to  prosecute 
his  old  project  of  subduing  Ireland,  began  to 
make  preparations  for  his  second  expedition 
thither." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

HOW  THE  VAINGLOEIOUS  ENGLISH  KING  TRIED  ANOTHER 
CAMPAIGN  AGAINST  THE  INVINCIBLE  IRISH  PRINCE, 
AND  WAS  UTTERLY  DEFEATED  AS  BEFORE. 

Of  this  second  expedition  of  King  Richard 
there  is  extant  an  account  written  by  a  French- 
man who  was  in  his  train.  In  all  its  main  fea- 
tures expedition  number  two  was  a  singular 
repetition  of  expedition  number  one;  vastprepa- 

♦  M'Gee. 


THE  STORY 

rations  and  levies  of  men  and  materials,  ships 
and  armaments,  as  if  for  the  invasion  and  sub- 
jugation of  one  of  the  most  powerful  empires  of 
the  world;  gorgeous  trappings,  courtly  attend- 
ants, and  all  the  necessaries  for  renewed  experi- 
ments with  the  royal  "dazzling"  policy.  Land- 
ing at  Waterford,  Richard,  at  the  head  of  his 
panoplied  host,  marched  against  M'Murrogh, 
who,  to  a  lofty  and  magniloquent  invitation  to 
seek  the  king's  gracious  clemency,  had  rudely 
replied,  "that  he  would  neither  submit  to 
nor  obey  him  in  any  way ;  and  that  he  would 
never  cease  from  war  and  the  defense  of  his 
country  until  his  death."  To  the  overawing 
force  of  the  English  king.  Art  had,  as  the  French 
narrator  informs  us,  just  "three  thousand  hardy 
men,  who  did  not  appear  to  be  much  afraid  of 
the  English."  M'Murrogh 's  tactics  were  those 
which  had  stood  in  such  good  stead  on  the  previ- 
ous occasion.  He  removed  all  the  cattle  and 
corn,  food  and  fodder  of  every  kind,  as  well  as 
the  women,  children,  aged,  and  heli)less  of  his 
people,  into  the  interior,  while  he  himself,  at  the 
head  of  his  Spartan  band,  "few,  but  undis- 
mayed,"  took  up  a  position  at  Idrone  awaiting 
the  invaders.  Once  more  Richard  found  his 
huge  army  entangled  in  impenetrable  forests, 
hemmed  in  by  bogs,  morass,  and  mountain — 
M'Murrogh  fighting  and  retiring  with  deadly 
craft  to  draw  him  deeper  and  deeper  into  diflS- 
culty,  "harassing  him  dreadfully,  carrying  oflf 
everything  fit  for  food  for  man  or  beast,  surpris- 
ing and  slaying  his  foragers,  and  filling  his  camp 
nightly  with  alarm  and  blood."  A  crumb  of 
consolation  greatly  regarded  by  the  mortified 
and  humiliated  English  king  was  the  appearance 
one  daj'  in  his  camp  of  Art's  uncle  giving  in  sub- 
mission, supplicating  for  himself  "pardon  and 
favor. "  This  Richard  only  too  joyfully  granted ; 
and,  allowing  the  incident  to  persuade  him  that 
Art  himself  might  also  be  wavering,  a  royal  mes- 
sage was  sent  to  the  Leinster  prince  assuring  him 
of  free  pardon,  and  "castles  and  lands  in  abun- 
dance elsewhere, "  if  only  he  would  submit.  The 
Frenchman  records  M'Murrogh 's  reply:  "Mac- 
Mor  told  the  king's  people  that  for  all  the  gold 
in  the  world  he  would  not  submit  himself,  but 
would  continue  to  war  and  endamage  the  king  in 
all  that  he  could."  This  ruined  Richard's  last 
hope  of  anything  like  a  fair  pretext  for  abandon- 


OF  IRELAND.  73 

ing  his  enterprise.  He  now  relinquished  all  idea 
of  assailing  M'Murrogh,  and  marched  as  best  he 
could  toward  Dublin,  his  army  meanwhile  suffer- 
ing fearfully  from  famine.  After  some  days  of 
dreadful  privation  they  reached  the  seashore  at 
Arklow,  where  ships  with  provisions  from  Dublin 
awaited  them.  The  soldiers  rushed  into  the  sea 
to  reach  at  the  food,  fought  for  it  ravenously, 
and  drank  all  the  wine  they  could  seize.  Soon 
after  this  timely  relief,  a  still  more  welcome 
gleam  of  fortune  fell  upon  the  English  host.  A 
messenger  arrived  from  Art  expressing  his  will- 
ingness to  meet  some  accredited  ambassador  from 
the  king  and  discuss  the  matters  at  issue  between 
them.  Whereupon,  says  the  chronicler,  there 
was  great  joy  in  the  English  camp.  The  Earl  of 
Gloster  was  at  once  dispatched  to  treat  with  Art. 
The  French  knight  was  among  the  earl's  escort, 
and  witnessed  the  meeting,  of  which  he  has  left 
a  quaint  description.  He  describes  Art  as  a 
"fine  large  man,  wondrously  active.  To  look  at 
him  he  seemed  very  stern  and  savage  and  a  very 
able  man."  The  horse  which  Art  rode  especially 
transfixed  the  Frenchman's  gaze.  He  declares, 
that  a  steed  more  exquisitely  beautiful,  more 
marvelously  fleet,  he  had  never  beheld.  "In 
coming  down  it  galloped  so  hard,  that,  in  my 
opinion,  I  never  saw  hare,  deer,  sheep,  or  any 
other  animal,  I  declare  to  you  for  a  certainty, 
run  with  such  speed  as  it  did."  This  horse  Art 
rode  "without  housing  or  saddle,"  yet  sat  like  a 
king,  and  guided  with  utmost  ease  in  the  most 
astounding  feats  of  horsemanship.  "He  and  the 
earl,"  the  Frenchman  tells,  "exchanged  much 
discourse,  but  did  not  come  to  agreement.  They 
took  short  leave  and  hastily  parted.  Each  took 
his  way  apart,  and  the  earl  returned  to  King 
Richard."  The  announcement  brought  by  his 
ambassador  was  a  sore  disappointment  to  the 
king.  Art  would  only  agree  to  "peace  without 
reserve;"  "otherwise  he  will  never  come  to 
agreement."  "This  speech,"  continues  the 
Frenchman,  "was  not  agreeable  to  the  king.  It 
appeared  to  me  that  his  face  grew  pale  with 
anger.  He  swore  in  great  wrath  by  St.  Bernard 
that  no,  never  would  he  depart  from  Ireland  till, 
alive  or  dead,  he  had  him  in  his  power." 

Rash  oath — soon  broken.  Little  thought 
Richard  when  he  so  hotly  swore  against  Art  in 
such  impotent  anger  that  he  would  have  to  quit 


THE  STORY 


OF  IRELAND. 


Ireland,  leaving  Art  free,  unconquered,  and  defi- 
ant, while  be  returned  to  England  only  to  find 
himself  a  cro-wnless  monarch,  deposed  and  friend- 
less, in  a  fevr  brief  days  subsequently  to  meet  a 
treacherous  cruel  death  in  Pontefract  castle ! 

All  this,  however,  though  near  at  hand,  was  as 
yet  in  the  unforeseen  future;  and  Richard,  on 
reaching  Dublin,  devoted  himself  once  more  to 
"dazzling"  revels  there.  But  while  he  feasted 
he  forgot  not  his  hatred  of  the  indomitable 
M'Murrogh.  "A  hundred  marks  in  pure  gold" 
were  publicly  proclaimed  by  the  king  to  any  one 
who  should  bring  to  him  in  Dublin,  alive  or 
dead,  the  defiant  prince  of  Leinster;  against 
whom,  moreover,  the  army,  divided  into  three 
divisions,  were  dispatched  upon  a  new  campaign. 
Soon  the  revels  and  marchings  were  abruptly  in- 
terrupted by  sinister  news  from  England.  A 
formidable  rebellion  had  broken  out  there, 
headed  hy  the  banished  Lancaster.  Richard 
marched  southward  with  all  speed  to  take  ship- 
ping at  Waterford,  collecting  on  the  way  the 
several  divisions  of  his  army.  He  embarked  for 
England,  but  arrived  too  late.  His  campaign 
against  Art  M'Murrogh  had  cost  him  his  crown, 
eventually  his  life ;  had  changed  the  dynasty  in 
England,  and  seated  the  house  of  Lancaster  upon 
the  throne. 

For  eighteen  years  subsequently  the  invincible 
Art  reigned  over  his  inviolate  territory ;  his 
cai-eer  to  the  last  being  a  record  of  brilliant 
victories  over  every  expedition  sent  against  it. 
As  we  wade  through  the  crowded  annals  of  those 
3'ears,  his  name  is  ever  found  in  connection  with 
some  gallant  achievement. 

"Wherever  else  the  fight  is  found  going  against 
Ireland,  whatever  hand  falters  or  falls  in  the  un- 
broken struggle,  in  the  mountains  of  Wicklow 
there  is  one  stout  arm,  one  bold  heart,  one  glor- 
ious intellect,  ever  nobly  daring  and  bravely 
conquering  in  the  cause  of  native  land.  Art, 
"whose  activity  defied  the  chilling  effects  of  age, 
poured  his  cohorts  through  ScuUoge  Gap  on  the 
garrisons  of  AYexford,  taking  in  rapid  succession 
in  one  campaign  (1406)  the  castles  of  Camolins, 
Ferns,  and  Enniscorthy.  A  few  years  subse- 
quently his  last  great  battle,  probably  the  most 
serious  engagement  of  his  life,  was  fought  by 
birn  against  the  whole  force  of  the  Pale  under 
the  walls  of  Dublin.    The  duke  of  Lancaster,  son 


of  the  king  and  lord  lieutenant  of  Ireland,  issued 
orders  for  the  concentration  of  a  powerful  army 
for  an  expedition  southward  against  M'Murrogb's 
allies.  But  M'Murrogh  and  the  mountaineers 
of  Wicklow  now  felt  themselves  strong  enough  to 
take  the  iniative.  They  crossed  the  plain  which 
lies  to  the  north  of  Dublin  and  encamped  at 
Kilmainham,  where  Roderick,  when  be  besieged 
the  city,  and  Brian  before  the  battle  of  Clontarf, 
had  pitched  their  tents  of  old.  The  English  and 
Anglo-Irish  forces,  under  the  eye  of  their  prince, 
marched  out  to  dislodge  them  in  four  divisions. 
The  first  was  led  hy  the  duke  in  person ;  the  sec- 
ond by  the  veteran  knight,  Jenicho  d'Artois; 
the  third  by  Sir  Edward  Perrers,  an  English 
knight;  and  the  fourth  bj'  Sir  Thomas  Butler, 
prior  of  the  order  of  St.  John,  afterward  created 
by  Henry  the  Fifth,  for  bis  distinguished  serv- 
ice, earl  of  Kilmain.  With  M'Murrogh  were 
O'Byrne,  O'Nolan,  and  other  chiefs,  beside  bis 
sons,  nephews,  and  relatives.  The  numbers  on 
each  side  could  hardly  fall  short  of  ten  thousand 
men,  and  the  action  may  be  fairly  considered  one 
of  the  most  decisive  of  those  times.  The  duke 
was  carried  back  wounded  into  Dublin ;  the  slopes 
of  Inchicore  and  the  valley  of  the  Liffey  were 
strewn  with  the  dying  and  the  dead ;  the  river  at 
that  point  obtained  from  the  Leinster  Irish  the 
name  of  Athcroe,  or  the  ford  of  slaughter;  the 
widowed  city  was  filled  with  lamentation  and 
dismay. " 

This  was  the  last  endeavor  of  the  English 
power  against  Art.  "While  he  lived  no  further 
attacks  were  made  upon  his  kindred  or  country." 
He  was  not,  alas!  destined  to  enjoy  long  the 
peace  he  had  thus  conquered  from  his  powerful 
foes  by  a  forty -four  years'  war!  On  January 
12,  1417,  he  died  at  Ross  in  the  sixtieth  year  of 
bis  age,  many  of  the  chroniclers  attributing 
bis  death  to  poison  administered  in  a  drink. 
Whether  the  enemies  whom  he  bad  so  often  van- 
quished in  the  battlefield  resorted  to  such  foul 
means  of  accomplishing  bis  removal,  is,  bow- 
ever,  only  a  matter  of  suspicion,  resting  mainly 
on  the  fact  that  his  chief  brehon,  O'Doran, 
who  with  him  bad  partaken  of  a  drink  given 
them  by  a  woman  on  the  wayside  as  they  passed, 
also  died  on  the  same  day,  and  was  attacked  with 
like  symptoms.  Leeches'  skill  was  vain  to  save 
the  heroic  chief.    His  grief-stricken  people  fol- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


75 


lowed  him  to  the  grave,  well  knowing  and  keenly 
feeling  that  in  him  thej'  had  lost  their  invincible 
tower  of  defense.  He  had  been  called  to  the 
chieftaincy  of  Leinster  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen 
years ;  and  on  the  very  threshold  of  his  career 
had  to  draw  the  sword  to  defend  the  integrity  of 
his  principality.  From  that  hour  to  the  last  of 
his  battles,  more  than  forty  years  subsequent,  he 
proved  himself  one  of  the  most  consummate  mili- 
tary tacticians  of  his  time.  Again  and  again  he 
met  and  defeated  the  proudest  armies  of  Eng- 
land, led  by  the  ablest  generals  of  the  age.  "He 
was,"  say  the  Four  Masters,  "a  man  distin- 
guished for  his  hospitality,  knowledge,  and  feats 
of  arms ;  a  man  full  of  prosperity  and  royalty ;  a 
founder  of  churches  and  monasteries  by  his 
bounties  and  contributions."  In  fine,  our  his- 
tory enumerates  no  braver  soldier,  no  nobler 
character,  than  Art  M'Murrogh  "Kavanagh," 
prince  of  Leinster. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

HOW  THE  CIVIL  WARS  IN  ENGLAND  LEFT  THE  ANGLO- 
IRISH  COLONY  TO  RUIN.  HOW  THE  IRISH  DID  NOT 
GRASP  THE  OPPORTUNITY  OF  EASY  LIBERATION. 

Within  the  hundred  years  next  succeeding  the 
•events  we  have  just  traced — the  period  embraced 
between  1420  and  1.520 — England  was  convulsed 
by  the  great  civil  war  of  the  White  and  Red 
Roses,  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster.  Irish 
history  during  the  same  period  being  chiefly  a 
record  of  the  contest  for  mastery  between  the 
two  principal  families  of  the  Pale — the  Butlers 
and  the  Geraldines.  During  this  protracted 
civil  struggle,  which  bathed  England  in  blood, 
the  colony  in  Ireland  had,  of  course,  to  be  left 
very  much  to  its  own  resources;  and,  as  a  nat- 
ural consequence,  its  dimensions  gradually  con- 
tracted, or  rather  it  ceased  to  have  any  defined 
boundary  at  all,  and  the  merest  exertion  on  the 
part  of  the  Irish  must  have  sufficed  to  sweep  it 
away  completely.  Here  was,  in  fine,  the  oppor- 
tunity of  opportunities  for  the  native  population, 
had  they  but  been  in  a  position  to  avail  of  it,  or 
had  they  been  capable  of  profiting  by  any  oppor- 
tunity, to  accomplish  with  scarcely  an  effort  the 
complete  deliverance  of  their  country.  England 
was  powerless  for  aggression,  torn,  distracted, 
■wasted,   paralyzed,  by  a  protracted  civil  war. 


The  lords  of  the  Pale  were  equally  disunited  and 
comparatively  helpless.  One-hundredth  part  of 
the  exertion  put  forth  so  bravely,  yet  so  vainly, 
by  the  native  princes  in  the  time  of  Donald 
O'Neill  and  Robert  Bruce  would  have  more  than 
sufficed  them  now  to  sweep  from  the  land  every 
vestige  of  foreign  rule.  The  chain  hung  so 
loosely  that  they  had  but  to  arise  and  shake  it 
from  their  limbs.  They  literally  needed  but  to 
will  it,  and  they  were  free! 

Yet  not  an  eiSort,  not  a  movement,  not  a  mo- 
tion, during  all  this  time — while  this  supreme 
opportunity  was  passing  away  forever — was  made 
by  the  native  Irish  to  grasp  the  prize  thus  almost 
thrust  into  their  hand — the  prize  of  national 
freedom !  They  had  boldly  and  bravely  striven 
for  it  before,  when  no  such  opportunity  invited 
them ;  thej'  were  subsequently  to  strive  for  it  yet 
again  with  valor  and  daring  as  great,  when  every 
advantage  would  be  arrayed  against  them.  But 
now,  at  the  moment  when  they  had  but  to  reach 
out  their  hand  and  grasp  the  object  of  all  their 
endeavors,  they  seemed  dead  to  all  conceptions 
of  duty  or  policy.  The  individual  chiefs,  north, 
south,  east,  and  west,  lived  on  in  the  usual  way. 
They  fought  each  other  or  the  neighboring 
Anglo-Norman  lord  just  as  usual,  or  else  they 
enjoyed  as  a  pleasant  diversification  a  spell  of 
tranquility,  peace,  and  friendship.  In  the  rela- 
tions between  the  Pale  and  the  Irish  ground 
there  was,  for  the  time,  no  regular  government 
"policy"  of  any  kind  on  either  hand.  Each 
Anglo-Norman  lord,  and  each  Irish  chieftain,  did 
very  much  as  he  himself  pleased;  made  peace  or 
war  with  his  neighbors,  or  took  any  side  he 
listed  in  the  current  conflicts  of  the  period. 
Some  of  the  Irish  princes  do  certainly  appear  to 
have  turned  this  time  of  respite  to  a  good  ac- 
count, if  not  for  national  interests,  for  other  not 
less  sacred  interests.  Many  of  them  employed 
their  lives  during  this  century  in  rehabilitating 
religion  and  learning  in  all  their  pristine  power 
and  grandeur.  Science  and  literature  once  more 
began  to  flourish ;  and  the  shrines  of  Rome  and 
Compostello  were  thronged  with  pilgrim  chiefs 
and  princes,  paying  their  vows  of  faith,  from 
the  Western  Isle.  Within  this  period  lived  Mar- 
garet of  Offaly,  the  beautiful  and  accomplished 
queen  of  O'Carroll,  king  of  EI3'.  She  and  her 
husband  were  munificent  patrons  of  literature. 


THE  STORY 


OF  IRELAND. 


art,  and  science.  On  Queen  Margaret's  special 
invitation  the  literati  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  to 
the  number  of  nearly  three  thousand,  held  a 
"session"  for  the  furtherance  of  literary  and 
scientific  interests,  at  her  palace,  near  Killeagh, 
in  Offaly,  the  entire  assemblage  being  the  guests 
of  the  king  and  queen  during  their  stay.  "The 
nave  of  the  great  church  of  Da  Sinchell  was  con- 
verted for  the  occasion  into  a  banqueting  hall, 
■where  Margaret  herself  inaugurated  the  proceed- 
ing hy  placing  two  massive  chalices  of  gold,  as 
offerings,  on  the  high  altar,  and  committing  two 
orphan  children  to  the  charge  of  nurses  to  be 
fostered  at  her  charge.  Robed  in  cloth  of  gold, 
this  illustrious  lady,  who  was  as  distinguished 
for  her  beauty  as  for  her  generosity,  sat  in 
queenly  state  in  one  of  the  galleries  of  the 
church,  surrounded  by  the  clergy,  the  brehons, 
and  her  private  friends,  shedding  a  luster  on  the 
scene  which  was  passing  below,  while  her  hus- 
band, who  had  often  encountered  England's 
greatest  generals  in  battle,  remained  mounted  on 
a  charger  outside  the  church  to  bid  the  guests 
welcome,  and  see  that  order  was  preserved.  The 
invitations  were  issued,  and  the  guests  arranged, 
according  to  a  list  prepared  by  O'Connor's  chief 
brehon ;  and  the  second  entertainment,  which 
took  place  at  Rathangan,  was  a  supplemented 
one,  to  embrace  such  men  of  learning  as  had  not 
been  brought  together  at  the  former  feast." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

HOW  THE  NEW  ELEMENT    OF    ANTAGONISM    CAME  INTO 

THE    STRUGGLE  HOW    THE    ENGLISH    KING  AND 

NATION  ADOPTED  A  NEW  BELIGION,  AND  HOW  THE 
IRISH  HELD  FAST  BY  THE  OLD. 

The  time  was  now  at  hand  when,  to  the  exist- 
ing elements  of  strife  and  hatred  between  the 
Irish  and  the  English  nations,  there  was  to  be 
added  one  more  fierce  than  all  the  rest;  one 
bitterly  intensifying  the  issues  of  battle  already 
knit  with  such  deadly  vehemence  between  the  Celt 
and  the  Saxon.  Christendom  was  being  rent  in 
twain  by  a  terrible  convulsion.  A  new  religion  bad 
flung  aloft  the  standard  of  revolt  and  revolution 
against  the  successors  of  St.  Peter;  and  the 
Christian  world  was  being  divided  into  two  hos- 
tile camps — of  the  old  faith  and  the  new.  This 


was  not  the  mere  agitation  of  new  theories  of' 
subverting  tendencies,  pushed  and  preached  with 
vehemence  to  the  overturning  of  the  old;  but 
the  crash  of  a  politico-religious  revolution, 
bursting  like  the  eruption  of  a  volcano,  and  as 
suddenly  spreading  confusion  and  change  far 
and  wide.  The  political  policy  and  the  personal 
aims  and  interests  of  kings  and  princes  gave  to 
the  new  doctrines  at  their  very  birth  a  range  of 
dominion  greater  than  original  Christianity 
itself  had  been  able  to  attain  in  a  century. 
Almost  instantaneously,  princes  and  magnates 
grasped  at  the  new  theories  according  as  per- 
sonal or  state  policy  dictated.  To  each  and  all 
of  them  those  theories  offered  one  most  tempting 
and  invaluable  advantage —  supremacy,  spiritual 
and  temporal,  unshadowed,  unrestrained,  unac- 
countable, and  irresponsible  on  earth.  No  more 
of  vexing  conflicts  with  the  obstinate  Roman 
Pontiffs.  No  more  of  supplications  to  the  Holy 
See  "with  whispering  breath  and  bated  humble- 
ness," if  a  divorce  was  needed  or  a  new  wife 
sighted  while  yet  the  old  one  was  alive.  No 
more  humiliating  submissions  to  the  penances  or 
conditions  imposed  by  that  antique  tribunal  in 
the  Eternal  City ;  but  each  one  a  king,  spiritual 
as  well  as  temporal,  in  his  own  dominions.  TVho 
would  not  hail  such  a  system  ?  There  was  per- 
haps not  one  among  the  kings  of  Europe  who  had 
not,  at  one  time  or  another,  been  made  to  feel 
unpleasantly  the  restraint  put  on  him  by  the 
pope,  acting  either  as  spiritual  pontiff  or  in  his 
capacity  of  chief  arbiter  in  the  disputes  of  the 
Christian  family.  Sometimes,  though  rarely, 
this  latter  function — entirely  of  human  origin 
and  authorit3' — seemed  to  sink  into  mere  state 
policy,  and  like  all  human  schemes,  had  its  vary- 
ing characteristics  of  good  and  ill.  But  that 
which  most  frequently  brought  the  Popes  into 
conflict  with  the  civil  rulers  of  the  world  was  the 
striving  of  the  Holy  See  to  mitigate  the  evils  of 
villeinage  or  serfdom  appertaining  to  the  feudal 
system;  to  restrain  by  the  spiritual  authority 
the  lawless  violence  and  passion  of  feudal  lords 
and  kings;  and,  above  all,  to  maintain  the  sanc- 
tity and  invioliability  of  the  marriage  tie, 
whether  in  the  cottage  of  the  bondman  or  in  the- 
palace  of  the  king.  To  mau^'  of  the  European 
sovereigns,  therefore,  the  newly  propounded 
system    (which   I   am   viewing    solely   as  it 


\ 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


77 


affected  the  public  policy  of  individual  princes, 
prescinding  entirely  from  its  doctrinal  aspect) 
held  forth  powerful  attractions;  yet  among  the 
Teutonic  principalities  by  the  Rhine  alone  was 
it  readily  embraced  at  first. 

So  far,  identity  of  faith  had  prevailed  between 
England  and  Ireland ;  albeit  English  churchmen 
— archbishops,  bishops,  priests,  and  monks — 
waged  the  national  war  in  their  own  way  against 
the  Irish  hierarchy,  clergy,  and  people,  as  hotly 
as  the  most  implacable  of  the  military  chiefs. 
With  the  cessation  of  the  civil  war  in  England, 
and  the  restoration  of  English  national  power 
during  the  reign  of  the  seventh  Henry,  the 
state  policy  of  strengthening  and  extending  the 
English  colony  in  Ireland  was  vigoi'ously  re- 
sumed ;  and  the  period  which  witnessed  the  out- 
break of  the  religious  revolution  in  Gei'many 
found  the  sensual  and  brutal  Henry  the  Eighth 
engaged  in  a  savage  war  upon  the  Irish  nation. 
Henry  early  entered  the  lists  against  the  new 
doctrines.  He  wrote  a  controversial  pamphlet 
in  refutation  of  Luther's  dogmas,  and  was  re- 
warded therefor  by  an  encomiastic  letter  from 
the  pope  conferring  on  him  the  title  of  "De- 
fender of  the  Faith. ' '  Indeed,  ever  since  the  time 
of  Adrian,  the  popes  had  always  been  wondrously 
friendly  toward  the  English  kings;  much  too 
ready  to  give  them  "aid  and  comfort"  in  their 
schemes  of  Irish  subjugation,  and  much  too  little 
regardful  of  the  heroic  people  that  were  battling 
so  persistently  in  defence  of  their  nationality. 
A  terrible  lesson  was  now  to  awaken  Rome  to 
remorse  and  sorrow.  The  power  she  had  aided 
and  sanctioned  in  those  schemes  was  to  turn 
from  her  with  unblushing  apostasy,  and  become 
the  most  deadly  and  malignant  of  her  foes ;  while 
that  crushed  and  broken  nation  whom  she  had 
uninquiringly  given  up  to  be  the  prey  of  merci- 
less invaders,  was  to  shame  this  ingratitude  and 
perfidy  by  a  fidelity  and  devotedness  not  to  be 
surpassed  in  the  history  of  the  woi'ld. 

Henrj' — a  creature  of  mere  animal  passions — 
tired  of  his  lawful  wife,  and  desired  another. 
He  applied  to  Rome  for  a  divorce.  He  was,  of 
course,  refused.  He  pressed  his  application 
again  in  terms  that  but  too  plainly  foreshadowed 
to  the  supreme  pontiff  what  the  result  of  a  re- 
fusal might  be.  It  was,  no  doubt,  a  serious  con- 
tingency for  the  Holy  See  to  contemplate — the 


defection  to  the  new  religion  of  a  king  and  a 
nation  so  powerful  as  the  English.  In  fact,  it 
would  give  to  the  new  creed  a  status  and  a  power 
it  otherwise  would  not  possess.  To  avert  this 
disaster  to  Catholicity,  it  was  merely  required  to 
wrong  one  woman ;  merely  to  permit  a  lustful 
king  to  have  his  way,  and  sacrifice  to  his  brute 
passions  his  helpless  wife.  With  full  conscious- 
ness, however,  of  all  that  the  refusal  implied,  the 
Holy  See  refused  to  permit  to  a  king  that  which 
could  not  be  permitted  to  the  humblest  of  his 
subjects — refused  to  allow  a  wife's  rights  to  be 
sacrificed,  even  to  save  to  the  side  of  Catholicity 
for  three  centuries  the  great  and  powerful  Eng- 
lish nation. 

Henry  had  an  easy  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 
According  to  the  new  system,  he  would  have  no 
need  to  incur  such  mortifying  refusals  from  this 
intractable,  antiquated,  and  unprogressive  tribu- 
nal at  Rome,  but  could  grant  to  himself  divorces 
and  dispensations"  ad  libitum.  So  he  threw  off 
the  pope's  authority,  embraced  the  new  religion, 
and  helped  himself  to  a  new  wife  as  often  as  he 
pleased ;  merely  cutting  off  the  head  of  the  dis- 
carded one  after  he  had  granted  himself  a  divorce 
from  her. 

In  a  country  where  feudal  institutions  and 
ideas  prevailed,  a  king  who  could  appease  the 
lords  carried  the  nation.  In  England,  at  this 
period,  the  masses  of  the  people,  though  for 
some  time  past  by  the  letter  of  the  law  freed  from 
villeinage,  were  still,  practically,  the  creatures  of 
the  lords  and  barons,  and  depended  upon,  looked 
up  to,  and  followed  them  with  the  olden  stolid 
docility.  Henry,  of  course,  though  he  might 
himself  have  changed  as  he  listed,  could  never 
have  carried  the  nation  over  with  him  into  the 
new  creed,  had  he  not  devised  a  means  for  giving 
the  lords  and  barons  also  a  material  interest  in 
the  change.  This  he  effected  by  sharing  with 
them  the  rich  plunder  of  the  church.  Few 
among  the  English  nobility  were  proof  against 
the  great  temptations  of  kingly  favor  and  princely 
estates,  and  the  great  perils  of  kingly  anger  and 
confiscations.  For,  in  good  truth,  even  at  a  verj' 
earlj'  stage  of  the  business,  to  hesitate  was  to 
lose  life  as  well  as  possessions,  inasmuch  as 
Henry  unceremoniously  chopped  off  the  heads  of 
those  who  wavered  or  refused  to  join  him  in  the 
new  movement.     The  feudal   system  carried 


78  THE  STORY 

Eusrlaud  bodily  over  with  the  king.  Once  he 
was  able  to  get  to  his  side  (by  proposing  liberal 
bribes  out  of  the  plundered  abbey  lands)  a 
sufficient  number  of  the  nobles,  the  game  was  all 
in  his  hands.  The  people  counted  for  nothing 
in  such  a  system.  They  went  with  their  lords, 
like  the  cattle  stock  on  the  estates.  The  English 
bishops,  mostly  scions  of  the  noble  houses,  were 
not  greatb'  behind  in  the  corrupt  and  cowardly 
acceptance  of  the  king's  scheme;  but  there  were 
in  the  episcopacy  noble  and  glorious  exceptions 
to  this  spectacle  of  baseness.  The  body  of  the 
clergy,  too,  made  a  brave  struggle  for  a  time ; 
but  the  king  and  the  nobles  made  light  of  what 
they  could  do.  A  brisk  application  of  the  ax 
and  the  block — a  rattling  code  of  penalties  for 
premunire  and  so  forth — and  soon  the  trouble- 
some priests  were  all  either  killed  off  or  ban- 
ished. 

But  now,  thought  Henrj-,  what  of  Ireland! 
How  is  the  revolution  likely  to  be  received  by 
the  English  colony  there?  In  truth,  it  was  quite 
a  ticklish  consideration;  and  Henry  appears  to 
have  apprehended  very  nearly  that  which  actually 
resulted — namely,  that  in  proportion  as  the 
Anglo-Irish  lords  had  become  hibernicized,  they 
would  resist  that  revolution,  and  stand  by  the 
old  faith ;  while  those  of  them  least  imbued  with 
Irish  sentiment  would  proportionately  be  on  his 
side. 

Among  the  former,  and  of  all  others  most 
coveted  now  and  feared  for  their  vast  influence 
and  power,  were  the  Geraldines.  Scions  of  that 
great  house  had  been  among  the  earliest  to  drop 
their  distinctive  character  as  Anglo-Norman 
lords,  and  become  Anglo-Irish  chiefs — adopting 
the  institutions,  laws,  language,  manners,  and 
customs  of  the  native  Irish.  For  years  the  head 
of  the  family  had  been  kept  on  the  side  of  the 
English  power,  simply  by  confiding  to  him  its 
supreme  control  in  Ireland ;  but  of  the  Irish  sym- 
pathies of  Clan  Gerald,  Henry  had  misgivings 
sore,  and  ruefully  suspected  now  that  it  would 
lead  the  van  in  a  powerful  struggle  in  Ireland 
against  his  politico-religious  revolution.  In 
fact,  at  the  very  moment  in  which  he  was  plung- 
ing into  his  revolt  against  the  pope,  a  rebellion, 
led  by  a  Geraldine  cliief,  was  shaking  to  its 
foundations  the  English  power  in  Ireland — the 
rebellion  of  "Silken  Thomas." 


3F  IRELAND. 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

"those  GER.\.LDINES  !     THOSE  GERALDINES  !  " 

The  history  of  the  Geraldine  family  is  a  per- 
fect romance,  and  in  many  respects  outrivals  the 
creations  of  fiction.  From  the  earliest  period  of 
their  settlement  in  Ireland  they  attained  to  a 
position  of  almost  kingly  power,  and  for  full  five 
hundred  years  were  the  foremost  figui'es  in 
Anglo-Irish  history.  Yet  with  what  changing 
fortunes!  Now  vice-kings  reigning  in  Dublin, 
their  vast  estates  stretching  from  Maynooth  to 
Lixnaw,  their  strong  castles  sentineling  the  land 
from  sea  to  sea!  Anon  captive  victims  of  at- 
tainder, sti'ipped  of  every  earthly  honor  and 
possession ;  to-day  in  the  dungeon,  to-morrow 
led  to  the  scaffold!  Now  a  numerous  and  power- 
ful family — a  fruitful,  strong,  and  wide-spread- 
ing tree. 

Anon  hewn  down  to  earth,  or  plucked 
up  seemingly  root  and  branch,  beyond  the  pos- 
sibility of  further  existence;  yet  mysteriously 
preserved  and  budding  forth  from  some  single 
seedling  to  new  and  greater  power!  Often  the 
Geraldine  stock  seemed  extinct;  frequently  its 
jealous  enemies — the  English  king  or  his  favor- 
ites— made  safe  and  sure  (as  they  thought)  that 
the  dangerous  line  was  extirpated.  Yet  as  fre- 
quently- did  thej'  find  it  miraculously  resurgent, 
grasping  all  its  ancient  power  and  renewing  all 
its  ancient  glory. 

At  a  very  early  period  the  Geraldine  line  was 
very  nearly  cut  off  forever,  but  was  preserved  in 
the  person  of  one  infant  child,  under  circum- 
stances worthy  of  narration.  In  the  year  1261  a 
pitched  battle  was  fought  between  the  justiciary. 
Lord  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  and  the  MaeCarthy 
More,  at  a  glen  a  few  miles  east  of  Kenmare  in 
KenT-  It  was  a  formidable  engagement,  in 
which  each  side  put  forth  all  its  resources  of 
military  generalship  and  strength  of  levies.  The 
Irish  commander  completely  outgeneraled  the 
Normans.  At  the  close  of  a  protracted  and 
sanguinary  battle  they  were  roiited  with  fear- 
ful slaughter.  Lord  Thomas  being  mortally 
wounded,  and  his  son,  beside  numerous  barons 
and  knights,  left  dead  upon  the  field.  "Alas!" 
continues  the  narrative  of  O'Daly  (who  wrote  in 
the  year  1(555),  "the  whole  family  of  the  Geral- 
dines had  well-nigh  perished ;  at  one  blow  they 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


79 


•were  cut  off — father  and  son ;  and  now  there  re- 
mained but  an  infant  one  year  old,  to  wit,  the 
son  of  John  Fitz-Thomas,  recently  slain.  The 
nurse,  who  had  heard  the  dismal  tidings  at 
Tralee,  ran  about  here  and  there  distraught  with 
grief,  and  left  the  cradle  of  the  young  Geraldine 
without  a  watcher;  thereupon  an  ape  which 
was  kept  for  amusement's  sake  came  and  raised 
the  infant  out  of  the  cradle  and  carried  him  to 
the  top  of  the  castle.  There,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  those  who  passed  by,  the  ape  took  off  the 
babe's  swaddling  clothes,  licked  him  all  over, 
clothed  him  again,  and  brought  him  back  to  his 
cradle  safe  and  sound.  Then  coming  to  the 
nurse,  as  it  were  in  reproof  for  her  neglect,  he 
dealt  her  a  blow.  Ever  after  was  that  babe 
called  Thomas  an'  Appa;  that  is,  'of  the  Ape;' 
and  when  he  grew  to  man's  estate  he  was 
■ennobled  by  many  virtues.  Bravely  did  he 
avenge  his  father's  and  grandfather's  murder, 
and  re-erect  the  fortunes  of  his  house.*  He  left 
a  son,  Maurice  Fitz-Thomas,  who  was  the  first 
earl  of  Desmond." 

Of  Lord  Tliomas,  the  sixth  earl,  is  related  a 
romantic,  yet  authentic  story,  known  to  many 
Irish  readers.  While  on  a  hunting  expedition 
in  some  of  the  lonely  and  picturesque  glens  in 
North  Kerry,  he  was  benighted  on  his  homeward 
way.  Weary  and  thirsting,  he  urged  his  steed 
forward  through  the  tangled  wood.  At  length, 
through  the  gloom  he  discerned  close  by  an 
humble  cottage,  which  proved  to  be  the  dwelling 
of  one  of  his  own  retainers  or  clansmen,  named 
MacCoi'mick.  Lord  Thomas  rode  to  the  door, 
halted,  and  asked  for  a  drink.  His  summons 
was  attended  to  and  his  request  supplied  by 
Catherine,  the  daughter  of  the  cottager,  a  young 
girl  whose  simple  grace  and  exquisite  beauty 
struck  the  young  earl  with  astonishment — and 
with  warmer  feelings  too.  He  dismounted  and 
rested  awhile  in  the  cottage,  and  became  quite 
charmed  with  the  daughter  of  its  humble  host. 
He  bade  her  farewell,  resolving  to  seek  that  cot- 
tage soon  again.  Often  subsequently  his  horse 
bore  him  thither;  for  Lord  Thomas  loved  Cath- 
erine MacCormick,  and  loved  her  purely  and 
honorably.     Not  perhaps  without  certain  mis- 

*  To  tliis  incident  is  attributed  the  circumstance  tliat  the 
armorial  ensigns  of  the  Geraldine  family  exhibit  two  apes 
as  supporters. 


givings  as  to  the  results  did  he  resolve  to  make 
her  his  wife ;  yet  never  did  he  waver  in  that 
resolve.  In  due  time  he  led  the  beautiful  cottage 
girl  to  the  altar,  and  brought  her  home  his  wife. 

His  worst  fears  wei-e  quickly  realized.  His 
kindred  and  clansmen  all  rose  against  him  for 
this  mesalliance,  which,  according  to  their  code, 
forfeited  for  him  lands  and  title.  In  vain  he 
pleaded.  An  ambitious  uncle,  James,  eventually 
seventh  earl,  led  the  movement  against  him,  and 
claiming  for  himself  the  title  and  estates  thus 
"forfeited,"  was  clamorous  and  uncompassiou- 
ate.  Lord  Thomas  at  the  last  nobly  declared 
that  even  on  the  penalty  thus  inexorably  decreed 
against  him,  he  in  nowise  repented  him  of  his 
marriage,  and  that  he  would  give  up  lands  and 
titles  rather  than  part  with  his  peasant  wife. 
Relinquishing  everything,  he  bade  an  eternal 
adieu  to  Ireland,  and  sailed  with  his  young  wife 
for  France,  where  he  died  at  Rouen  in  1420. 
This  romantic  episode  of  authentic  history  fm-- 
nished  our  national  melodist  with  the  subject  of. 
the  following  verses : 

"By  the  Feal's  wave  benighted. 

No  star  in  the  skies. 
To  thy  door  by  love  lighted, 

I  first  saw  those  eyes. 
Some  voice  whispered  o'er  me. 

As  the  threshold  I  cross'd. 
There  was  ruin  before  me; 

If  I  lov'd,  I  was  lost. 

"Love  came,  and  brought  sorrow 

Too  soon  in  his  train ; 
Yet  so  sweet,  that  to-morrow 

'Twere  welcome  again 
Though  misery's  full  measure 

My  portion  should  be, 
I  would  drain  it  with  pleasure 

If  poured  out  by  thee ! 

"You,  who  call  it  dishonor 

To  bow  to  love's  flame. 
If  you've  eyes  look  but  on  her. 

And  blush  while  you  blame. 
Hath  the  pearl  less  whiteness 

Because  of  its  birth? 
Hath  the  violet  less  brightness 

For  growing  near  earth? 


80 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


"No:  man  for  his  glory 

To  aucestry  liies; 
But  woman's  bright  story 

Is  told  in  her  eyes. 
While  the  monarch  but  traces 

Through  mortals  his  line. 
Beauty,  born  of  the  graces. 

Ranks  next  to  divine!" 

In  the  reign  of  the  eighth  Henrj',  as  well  as 
for  a  long  time  i)revious  thereto,  the  Geraldine 
family  comprised  two  great  branches,  of  which 
the  earl  of  Desmond  and  the  earl  of  Kildare  were 
respectively  the  heads;  the  latter  being  para- 
mount. Early  in  Henry's  reign  Gerald,  earl  of 
Kildare,  or  "The  Great  Earl,"  as  he  is  called  in 
the  Irish  annals,  died  after  a  long  life,  illustrious 
as  a  soldier,  statesman  and  ruler.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son.  Garret  Oge,  or  Gerald  the 
younger,  who  was  soon  appointed  by  the  crown 
to  the  high  office  and  authority  of  lord  deputy  as 
vested  in  his  father.  Gerald  Oge  found  his 
enemies  at  court  active  and  restless  in  plotting 
his  overthrow.  He  had  more  than  once  to  pro- 
ceed to  England  to  make  his  defence  against  fatal 
charges,  but  invariably  succeeded  in  vindicating 
himself  with  the  king.  With  Henry,  indeed,  he 
was  apparently  rather  a  favorite;  while,  on  the 
other  hand.  Cardinal  Wolsey  viewed  him  with 
marked  suspicion.  Kildare,  though  at  the  head 
of  the  English  i^ower  in  Ireland  was,  like  many 
o£  the  Geraldines,  nearly  as  much  of  an  Irish 
chief  as  an  English  noble.  Not  only  was  he,  to 
the  sore  uneasiness  of  the  court  at  London,  in 
friendly  alliance  with  many  of  the  native  princes, 
but  he  was  allied  by  the  closest  ties  of  kindred 
and  alliance  with  the  royal  houses  of  Ulster. 
So  proud  was  he  of  this  relationship,  that,  upon 
one  occasion,  when  he  was  being  reinstated  as 
lord  deputy,  to  the  expulsion  of  Ormond,  his 
accusing  enemy,  we  are  told  that  at  Kildare 's 
request  "his  kinsman,  Con  O'Neill,  carried  the 
Bword  of  state  before  him  to  St.  Thomas's 
Abbey,  where  he  entertained  the  king's  commis- 
sioners and  others  at  a  sumptuous  banquet." 

But  soon  Gerald's  enemies  were  destined  to 
■witness  the  accomplishment  of  all  their  designs 
against  his  house.  James,  earl  of  Desmond, '"a 
man  of  loftj'  and  ambitious  views,  "  entered  into 
a  correspondence  with  Charles  the  Fifth,  king  of 


Spain,  and  Francis  the  First  of  France,  for  the- 
purpose,  some  hold,  of  inducing  one  or  other  of 
those  sovereigns  to  invade  Ireland.  What  fol- 
lowsT  quote  textuallj-  from  O'Daly's  quaint  nar- 
rative, as  translated  by  the  Rev.  C.  P.  Meehan : 
"Many  messages  passed  between  them,  of  all 
which  Henry  the  Eighth  was  a  long  time  igno- 
rant. It  is  commonly  thought  that  Charles  the 
Fifth  at  this  time  meditated  an  invasion  of  Ire- 
land; and  when  at  length  the  intelligence  of 
these  facts  reached  the  king  of  England,  Cardinal 
Wolsey  (a  man  of  immoderate  ambition,  most 
inimical  to  the  Geraldines,  and  then  ruling 
England  as  it  were  by  his  nod)  caused  the  earl  to 
be  summoned  to  London ;  but  Desmond  did  not 
choose  to  place  himself  in  the  hands  of  the  cardi- 
nal, and  declined  the  invitation.  Thereupon  the 
king  dispatched  a  messenger  to  the  earl  of  Kil- 
dare, then  viceroy  in  Ireland,  ordering  him  ta 
arrest  Desmond  and  send  him  to  England  forth- 
with. On  receipt  of  the  order,  Kildare  collected 
troops  and  marched  into  Munster  to  seize  Des- 
mond; but  after  some  time,  whether  through 
inability  or  reluctance  to  injure  his  kinsman,  the 
business  failed  and  Kildare  returned.  Then 
did  the  cardinal  poison  the  mind  of  the  king 
against  Kildare,  asseverating  that  by  his  con- 
nivance Desmond  had  escaped  —  (this,  indeed, 
was  not  the  fact,  for  Kildare,  however  so  anxious, 
could  not  have  arrested  Desmond).  Kildare  waa 
then  arraigned  before  the  privy  council,  as  Henry 
gave  willing  ear  to  the  cardinal's  assertions;  but 
before  the  viceroy  sailed  for  England,  he  com- 
mitted the  state  and  adminstratiou  of  Ireland  to 
Thomas,  his  son  and  heir,  and  then  presented 
himself  before  the  council.  The  cardinal  accused 
him  of  high  treason  to  his  liege  sovereign,  and 
endeavored  to  brand  him  and  all  his  family  with, 
the  ignominious  mark  of  disloj^alty.  Kildare, 
who  Avas  a  man  of  bold  spirit,  and  despised  th& 
base  origin  of  Wolsey,  replied  in  polished,  yet, 
vehement  language ;  and  though  the  cardinal  and 
court  were  hostile  to  him,  nevertheless  he  so  well 
managed  the  matter  that  he  was  only  committed 
to  the  Tower  of  Loudon.  But  the  cardinal,  de- 
termining to  carry  out  his  designs  of  vengeance 
without  knowledge  of  the  king,  sent  private 
instructions  to  the  constable  of  the  tower  order- 
ing him  to  behead  the  earl  without  delay.  When 
the  constable  received  his  orders,  although  he 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


81 


knew  how  dangerous  it  was  to  contravene  the 
■cardinal's  mandate,  commiserating  the  earl,  he 
made  him  aware  of  his  instructions.  Calmly, 
yet  firmly,  did  Kildare  listen  to  the  person  who 
read  his  death-warrant;  and  then  launching  into 
a  violent  invective  against  the  cardinal,  he  caused 
the  constable  to  proceed  to  the  king  to  learn  if 
such  order  had  emanated  from  him,  for  he  sus- 
pected that  it  was  the  act  of  the  cardinal  unau- 
thorized. The  constable,  regardless  of  the  risk 
he  ran,  hastened  to  the  king,  and,  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  reported  to  his  majesty  the 
order  of  the  cardinal  for  destroying  Kildare. 
Thereon  the  king  was  bitterly  incensed  against 
"Wolsey,  whom  he  cursed,  and  forbade  the  con- 
stable to  execute  any  order  not  sanctioned  by  his 
own  sign-manual ;  stating,  at  the  same  time, 
that  he  would  cause  the  cardinal  to  repent  of  his 
usurped  authority  and  unjust  dislike  to  Kildare. 
The  constable  returned,  and  informed  the  earl  of 
his  message ;  but  Kildare  was  nevertheless  de- 
tained a  prisoner  in  the  tower  to  the  end  of  his 
•days. " 

"There  is,"  says  O'Daly's  translator,  "a,  chap- 
ter in  Gait's  'Life  of  Wolsey'  full  of  errors  and 
gross  misrepresentations  of  L-eland  and  the  Irish. 
It  is  only  fair,  however,  to  give  him  credit  for 
the  spirited  sketch  he  has  given  of  the  dialogue 
between  Wolsey  and  Kildare.  'My  Lord,'  said 
Wolsey,  'you  will  remember  how  the  Earl  of  Des- 
mond, your  kinsman,  sent  letters  to  Francis,  the 
French  king,  what  messages  have  been  sent  to 
you  to  arrest  him  (Desmond),  and  it  is  not  yet 
done  .  .  .  but,  in  performing  your  duty  in  this 
affair,  merciful  God!  how  dilatory  have  you 
been!  .  .  .  what!  the  earl  of  Kildare  dare  not 
venture!  nay,  the  King  of  Kildare;  for  you  reign 
more  than  you  govern  the  land.'  'My  lord  chan- 
cellor,' replied  the  Earl,  'if  you  proceed  in  this 
way,  I  will  forget  half  my  defense.  I  have  no 
school  tricks  nor  art  of  recollection;  unless  j'ou 
hear  me  while  I  remember,  your  second  charge 
will  hammer  the  first  out  of  my  head.  As  to  my 
kingdom,  I  know  not  what  you  mean.  ...  I 
would  you  and  I,  my  lord,  exchanged  kingdoms 
for  one  month ;  I  would  in  that  time  undertake  to 
gather  more  crumbs  than  twice  the  revenues  of 
my  poor  earldom.  While  you  sleep  in  your  bed 
of  down,  I  lie  in  a  poor  hovel ;  while  you  are 
served  under  a  canopy,  I  serve  under  the  cope  of 


heaven ;  while  you  drink  wine  from  golden  cups, 
I  must  be  content  with  water  from  a  shell ;  my 
charger  is  trained  for  the  field,  your  jennet  is 
taught  to  amble.'  O'Daly's  assertion  that  Wol- 
sey issued  the  earl's  death-warrant  does  not  ap- 
pear to  rest  on  any  solid  foundation;  and  the 
contrarj'-  appears  likely,  when  such  usurpation  of 
royalty  was  not  objected  in  the  impeachment  of 
the  cardinal. " 


CHAPTER  XXXIL 

THE  EEBELLION  OF  SILKEN  THOMAS. 

When  Kildare  was  summoned  to  London — as 
it  proved  to  be  for  the  last  time — he  was  called 
upon  to  nominate  some  one  who  should  act  for 
him  in  his  absence,  and  for  whom  he  himself 
would  be  responsible.  Unfortunately  he  nomi- 
nated his  own  son  Thomas,*  a  hot,  impetuous, 
brave,  daring,  and  chivalrous  youth,  scarce 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  For  some  time  the 
earl  lay  in  London  Tower,  his  fate  as  yet  uncer- 
tain ;  the  enemies  of  his  house  meanwhile  striv- 
ing steadily  to  insure  his  ruin. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  events  detailed 
in  bj'gone  pages — Henry's  quarrel  with  the 
pope,  and  the  consequent  politico-religious 
revolution  in  England — flung  all  the  English 
realm  into  consternation  and  dismay.  Amid 
the  tidings  of  startling  changes  and  bloody  exe- 
cutions in  Loudon  brought  by  each  mail  to  Ire- 
land, came  many  disquieting  rumors  of  the  fate 
of  the  Geraldine  earl.  The  effect  of  these  stories 
on  the  young  Lord  Thomas  seems  to  have  sug- 
gested to  the  anti-Geraldine  faction  a  foul  plot 
to  accomplish  his  ruin.  Forged  letters  were  cir- 
culated giving  out  with  much  circumstantiality 
how  the  earl  his  father  had  been  beheaded  in  the 
Tower  of  London,  notwithstanding  the  king's 
promise  to  the  contrary.  The  effect  of  this  news 
on  the  Geraldine  partj',  but  most  of  all  on  the 
young  Lord  Thomas,  may  be  imagined.  Stunned 
for  an  instant  by  this  cruel  blow,  his  resolution 
was  taken  in  a  burst  of  passionate  grief  and 
anger.  Vengeance!  vengeance  on  the  trebly  per- 
jured and  blood-guilty  king,  whose  crimes  of 

*  Known  in  history  as  "Silken  Thomas."  He  was  so 
called,  we  are  told,  from  the  silken  banners  carried  by  his 
standard-bearers — others  say  because  of  the  richness  of 
his  personal  attire. 


83 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


lust,  murder,  and  sacrilege  called  aloud  for  puu- 
islarueut,  aud  forfeited  for  him  allegiance,  throne 
and  life!  The  youthful  deputy  hastily  assem- 
bling his  guards  aud  retainers,  and  surrounded 
by  a  crowd  of  his  grief -stricken  and  vengeful 
kinsmen,  marched  to  Mary's  Abbey,  where  the 
privy  council  was  already  sitting,  waiting  for 
him  to  preside  over  its  deliberations.  The  scene 
at  the  council  chamber  is  picturesquely  sketched 
by  Mr.  Ferguson,  in  his  "Hibernian  Nights' 
Entertainment, '  '* 

"Presently  the  crowd  collected  round  the  gates 
began  to  break  up  and  line  the  causeways  at 
either  side,  and  a  gallant  cavalcade  was  seen 
through  the  open  arch  advancing  from  Thomas' 
Court  toward  the  drawbridge.  'Way  for  the 
lord  deputj', '  cried  two  truncheon-bearers,  dash- 
ing through  the  gate,  and  a  shout  arose  on  all 
sides  that  Lord  Thomas  was  coming.  Trum- 
peters and  pursuivants  at  arms  rode  first,  then 
came  the  mace-bearer  with  his  symbol  of  office, 
and  after  him  the  sword  of  state,  in  a  rich  scab- 
bard of  velvet,  carried  by  its  proper  officer. 
Lord  Thomas  himself,  in  his  robes  of  state,  and 
surrounded  by  a  dazzling  array  of  nobles  and 
gentlemen,  spurred  after.  The  arched  gateway 
was  choked  for  a  moment  with  tossing  plumes 
and  banners,  flashing  arms  and  gleaming  faces, 
as  the  magnificent  troop  burst  in  like  a  flood  of 
fire  upon  the  dark  and  narrow  precincts  of  the 
city.  But  behind  the  splendid  cortege  which 
headed  their  march,  came  a  dense  column  of 
mailed  men-at-arms,  that  continued  to  defile 
through  the  close  pass  long  after  the  gay  mantles 
and  waving  pennons  of  their  leaders  were  indis- 
tinct in  the  distance. 

"The  gate  of  Mary's  Abbey  soon  received  the 
leaders  of  the  revolt;  and  ere  the  last  of  their 
followers  had  ceased  to  pour  into  the  echoing 
courtyard,  Lord  Thomas  and  his  friends  were  at 
the  door  of  the  council-chamber.  The  assembled 
lords  rose  at  his  entrance,  and  way  was  made  for 
him  to  the  chair  of  state. 

"  'Keep  your  seats,  my  lords,'  said  he,  stop- 
ping midway  between  the  entrance  and  council- 

*  The  Vjook  here  alluded  to,  it  may  be  right  to  remind 
young  readers,  does  not  purport  to  be  more  than  a  fanciful 
story  founded  on  facts;  but  tlie  author  so  closely  adheres 
to  the  outlines  of  authentic  history,  that  we  may  credit  his 
sketches  and  descriptions  as  well  justilied  aj)proximations 
to  the  literal  truth. 


table,  while  his  friends  gathered  in  a  body  at  his 
back.  'I  have  not  come  to  preside  over  this 
council,  my  lords ;  I  come  to  tell  you  of  a  bloody 
tragedy  that  has  been  enacted  in  London,  and  to 
give  you  to  know  what  steps  I  have  thought  fit 
to  take  in  consequence. ' 

"  'What  tragedy,  my  lord?'  said  Alan,  the 
archbishop  of  Dublin;  'your  lordship's  looks  and 
words  alarm  me :  what  means  this  multitude  of 
men  now  in  the  house  of  God?  My  lord,  my 
lord,  I  fear  this  step  is  rashly  taken ;  this  looks 
like  something,  my  lord,  that  I  would  be  loth 
to  name  in  the  presence  of  loyal  men. ' 

"  'My  lord  archbishop,'  replied  Thomas, 
'when  you  pretend  an  ignorance  of  my  noble 
father's  murder  ' 

"  'Murder!'  cried  the  lord  chancellor,  Cromer, 
starting  from  his  seat,  and  all  at  the  council-table 
uttered  exclamations  of  astonishment  in  horror, 
save  only  Alan  and  the  lord  high  treasurer. 

"  'Yes,  my  lord,'  the  young  Geraldine  contin- 
ued, with  a  stern  voice,  still  addressing  the  arch- 
bishop, 'when  you  pretend  ignorance  of  that  foul 
and  cruel  murder,  which  was  done  by  the  in- 
stigation and  traitorous  procuring  of  yourself  and 
others,  j'our  accomplices,  and  yet  taunt  me  with 
the  step  which  I  have  taken,  rashly,  as  it  may 
be,  but  not,  I  trust,  unworthilj'  of  my  noble 
father's  son,  in  consequence  j'ou  betray  at  once 
your  treachery  and  your  hypocrisy. '  By  this 
time  the  tumult  among  the  soldiery  without,  who 
had  not  till  now  heard  of  the  death  of  the  earl, 
was  as  if  a  thousand  men  had  been  storming  the 
abbej'.  They  were  all  native  Irish,  and  to  a  man 
devoted  to  Kildare.  Curses,  lamentations,  and 
cries  of  rage  aud  vengeance  sounded  from 
every  quarter  of  the  courtyard;  and  some  who- 
rushed  into  the  council-hall  with  drawn  swords,, 
to  be  revenged  on  the  authors  of  their  calamity, 
were  with  difficulty  restrained  by  the  knights 
and  gentlemen  around  the  door  from  rushing  on 
the  archbishop  and  slaying  him,  as  they  heard 
him  denounced  by  their  chief,  on  the  spot. 
When  the  clamor  was  somewhat  abated,  Alan, 
who  had  stood  up  to  speak  at  its  commencement, 
addressed  the  chancellor. 

"  'My  lord,  this  unhappy  .young  man  says  he 
knows  not  what.  If  his  noble  father,  which  God 
forbid,  should  have  come  under  his  majesty's 
displeasure— if  he  should,  indeed,  have  suffered 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


83. 


> — although  I  know  not  that  he  hath — the  penalty 

of  his  numerous  treasons  ' 

"  'Bold  priest,  thou  liest!'  cried  Sir  Oliver 
Fitzgerald ;  'my  murdered  brother  was  a  truer 
servant  of  the  crown  than  ever  stood  in  thy  satin 
shoes!' 

"Alan  and  the  lord  chancellor,  Cromer,  also  an 
archbishop  and  primate  of  Armagh,  rose 
together;  the  one  complaining  loudly  of  the 
wrong  and  insult  done  his  order;  the  other  be- 
seeching that  all  present  would  remember  they 
were  Christians  and  subjects  of  the  crown  of 
England ;  but,  in  the  midst  of  this  confusion, 
Lord  Thomas,  taking  the  sword  of  state  out  of 
the  hands  of  its  beai'er,  advanced  up  the  hall  to 
the  council-table  with  a  lofty  determination  in 
his  bearing  that  at  once  arrested  all  eyes.  It 
was  plain  he  was  about  to  announce  his  final  pur- 
pose, and  all  within  the  hall  awaited  Avhat  he 
would  say  in  sullen  silence.  His  friends  and  fol- 
lowers now  formed  a  dense  semicircle  at  the  foot 
of  the  hall ;  the  lords  of  the  council  had  involun- 
tarily drawn  round  the  throne  and  lord  chan- 
cellor's chair;  Thomas  stood  alone  on  the  floor 
opposite  the  table,  with  the  sword  in  his  hands. 
Anxiety  and  pity  were  marked  on  the  venerable 
features  of  Cromer  as  he  bent  forward  to  hear 
what  he  would  say ;  but  Alan  and  the  treasurer. 
Lord  James  Butler,  exchanged  looks  of  malig- 
nant satisfaction. 

"  'My  lord,'  said  Thomas,  'I  come  to  tell  you 
that  my  father  has  been  baseb'  put  to  death,  for 
t  know  not  what  alleged  treason,  and  that  we 
have  taken  up  arms  to  avenge  his  murder.  Yet, 
although  we  be  thus  driven  by  the  tyranny  and 
cruelty  of  the  king  into  open  hostility,  we  would 
not  have  it  said  hereafter  that  we  have  conspired 
like  villains  and  churls,  but  boldly  declared  our 
purpose  as  becomes  warriors  and  gentlemen. 
This  sword  of  state,  my  lords,  is  yours,  not  mine. 
I  received  it  with  an  oath  that  I  would  use  it  for 
your  benefit ;  I  should  stain  my  honor  if  I  turned 
it  to  your  hurt.  My  lords,  I  have  now  need  of 
my  own  weapon,  which  I  can  trust;  but  as  for 
the  common  sword,  it  has  flattered  me  not — a 
painted  scabbard,  while  its  edge  was  yet  red 
in  the  best  blood  of  my  house — a3%  and  is  even 
now  whetted  anew  for  further  destruction  of  the 
Geraldines.  Therefore,  my  lords,  save  j^our- 
Belves  from  us  as  from  open  enemies.    I  am  no 


longer  Henry  Tudor's  deputy — I  am  his  foe.  I 
have  more  mind  to  conquer  than  to  govern — to^ 
meet  him  in  the  field  than  to  serve  him  in  ofiice. 
And  now,  my  lords,  if  all  the  hearts  in  England 
and  Ireland,  that  have  cause  thereto,  do  but  join 
in  this  quarrel,  as  I  look  that  they  will,  then 
shall  the  world  shortly  be  made  sensible  of  the 
tyranny,  cruelty,  falsehood,  and  heresy,  for 
which  the  age  to  come  may  well  count  this  base 
king  among  the  ancient  traitors  of  most  abomi- 
nable and  hateful  memory. 

"  'Croom  aboo!'  cried  Neale  Eoe  O 'Kennedy, 
Lord  Thomas'  bard,  who  had  pressed  into  the 
body  of  the  hall  at  the  head  of  the  Irish  soldiery. 
He  was  conspicuous  over  all  by  his  height  and 
the  splendor  of  his  native  costume.  His  legs 
and  arms  were  bare;  the  sleeves  of  his  yellow 
cothone,  parting  above  the  elbow,  fell  in  volumi- 
nous folds  almost  to  the  ground,  while  its  skirts, 
girded  at  the  loins,  covered  him  to  the  knee. 
Over  this  he  wore  a  short  jacket  of  crimson,  the 
sleeves  just  covering  the  shoijlders,  richly 
wrought  and  embroidered,  and  drawn  round  the 
waist  by  a  broad  belt  set  with  precious  stones 
and  fastened  with  a  massive  golden  buckle.  His. 
laced  and  fringed  mantle  was  thrown  back,  but 
kept  from  falling  by  a  silver  brooch,  as  broad  as 
a  man's  palm,  which  glittered  on  his  breast.  He 
stretched  out  his  hand,  the  gold  bracelets  rat- 
tling as  they  slid  back  on  the  thickness  of  his 
arm,  and  exclaimed  in  Irish  : 

"  'Who  is  the  young  lion  of  the  plains  of 
Liffey  that  affrights  the  men  of  counsel,  and  the 
ruler  of  the  Saxon,  with  his  noble  voice? 

"  'Who  is  the  quickened  ember  of  Kildare, 
that  would  consume  the  enemies  of  his  people, 
and  the  false  churls  of  the  cruel  race  of  clan- 
London? 

"  'It  is  the  son  of  Gerald — the  top  branch  of 
the  oak  of  Offaly ! 

"  'It  is  Thomas  of  the  silken  mantle — Ard- 
Eigh  Eireannl' 

"  'High  Tomas  go  bragh!'  shouted  the  sol- 
diery; and  many  of  the  young  lord's  Anglo-Irish 
friends  responded — 'Long  live  King  Thomas!' 
but  the  chancellor.  Archbishop  Cromer,  who  had 
listened  to  his  insane  avowal  with  undisguised 
distress,  and  who  had  already  been  seen  to  wring 
his  hand,  and  even  to  shed  tears  as  the  misguided 
nobleman  and  his  friends  thus  madly  invoked 


'84 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


their  oven  destruction,  came  down  from  his  seat, 
and  earnestlj'  grasping  the  young  lord  by  the 
hand,  addressed  him : 

"  'Good  my  lord,'  he  cried,  while  his  vener- 
able figure  and  known  attachment  to  the  house 
Kildare,  attested  as  it  was  by  such  visible  evi- 
dences of  concern,  commanded  for  a  time  the  at- 
tention of  all  present.  'Good  my  lord,  suffer  me 
to  iise  the  privilege  of  an  old  man's  speech  with 
you  before  j'ou  finallj^  give  up  this  ensign  of 
your  authority  and  pledge  of  your  allegiance. ' 

"The  archbishop  reasoned  and  pleaded  at  much 
length  and  with  deep  emotion ;  but  he  urged  and 
prayed  in  vain. 

"  'My  Lord  Chancellor,'  replied  Thomas,  'I 
came  not  here  to  take  advice,  but  to  give  you  to 
understand  what  I  purpose  to  do.  As  loyalty 
would  have  me  know  my  prince,  so  duty  compels 
me  to  reverence  my  father.  I  thank  you  heartily 
for  your  counsel ;  but  it  is  now  too  late.  As  to 
my  fortune,  I  will  take  it  as  God  sends  it,  and 
rather  choose,  to  die  with  valor  and  liberty  than 
live  under  King  Henry  in  bondage  and  villainy. 
Therefore,  my  lord,  I  thank  you  again  for  the 
concern  you  take  in  my  welfare,  and  since  you 
■will  not  receive  this  sword  out  of  my  hand,  I  can 
but  cast  it  from  me,  even  as  here  I  cast  off  and 
renounce  all  duty  and  allegiance  to  your  master. ' 

"So  saj'ing,  he  flung  the  sword  of  state  upon 
the  council-table.  The  blade  started  a  hand's- 
breadth  out  of  its  sheath  from  the  violence  with 
which  it  was  dashed  out  of  his  hands.  He,  then, 
in  the  midst  of  a  tumult  of  acclamation  from  his 
followers,  and  cries  of  horror  and  pity  from  the 
lords  and  prelates  around,  tore  off  his  robes  of 
office  and  cast  them  at  his  feet.  Stripped  thus 
of  his  ensigns  of  dignity.  Lord  Thomas  Fitz- 
gerald stood  up,  amid  the  wreck  of  his  fair  for- 
tune, an  armed  and  avowed  rebel,  equipped  in 
complete  mail,  before  the  representatives  of  Eng- 
land and  L'eland.  The  cheering  from  his  adher- 
ents was  loud  and  enthusiastic,  and  those  with- 
out replied  with  cries  of  fierce  exultation." 

The  gallant  but  hapless  Geraldine  was  now 
fully  launched  on  his  wild  and  desperate  enter- 
prise. There  is  no  doubt  that,  had  it  partaken 
less  of  a  hasty  burst  of  passionate  impetuosity, 
had  it  been  more  deliberately  planned  and 
organized,  the  revolt  of  Silken  Thomas  might 
have   wrested    the    Anglo-Irish    colony  from 


Henry's  authority.  As  it  was,  it  shook  the 
Anglo-Irish  power  to  its  base,  and  at  one 
time  seemed  irresistible  in  its  progress  to  suc- 
cess. But,  however  the  ties  of  blood,  kindred, 
and  clanship  might  draw  men  to  the  side 
of  Lord  Thomas,  most  persons  outside  the 
Geraldine  party  soon  saw  the  fate  that  surely 
awaited  such  a  desperate  venture,  and  saw  too 
that  it  had  all  been  the  result  of  a  subtle  plot  «f 
the  Ormond  faction  to  ruin  their  powerful  rival^i,^ 
Moreover,  in  due  time  the  truth  leaked  out  that 
the  old  earl  had  not  been  beheaded  at  all,  but 
was  alive  a  prisoner  in  London.  Lord  Thoma^^ 
now  saw  the  gulf  of  ruin  into  which  he  had  been- 
precipitated,  and  knew  now  that  his  acts  would 
only  seal  the  doom  or  else  break  the  heart  of  that 
father,  the  news  of  whose  murder  had  driven  him 
into  this  desperate  course.  But  it  was  all  too 
late  to  turn  back.  He  would  see  the  hopeless 
struggle  through  to  the  bitter  end. 

One  of  his  first  acts  was  to  besiege  Dublin  cit.v 
while  another  wing  of  his  army  devastated  the 
possessions  and  reduced  the  castles  of  Ormond. 
Alan,  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  a  prominent 
enemy  of  the  Geraldines,  fled  from  the  city  by 
ship.  The  vessel,  however,  was  driven  ashore  on 
Clontarf,  and  the  archbishop  sought  refuge  in 
the  village  of  Artane.  News  of  this  fact  was 
quickly  carried  into  the  Geraldine  camp  at  Dub- 
lin ;  and  before  day  's-dawn  Lord  Thomas  and  his 
uncles,  John  and  Oliver,  with  an  armed  party, 
reached  Artane,  and  dragged  the  archbishop 
from  his  bed.  The  unhappy  prelate  pleaded  hard 
for  his  life ;  but  the  elder  Geraldines,  who  were 
men  of  savage  passion,  barbarously  murdered 
him  as  he  knelt  at  their  feet.  This  foul  deed 
ruined  any  prospect  of  success  which  their  cause 
might  have  had.  It  excited  universal  horror, 
and  drew  down  upon  its  iierpetrators,  and  all 
who  should  aid  or  shelter  them,  the  terrible  sen- 
tence of  excommunication.  This  sentence  was 
exhibited  to  the  hapless  Earl  of  Kildare  in  his 
dungeon  in  London  Tower,  and,  it  is  said,  so 
affected  him  that  he  never  rallied  more.  He 
sank  under  the  great  load  of  his  afflictions,  and 
died  of  a  broken  heart. 

Meanwhile,  Lord  Thomas  was  pushing  the  re- 
bellion with  all  his  energies,  and  for  a  time  with 
wondrous  success.  He  dispatched  ambassadors 
to  the  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth,  and  to  the 


THE  STORY 

pope,  demanding  aid  in  this  war  against  Henry 
as  the  foe  of  God  and  man.  But  it  is  clear  that 
neither  the  pope  nor  the  emperor  augured  well  of 
Silken  Thomas'  ill-devised  endeavors.  No  suc- 
cors reached  him.  His  fortunes  eventually 
began  to  pale.  Powerful  levies  were  brought 
against  him ;  and,  finally,  he  sought  a  parley 
with  the  English  commander-in-chief.  Lord 
Leonard  Gray,  who  granted  him  terms  of  life  for 
himself  and  uncles.  Henry  was  wroth  that  any 
terms  should  have  been  promised  to  such  daring 
foes ;  but  as  terms  had  been  pledged,  there  was 
nothing  for  it,  according  to  Henry's  code  of 
morality,  but  to  break  the  promise.  Accord- 
ingly, the  five  uncles  of  Silken  Thomas,  and  the 
unfortunate  young  nobleman  himself,  were 
treacherously  seized — the  uncles  at  a  banquet  to 
which  they  were  invited,  and  which  was,  indeed, 
given  in  their  honor,  by  the  lord  deputy  Grey — 
and  brought  to  London,  where,  in  violation  of 
plighted  troth,  they  were  all  six  beheaded  at 
Tyburn,  January  3,  1537. 

This  terrible  blow  was  designed  to  cut  off  the 
Geraldine  family  forever,  and  to  all  appearance 
it  seemed,  and  Henry  fondly  believed,  that  this 
wholesale  execution  had  accomplished  that  de- 
sign, and  left  neither  root  nor  seed  behind.  Yet 
once  again  that  mysterious  protection  which 
had  so  often  preserved  the  Geraldine  line  in  like 
terrible  times  saved  it  from  the  decreed  destruc- 
tion. "The  imprisoned  earl  (Lord  Thomas' 
father)  having  died  in  the  Tower  on  December 
12,  1534,  the  sole  survivor  of  this  historic  house 
was  now  a  child  of  twelve  years  of  age,  whose 
life  was  sought  with  an  avidity  equal  to  Herod's, 
but  who  was  protected  with  a  fidelity  which  de- 
feated every  attempt  to  capture  him.  Alternately 
the  guest  of  his  aunts,  married  to  the  chiefs  of 
Olfaly  and  Donegal,  the  sympathy  everywhere 
felt  for  him  led  to  a  confederacy  between  the 
northern  and  southern  chiefs,  which  had  long 
been  wanting.  A  loose  league  was  formed,  in- 
cluding the  O'Neills  of  both  bi'anches,  O'Don- 
nell,  O'Brien,  the  Earl  of  Desmond,  and  the 
chiefs  of  Moylurg  and  Breffni.  The  lad,  the 
object  of  so  much  natural  and  chivalrous  affec- 
tion, was  harbored  for  a  time  in  Munster, 
thence  transported  through  Connaught  into 
Donegal,  and  finally,  after  four  years,  in  which 
he  entraced  more  of  the  minds  of  statesmen  than  | 


OF  IRELAND.  85. 

any  other  individual  under  the  rank  of  royalty,, 
was  safely  landed  in  France." 

The  Geraldine  line  was  preserved  once  more! 
From  this  child  Gerald  it  was  to  branch  out  as. 
of  yore,  in  stately  strength  and  princely  power. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

HOW    THE     *  *  REFORMATION  ' '     WAS     ACCOMPLISHED  IN 
ENGLAND,  AND  HOW  IT  WAS   RESISTED  IN  IRELAND. 

I  HAVE  SO  far  called  the  event,  usually  termed 
the  Reformation,  a  politico-religious  revolution, 
and  treated  of  it  only  as  such.  "With  phases  of 
religious  belief  or  the  propagandism  of  new  re- 
ligious doctrines,  unless  in  so  far  as  they  affected 
political  events  or  effected  marked  national 
changes,  I  do  not  purpose  dealing  in  this  story. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  Reformation 
was  during  the  reign  of  Henry  much  less  of  a 
religious  than  a  political  revolution.  The  only 
points  Henry  was  particular  about  were  the 
matters  of  supremacy  and  church  property. 
For  a  long  period  the  idea  of  adopting  the  new 
form  of  faith  in  all  its  doctrinal  sequence  seemed 
quite  foreign  to  his  mind.  The  doctrine,  firstly, 
that  he,  Henry,  was  supreme  king,  spiritual  as 
well  as  temporal,  within  his  own  realms;  the 
doctrine,  secondly,  that  he  could,  in  virtue  of 
such  spiritual  supremacy,  give  full  rein  to  his, 
beastly  lusts,  and  call  concubinage  maiTiage; 
and  lastly,  that  whatever  property  the  church 
possessed,  bequeathed  for  pious  uses,  he  might, 
rob  and  keep  for  himself,  or  divide  as  bribes  be- 
tween his  abetting  nobles,  legislators,  and  states- 
men— these  were  the  "reforms,"  so-called,  upon 
which  the  king  set  most  value.  Other  matters 
he  allowed  for  a  time  to  have  their  way ;  at  least, 
it  was  so  wherever  diflScuIty  was  anticipated  in 
pulling  down  the  old  and  setting  up  new  forms, 
of  worship.  Thus  we  find  the  king  at  the  same 
time  sending  a  "reforming"  archbishop  to  Dub- 
lin while  sanctioning  prelates  of  the  old  faith  in 
other  dioceses,  barely  on  condition  of  taking  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  him.  Doctrine  or  theology 
had  scarcely  any  concern  for  him  or  his  states- 
men, and  it  is  clear  and  plain  to  any  student  of 
history  that  if  the  Catholic  Church  would  only 
sanction  to  him  his  polygamy,  and  to  them  the 
rich  plunder  they  had  clutched,  they  would  never 


86 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


have  gone  furtlier,  and  would  still  be  wondrous 
zealous  "defenders  of  the  faith."  But  the  Cath- 
olic Church,  which  could  have  avoided  the  whole 
disaster  at  the  outset  by  merely  suffering  one 
lawful  wife  to  be  unlawfully  put  away,  was  not 
going  to  compromise,  with  him  or  with  them,  an 
iota  of  sacred  truth  or  public  morality,  much  less 
to  sacrifice  both  wholesale  after  this  fashion. 
•  So,  in  time,  the  king  and  his  party  saw  that  hav- 
ing gone  so  far,  they  must  needs  go  the  whole 
way.  Like  the  panther  that  has  tasted  blood, 
their  thirst  for  plunder  was  but  whetted  by  their 
taste  of  church  spoil.  They  should  go  further 
or  they  might  lose  all.  They  knew  right  well 
that  of  these  spoils  they  never  could  rest  sure  as 
long  as  the  owner,  the  Catholic  Church,  was 
allowed  to  live;  so  to  kill  the  church  outright  be- 
came to  them  as  much  of  a  necessity  as  the  sure 
"dispatching"  of  a  half-murdered  victim  is  to  a 
burglar  or  an  assassin.  Had  it  not  been  for  this 
question  of  church  property — had  there  been  no 
plunder  to  divide — in  all  human  probability 
there  would  have  been  no  "refoi-mation"  con- 
summated in  these  countries.  But  by  the  spoils 
of  the  sanctuary  Henry  was  able  to  bribe  the 
nobles  to  his  side,  and  to  give  them  such  an  in- 
terest in  the  utter  abolition  of  catholicity  and 
the  perpetuation  of  the  new  system,  that  no  king 
or  queen  coming  after  him  would  be  able  perma- 
nently to  restore  the  old  order  of  things. 

Here  the  reflection  at  once  confronts  us — what 
a  mean,  sordid,  worldly-minded  kennel  these 
same  "nobles"  must  have  been!  Ay,  mean  and 
soulless  indeed!  If  there  was  any  pretense  of 
religious  convictions  having  anything  to  say  in 
the  business,  no  such  reflection  would  arise ;  no 
such  language  would  be  seemly.  But  few  or 
none  of  the  parties  cared  to  get  up  even  a  sem- 
blance of  interest  in  the  doctrinal  aspect  of  the 
passing  revolution.  One  object,  and  one  alone, 
seemed  fixed  before  their  gaze — to  get  as  much  as 
possible  of  "what  was  going;"  to  secure  some  of 
the  loot, and  to  keep  it.  -Given  this  one  considera- 
tion, all  things  else  might  remain  or  be  changed 
a  thousand  times  over  for  all  they  cared.  If  any 
one  question  the  correctness  of  this  estimate  of 
the  conduct  of  the  English  and  Anglo-Irish  lords 
of  the  period  before  us,  I  need  only  point  to  the 
page  of  authentic  historj'.  They  were  a  debased 
and  cowardly  pack.    As  long  as  Henry  fed  them 


with  bribes  from  the  abbey  lands,  they  made  and 
unmade  laws  "to  order"  for  him.  He  asked 
them  to  declare  his  marriage  with  Catherine  of 
Aragon  invalid — they  did  it;  his  marriage  with 
Anne  Boleyn  lawful — they  did  it;  this  same  mar- 
riage unlawful  and  its  fruits  illegitimate — they 
did  it;  his  marriage  with  Jane  Seymour  lawful — 
they  did  it.  In  fine  they  said  and  unsaid,  legiti- 
matized and  illegitimatized,  just  as  he  desired. 
Nor  was  this  all.  In  the  reign  of  his  child, 
Edward,  they  enacted  every  law  deemed  neces- 
sary for  the  more  complete  overthrow  of  the 
ancient  faith  and  the  setting  up  of  the  new.  But 
no  sooner  had  Mary  come  to  the  throne  than 
these  same  lords,  legislators,  and  statesmen  in- 
stantaneously wheeled  around,  beat  their  breasts, 
became  wondrously  pious  Catholics,  whined  out 
repentantly  that  they  had  been  frightful  crimi- 
nals; and,  like  the  facile  creatures  that  they 
were,  at  the  request  of  Mary,  or  to  please  her. 
undid  in  a  rush  all  they  had  been  doing  during 
the  two  preceding  reigns — but  all  on  one  condi- 
tion, most  significant  and  most  necessary  to 
mark,  viz.  :  that  they  should  not  be  called  upon 
to  give  back  the  stolen  property!  Again  a 
change  on  the  throne,  and  again  they  change! 
Elizabeth  comes  to  undo  all  that  Mary  had  re- 
stored, and  lo!  the  venal  lords  and  legislators  in 
an  instant  wheel  around  once  more ;  they  decree 
false  and  illegitimate  all  they  had  just  declared 
true  and  lawful ;  they  swallow  their  own  words, 
they  say  and  unsay,  they  repeal  and  re-enact,  do 
and  undo,  as  the  whim  of  the  queen,  or  the  neces- 
sity of  conserving  their  sacrilegious  robberies 
dictates! 

Yes;  the  history  of  the  world  has  nothing  to 
parallel  the  disgusting  baseness,  the  mean,  sordid 
cowardice  of  the  English  and  Anglo-Irish  lords 
and  legislators.  Theirs  was  not  a  change  of  re- 
ligious convictions,  right  or  wrong,  but  a  greedy 
venality,  a  facile  readiness  to  change  any  way 
or  every  way  for  worldly  advantage.  Their 
model  of  policy  was  Judas  Iscariot,  who  sold  our 
Lord  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver. 

That  Ireland  also  was  not  carried  over  into  the 
new  system  was  owing  to  the  circumstance  that 
the  English  authority  had,  so  far,  been  able  to 
secure  for  itself  but  a  partial  hold  on  the  Irish 
nation.  It  must  have  been  a  curious  reflection 
with  the  supreme  pontiffs  that  Ireland  might  in 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


87 


a  certain  sense  be  said  to  have  been  saved  to  the 
Catholic  Church  b3'  its  obstinate  disregard  of 
exhortations  addressed  to  it  repeatedly,  if  not  by 
the  popes,  under  cover  or  ostensible  sanction  of 
Iiapal  authority,  in  support  of  the  English  crown ; 
for  had  the  Irish  yielded  all  that  the  English 
king  demanded  vyith  papal  bull  in  hand,  and  be- 
come part  and  parcel  of  the  English  realm,  Ire- 
land, too,  was  lost  to  the  old  faith.  At  this 
point  one  is  tempted  to  indulge  in  bitter  reflec- 
tions on  the  course  of  the  Roman  pontiffs  toward 
Ireland.  "Hitherto" — ^so  one  might  put  it — 
"that  hapless  nation  in  its  fearful  struggle 
against  ruthless  invaders  found  Rome  on  the  side 
of  its  foes.  It  was  surely  a  hard  and  cruel  thing 
for  the  Irish,  so  devotedly  attached  to  the  Holy 
See,  to  behold  the  rapacious  and  bloodthirsty 
Normans,  Plantagenets,  and  Tudors,  able  to 
flourish  against  them  papal  bulls  and  rescripts, 
until  now  when  Henry  quarreled  with  Rome. 
Now — henceforth — too  late — all  that  is  to  be 
altered;  henceforth  the  bulls  and  the  rescripts 
are  all  to  exhort  the  broken  and  ruined  Irish 
nation  to  fight  valiantly  against  that  power  to 
which,  for  four  hundred  years,  the  Roman  court 
had  been  exhorting  or  commanding  it  to  submit. 
Surely  Ireland  has  been  the  sport  of  Roman 
policy,  if  not  its  victim!" 

These  bitter  reflections  would  be  not  only 
natural  but  just,  if  the  facts  of  the  case  really 
supported  them.  But  the  facts  do  not  quite  sup- 
port this  view,  which,  it  is  singular  to  note,  the 
Irish  themselves  never  entertained.  At  all  times 
they  seem  to  have  most  justly  and  accurately  ap- 
preciated the  real  attitude  of  the  Holy  See  toward 
them,  and  fixed  the  value  and  force  of  the  bulls 
and  rescripts  obtained  by  the  English  sovereign 
at  their  true  figure.  The  conduct  of  the  popes 
was  not  free  from  reproach  in  a  particular  sub- 
sequently to  be  noted ;  but  the  one  thing  they 
had  really  urged,  rightly  or  wrongly,  on  the 
Irish  from  the  first  was  the  acceptance  of  the 
sovereignty  of  the  English  king,  by  no  means 
implying  an  incorporation  with  the  English 
nation,  or  an  abandonment  of  their  nationality. 
In  this  sense  the  popes' exhortations  were  alwaj's 
read  by  the  native  Irish ;  and  it  will  be  noted 
that  in  this  sense  from  the  very  beginning  the 
Irish  princes  very  generally  were  ready  to  ac- 
<quiesce  in  them.    The  idea,  rightly  or  wrongly. 


appears  to  have  been  that  this  strong  sovereignty 
would  be  capable  of  reducing  the  chaotic  ele- 
ments in  Ireland  (given  up  to  such  hopeless  dis- 
order previously)  to  compactness  and  order — a 
good  to  Ireland  and  to  Christendom.  This  was 
the  guise  in  which  the  Irish  question  had  always 
been  presented  hy  plausible  English  envoys, 
civil  or  ecclesiastical,  at  Rome.  The  Irish  them- 
selves did  not  greatly  quarrel  with  it  so  far;  but 
there  was  all  the  difference  in  the  world  between 
this  the  theory  and  the  bloody  and  barbarous 
fact  and  practice  as  revealed  in  Ireland. 

What  may  be  said  with  truth  is,  that  the  popes 
inquired  too  little  about  the  fact  and  practice, 
and  were  always  too  ready  to  write  and  exhort 
upon  such  a  question  at  the  instance  of  the  Eng- 
lish. The  Irish  chiefs  were  sensible  of  this 
wronK  done  them ;  but  in  their  every  act  and 
word  they  evidenced  a  perfect  consciousness  that 
the  rectitude  of  the  motives  animating  the  popes 
was  not  to  be  questioned.  Even  when  the 
authority  of  the  Holy  See  was  most  painfully 
misused  against  them,  they  received  it  with  rev- 
erence and  respect.  The  time  had  at  length 
arrived,  however,  when  Rome  was  to  mourn  over 
whatever  of  error  or  wrong  had  marked  its  past 
policy  toward  Ireland,  and  forever  after  nobly 
and  unchangeably  to  stand  hy  her  side.  But 
alas!  too  late — all  too  late  now  for  succeeding! 
All  the  harm  had  been  done,  and  was  now  be- 
yond repairing.  The  grasp  of  England  had  been 
too  firmly  tightened  in  the  past.  At  the  very 
moment  when  the  pope  desired,  hoped,  urged, 
and  expected  Ireland  to  arise  triumphant  and 
glorious,  a  free  Catholic  nation,  a  recompense  for 
lost  England,  she  sank  broken,  helpless,  and  des- 
pairing under  the  feet  of  the  sacrilegious  Tudor. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

HOW  THE  IRISH  CHIEFS  GAVE  DP  ALL  HOPE  AND  YIELDED 
TO  henry;  and  how  the  IRISH  CLANS  SERVED 
THE  CHIEFS  FOR  SUCH  TREASON. 

Henry  the  Eighth  was  the  first  English  sover- 
eign styled  King  of  Ireland,  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed he  had  more  to  show  for  "^assuming  such  a 
title  than  his  predecessors  had  for  the  lesser 
dignities  of  the  kind  which  they  claimed ;  inas- 
much as  the  title  was  "voted"  to  him  in  the  first 
formal  parliament  in  which  Irish  chieftains  and 


88 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Anglo-Norman  lords  sat  side  hy  side.  To  be 
sure  the  Irish  chieftains  had  no  authority  from 
the  stepts  (from  ■whom  alone  they  derived  anj' 
authority  or  i)Ower)  to  give  such  a  vote ;  and,  as  we 
shall  learn  presently, some  of  those  septs,  instantly 
on  becoming  aware  of  it  and  the  consequences  it 
implied,  deposed  the  chiefs  thus  acting,  and 
promptly  elected  (in  each  case  from  the  same 
family  however)  others  in  their  stead.  But  never 
previouslj'  had  so  many  of  the  native  princes  in 
a  manner  so  formal  given  in  their  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  English  dynastj',  and  their  renunci- 
ation of  the  ancient  institutions  of  their  nation. 
Utterly  broken  down  in  spirit,  reft  of  hope, 
weary  of  struggle,  they  seem  to  have  yielded 
themselves  up  to  inevitable  fate.  "The  argu- 
ments," says  one  of  our  historians,  "by  which 
many  of  the  chiefs  might  have  justified  them 
selves  to  the  clans  in  1541-2-3,  for  submitting  to 
the  inevitable  laws  of  necessity,  in  rendering 
homage  to  Henry  the  Eighth,  were  neither  few 
nor  weak.  Abroad  there  was  no  hope  of  an  alli- 
ance suflScient  to  counterbalance  the  immense 
resources  of  England;  at  home,  life-wasting 
private  wars,  the  conflict  of  laws,  of  languages, 
and  of  titles  to  property  had  become  unbearable. 
That  fatal  family  pride  which  would  not  permit 
an  O'Brien  to  obey  an  O'Neill,  nor  an  O'Connor 
to  follow  either,  rendered  the  establishment  of  a 
native  monarchy  (even  if  there  had  been  no  other 
obstacle)  wholly  impracticable."  Another  says: 
"The  chief  lords  of  both  English  and  Irish  de- 
scent were  reduced  to  a  state  of  deplorable 
misery  and  exhaustion.  ...  It  was  high 
time,  therefore,  on  the  one  side  to  think  of  sub- 
mission, and  prudent  on  the  other  to  propose 
concession;  and  Henry  was  just  then  fortunate 
in  selecting  a  governor  for  Ireland  who  knew 
hoAv  to  take  advantage  of  the  favorable  circum- 
stances."  This  was  Saintleger,  whose  politic 
course  of  action  resulted  in  the  assembling  at 
Dublin,  June  12,  1541,  of  a  parliament  at  which, 
beside  all  the  principal  Anglo-Norman  lords, 
there  attended,  Donogh  O'Brien,  tanist  of 
Thomond,  the  O'Reilly,  O'More,  M'William, 
Fitzpatrick,  and  Kavanagh.*    The  speeches  in 

■*  Son  of  M'Murrogh  wlio  had  just  previously  "submit- 
ted," renouncing  the  title  of  M'Murrogh,  adopting  the  name 
of  Kavanagh,  and  undertaking  on  the  part  of  his  sept, 
that  no  one  henceforth  would  assume  the  renounced  title  ! 


the  English  language  were  translated  in  the 
Gaelic  tongue  to  the  Irish  chiefs  by  the  Earl  of 
Ormond.  The  main  business  was  to  consider  a 
bill  voting  the  crown  of  Ireland  to  Henry,  which 
was  unanimously  passed — registered  rather ;  for, 
as  far  as  the  native  "legislators"  Avere  concerned, 
the  assemblage  was  that  of  conquered  and  sub- 
dued chieftains,  ready  to  acknowledge  their  sub- 
jection in  any  way.  O'Neill  and  O'Donnell 
refused  to  attend.  They  held  out  sullenly  yet 
awhile  in  the  North.  But  in  the  next  year  they 
"came  in,"  much  to  the  delight  of  Henry,  who 
loaded  them  with  flatteries  and  attentions.  The 
several  chiefs  yielded  up  their  ancient  Irish 
titles,  and  consented  to  receive  English  instead. 
O'Brien  was  created  Earl  of  Thomond;  Ulick 
M'William  was  created  Earl  of  Clanrickard  and 
Baron  Dunkellin;  Hugh  O'Donnell  was  made 
Earl  of  Tyrconnell;  O'Neill  was  made  Earl  of 
Tyrone ;  Kavanagh  was  made  Baron  of  Ballyann  ; 
and  Fitzpatrick,  Baron  of  Ossory.  Most  of  these 
titles  were  conferred  by  Henry  in  person  at 
Greenwich  palace,  with  extravagant  pomp  and 
formality,  the  Irish  chiefs  having  been  specially 
invited  thither  for  that  purpose,  and  sums  of 
money  given  them  for  their  equipment  and  ex- 
penses. In  many  instances,  if  not  in  all,  they 
consented  to  receive  from  Henry  royal  patents  or 
title  deeds  for  "their"  lands,  as  the  English  from 
their  feudal  standijoint  would  regard  them ;  not 
their  lands,  however,  in  point  of  fact  and  law, 
but  the  "tribe-lands"  of  their  septs.  The  ac- 
ceptance of  these  "patents"  of  land  proprietor- 
ship, still  more  than  the  acceptance  of  English 
titles,  was  "a  complete  abrogation  of  the  Gaelic 
relation  of  clansman  and  chief."  Some  of  the 
new  earls  were  moreover  apportioned  a  share  of 
the  plundered  church  lands.  This  was  j^et  a 
further  outrage  on  their  people.  Little  need  we 
wonder,  therefore,  that  while  the  newly  created 
earls  and  barons  were  airing  their  modern  digni- 
ties at  the  English  court,  feted  and  flattered  by 
Henry,  the  clans  at  home,  learning  by  dark 
rumor  of  these  treasons,  were  already  stripping 
the  backsliding  chiefs  of  all  authority  and  power, 
and  were  taking  measures  to  arrest  and  consign, 
them  to  punishment  on  their  return.  O'Donnell 
found  most  of  his  clan,  headed  by  his  son,  up  in 
arms  against  him;  O'Brien,  on  his  return,  was: 
confronted  by  like  circumstances;  the  new  "Earl 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


89 


•of  Clanrickard"  was  incontinently  attainted  by 
his  people,  and  a  Gaelic  "M'William"  was  duly 
installed  in  his  stead.  O'Neill,  "the  first  of  his 
race  who  had  accepted  an  English  title,"  found 
that  his  clansmen  had  formally  deposed  him,  and 
■elected  as  the  O'Neill,  his  son  John,  surnamed 
"John  the  Proud" — the  celebrated  "Shane" 
O'Neill,  so  called  in  the  jargon  of  English  writ- 
ers. On  all  sides  the  septs  repudiated  and  took 
foi'mal  and  practical  measures  to  disavow  and 
reverse  the  acts  of  their  representatives.  The 
hopelessness  that  had  broken  the  spirit  of  the 
chief  found  no  i>lace  in  the  heart  of  the  clan. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  new  complications 
in  the  already  tangled  skein  of  Irish  affairs.  A 
new  source  of  division  and  disorganization  was 
now  planted  in  the  country.  Hitherto  the  clans 
-at  least  were  intact,  though  the  nation  was  shat- 
tered. Henceforth  the  clans  themselves  were 
•split  into  fragments.  From  this  period  forward 
we  hear  of  a  king's  or  a  queen's  O'Reillj' 
and  an  Irish  O'Reilly;  a  king's  O'Neill  and  an 
Irish  O'Neill;  a  king's  O'Donnell  and  an  Irish 
O'Donnell.  The  English  govei'ument  presented 
a  very  artful  compromise  to  the  septs — offering 
them  a  chief  of  the  native  family  stock,  but  re- 
quiring that  he  should  hold  from  the  crown,  not 
from  the  clan.  The  nominee  of  the  government, 
backed  by  all  the  English  power  and  interest, 
was  generally  able  to  make  head  for  a  time  at 
least  against  the  legitimate  chief  duly  and  legally 
chosen  and  elected  by  the  sept.  In  many  in- 
stances the  English  nominee  was  able  to  rally  to 
his  side  a  considerable  section  of  the  clan,  and 
•even  without  external  aid  to  hold  the  chosen 
chief  in  check.  By  the  internal  feuds  thus  in- 
cited, the  clans  were  utterly  riven,  and  were 
given  over  to  a  self-acting  process  of  extinction. 
Occasionally,  indeed,  the  crown  nominee,  once 
he  was  firmly  seated  in  the  chieftaincy,  threw  off 
all  allegiance  to  his  foreign  masters,  declared 
himself  an  Irish  chief,  cast  away  scornfully  his 
English  earlship,  and  assumed  proudly  the  an- 
cient title  that  named  him  head  of  his  clan.  In 
this  event  the  government  simply  declared  him 
"deposed,"  proceeded  to  nominate  another  chief 
in  his  place,  and  sent  an  army  to  install  the  new 
nominee  on  the  necks  of  the  stubborn  clan.  This 
was  the  artful  system — copied  in  all  its  craft  and 
cruelty  by  the  British  in  India  centuries  after- 


ward— pursued  toward  the  native  princes  and 
chiefs  of  Ireland  from  the  reign  of  Henry  the 
Eighth  to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

henry's  successors  :  EDWARD,  MARY,  and  ELIZABETH  

THE  CAREER  OF   "jOHN   THE  PROUD." 

The  changes  of  English  sovereigns  little  affected 
English  policy  in  Ireland.  "Whatever  meaning 
the  change  from  Henry  to  Edward,  from  Edward 
to  Mary,  and  from  Mary  to  Elizabeth,  may  have 
had  in  England,  in  Ireland  it  mattered  little 
who  filled  the  throne;  the  policy  of  subjugation, 
plunder,  and  extirpation  went  on.  In  Mary's 
reign,  indeed,  incidents  more  than  one  occurred 
to  show  that,  though  of  course  bent  on  complet- 
ing the  conquest  and  annexation  of  Ireland,  she 
was  a  stranger  to  the  savage  and  cruel  passions 
that  h:.d  ruled  her  father,  and  that  were  so  fear- 
fullj'  inherited  by  his  other  daughter,  Elizabeth. 
The  aged  chief  of  Offaly,  O'Connor,  had  long 
lain  in  the  dungeons  of  London  Tower,  all  efforts 
to  obtain  his  release  having  failed.  At  length 
his  daughter  Margaret,  hearing  that  now  a  queen 
— a  woman — sat  on  the  throne,  bethought  her  of 
an  appeal  in  person  to  Mary  for  her  father's  life 
and  freedom.  She  proceeded  to  London  and 
succeeded  in  obtaining  an  audience  of  the  queen. 
She  pleaded  with  all  a  woman's  eloquence,  and 
with  all  the  fervor  of  a  daughter  petitioning  for 
a  father's  life.  Mary  was  touched  to  the  heart 
by  this  instance  of  devotedness.  She  treated 
young  Margaret  of  Offaly  with  the  greatest  ten- 
derness, spoke  to  her  cheeringly,  and  promised 
her  that  what  she  had  so  bravely  sought  should 
be  freely  granted.  And  it  w^as  so.  O'Connor 
Faly  returned  with  his  daughter  to  Ireland  a  free 
man. 

Nor  was  this  the  only  instance  in  which  Mary 
exhibited  a  womanly  sympathy  for  misfortune. 
The  fate  of  the  Geraldines  moved  her  to  compas- 
sion. The  young  Gerald — long  time  a  fugitive 
among  the  glens  of  Muskery  and  Donegal,  now  an 
exile  sheltered  in  Rome — was  recalled  and  re- 
stored to  all  his  estates,  honors,  and  titles;  and 
with  O'Connor  Faly  and  the  young  Geraldine 
there  were  allowed  to  return  to  their  homes,  we 
are  told,  the  heirs  of  the  houses  of  Ormond  and 


90 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Upper  Ossory,  "to  the  great  delight  of  the 
southern  half  of  the  kingdom.  " 

To  Maiy  there  succeeded  on  the  English 
throne  her  Amazonian  sister,  Elizabeth.  The 
nobles  and  commoners  of  England  had,  indeed, 
as  in  Marj''s  case,  at  her  father's  request,  de- 
clared and  decreed  as  the  immortal  and  unchange- 
able truth  that  she  "n-as  illegitimate;  but,  accord- 
ing to  their  code  of  moralitj',  that  was  no  earthly 
reason  against  their  now  declaring  and  decreeing 
as  the  immortal  and  unchangeable  truth  that  she 
was  legitimate.  For  these  vex'y  noble  nobles  and 
most  uncommon  commoners  eat  dirt  with  a  hearty 
zest,  and  were  ready  to  decree  and  declare, 
to  swear  and  unswear,  the  most  contradictory 
and  irreconcilable  assertions,  according  as  their 
venality  and  servility  suggested. 

Elizabeth  was  a  woman  of  marvelous  ability. 
She  possessed  abundantly  the  talents  that  qualify 
a  statesman.  She  was  greatly  gifted  indeed;  but 
nature,  while  richly  endowing  her  with  so  much 
else  beside,  forgot  or  withheld  from  her  one  of 
the  commonest  gifts  of  human  kind — Elizabeth 
had  no  heart.  A  woman  devoid  of  heart  is,  after 
all,  a  terrible  freak  of  nature.  She  may  be  gifted 
with  marvelous  powers  of  intellect,  and  endowed 
with  great  personal  beauty,  but  she  is  still  a 
monster.  Such  was  Elizabeth ;  a  true  Tudor  and 
veritable  daughter  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth; 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  women  of  her  age, 
and  in  one  sense  one  of  the  greatest  of  English 
sovereigns. 

Her  reign  was  memorable  in  Irish  history.  It 
•witnessed  at  its  opening  the  revolt  of  John  the 
Proud  in  Ulster;  later  on  the  Desmond  rebellion ; 
and  toward  the  close  the  great  struggle  that  to 
all  time  will  immortalize  the  name  of  Hugh 
O'Neill. 

John  the  Proud,  as  I  have  already  mentioned, 
was  elected  to  the  chieftaincy  of  the  O'Neills  on 
the  deposition  of  his  father  by  the  clan.  He 
scornfully  defied  all  the  efforts  of  the  English  to 
dispute  his  claim,  and  soon  they  were  fain  to 
recognize  him  and  court  his  friendship.  Of  this 
extraordinary  man  little  more  can  be  said  in 
praise  than  that  he  was  an  indomitable  and,  up 
to  the  great  reverse  which  suddenly  closed  his 
career,  a  successful  soldier,  who  was  able  to  defy 
and  defeat  the  best  armies  of  England  on  Irish 
soil,  and  more  than  once  to  bring  the  English 


governmeut  very  submissively  to  terms  of  his 
dictation.  But  he  lacked  the  personal  virtues 
that  adorned  the  lives  and  inspired  the  efforts  of 
the  great  and  brave  men  whose  struggles  we  love 
to  trace  in  the  annals  of  Ireland.  His  was,  in- 
deed, a  splendid  military  career,  and  his  admin- 
istration of  the  government  of  his  territory  was 
undoubtedly  exemplary  in  many  respects,  but  he 
was  in  private  life  no  better  than  a  mere  English 
noble  of  the  time ;  his  conduct  toward  the  unfor- 
tunate Calvach  O'Donnell  leaving  a  lasting  stain 
on  his  name.*  The  state  papers  of  England 
reveal  an  incident  in  his  life  which  presents  us 
with  an  authenticated  illustration  of  the  means 
deemed  lawful  by  the  English  government  often 
enough  in  those  centuries  for  the  removing  of  an 
Irish  foe.  John  had  reduced  all  the  north  to  his 
sway,  and  cleared  out  every  vestige  of  English 
dominion  in  Ulster.  He  had  encountered  the 
English  commander-in-chief  and  defeated  him. 
He  had  marched  to  the  very  confines  of  Dublin, 
spreading  terror  through  the  Pale.  In  this  strait 
Sussex,  the  lord  lieutenant,  bethought  him  of  a 
good  plan  for  the  effectual  removal  of  this  danger- 
ous enemy  to  the  crown  and  government.  "With 
the  full  cognizance  and  sanction  of  the  queen,  he 
hired  an  assassin  to  murder  O'Neill.  The  plot, 
however,  miscarried,  and  we  should  probably 
have  never  heard  of  it,  but  that,  very  awkwardly 
for  the  memory  of  Elizabeth  and  of  her  worthy 
viceroy,  some  portions  of  their  correspondence 
on  the  subject  remained  undestroyed  among  the 
state  papers,  and  are  now  to  be  seen  in  the  State 
Paper  Office.  The  career  of  John  the  Proud 
closed  suddenly  and  miserably.  He  was  utterly 
defeated  (a.d.  1567)  in  a  great  pitched  battle  by 
the  O'Donnells;  an  overthrow  which  it  is  said. 


*He  invaded  tlie  O'Donnell's  territory,  and  acting,  it  is- 
said,  on  information  secretly  supplied  by  the  unfaiibful 
wife  of  tlie  Tyrconnell  chief,  succeeded  in  surprising  and 
capturing  him.  He  kept  O'Donnell,  who  was  his  father-in- 
law,  for  years  a  close  prisoner,  and  lived  in  open  adultery 
with  the  perfidious  wife  of  the  imprisoned  chief,  the  step- 
mother of  his  own  lawful  wife  !  "  What  deepens  the  hor- 
ror of  this  odious  domestic  tragedy,"  says  M'Gee,  "is  the- 
fact  that  the  wife  of  O'Neill,  the  daughter  of  O'Donnell, 
thus  supplanted  by  her  shameless  stepmother  under  her 
own  roof,  died  soon  afterward  of  '  horror,  loathing,  grief, 
and  deep  anguish'  at  the  spectacle  afforded  by  the  private- 
life  of  O'Neill,  and  the  severities  inflicted  on  her  wretched 
father  1" 


TEE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


91 


affected  bis  reason.  Flying  from  the  field  with 
his  guilty  mistress,  his  secretary,  and  a  body- 
guard of  fifty  horsemen,  he  was  induced  to  be- 
come the  guest  of  some  Scottish  adventurers  in 
Antrim,  upon  whom  he  had  inflicted  a  severe 
defeat  not  long  previously.  After  dinner,  when 
most  of  those  present  were  under  the  influence  of 
wine — John,  it  is  said,  having  been  purposely 
plied  with  drink — an  Englishman  who  was  pres- 
ent designedly  got  up  a  brawl,  or  pretense  of  a 
brawl,  about  CNeill's  recent  defeat  of  his  then 
guests.  Daggers  were  drawn  in  an  instant,  and 
the  unfortunate  John  the  Proud,  while  sitting 
helplessly  at  the  banqueting  board,  was  sur- 
rounded and  butchered. 


CHAPTEE  XXXVI. 

HOW  THE  GERALDINES   ONCE    MORE    LEAGUED  AGAINST 

ENGLAND    UNDER    THE  BANNER  OF    THE  CROSS  

HOW  "the  ROYAL  POPE"  WAS  THE  EARLIEST 
AND  THE  MOST  ACTIVE  ALLY  OF  THE  IRISH  CAUSE. 

The  death  of  John  the  Proud  gave  the  English 
power  respite  in  the  north ;  but,  respited  for  a 
moment  in  the  north,  that  power  was  doomed  to 
encounter  danger  still  as  menacing  in  the  south. 
Once  more  the  Geraldines  were  to  put  it  severely 
to  the  proof. 

Elizabeth  had  not  witnessed  and  studied  in 
vain  the  events  of  her  father's  reign.  She  very 
sagaciously  concluded  that  if  she  would  safely 
push  her  war  against  the  Catholic  faith  in  Ire- 
land, she  must  first  get  the  dreaded  Geraldines 
out  of  the  way.  And  she  knew,  too,  from  all 
previous  events,  how  necessary  it  was  to  guard 
that  not  even  a  solitary  seedling  of  that  danger- 
ous race  was  allowed  to  escape.  She  wrote  to 
Sydney,  her  lord  lieutenant,  to  lay  a  right  cun- 
ning snare  for  the  catching  of  the  Geraldines  in 
one  haul.  That  faithful  viceroy  of  a  gracious 
queen  forthwith  "issued  an  invitation  for  the 
nobility  of  Ireland  to  meet  him  on  a  given  day 
in  the  city  of  Dublin,  to  confer  with  him  on  some 
matters  of  great  weight,  particularly  regarding  re- 
ligion. ' '  The  bait  took.  "The  dynasts  of  Ireland, 
little  suspecting  the  design,  hastened  to  the  city, 
and  along  with  them  the  Earl  of  Desmond  and  his 
brother  John. "  They  had  a  safe  conduct  from 
Sydney,  but  had  scarcely  arrived  when  they  were 


seized  and  committed  to  the  castle  dungeons, 
whence  they  were  soon  shipped  off  to  the  Tower 
of  London.  This  was  the  plan  Elizabeth  had 
laid,  but  it  had  only  partially  succeeded.  All 
the  Geraldines  had  not  come  into  the  snare,  and 
she  took  five  years  to  decide  whether  it  would  be 
worth  while  murdering  these  (according  to  law), 
while  so  many  other  members  of  the  family  were 
yet  outside  her  grasp.  The  earl  and  his  brother 
appear  not  to  have  been  imprisoned,  but  merely 
held  to  residence  under  surveillance  in  London. 
According  to  the  version  of  the  family  chronicler, 
they  found  means  of  transmitting  a  document  or  ■ 
message  to  their  kinsmen  and  retainers,  appoint- 
ing their  cousin  James,  son  of  Maurice — known 
as  James  Fitzmaurice — to  be  the  head  and  leader 
of  the  family  in  their  absence,  "for  he  was  well- 
known  for  his  attachment  to  the  ancient  faith,  no 
less  than  for  his  valor  and  chivalry."  "Gladly," 
says  the  old  chronicler,  "did  the  people  of  Earl 
Desmond  receive  these  commands,  and  inviolable 
was  their  attachment  to  him  who  was  now  their 
appointed  chieftain." 

This  was  that  James  Fitzmaurice  of  Desmond 
— "James  Geraldine  of  happy  memory,"  as  Pope 
Gregory  calls  him — who  originated,  planned,  and 
organized  the  memoi-able  Geraldine  League  of 
1579,  upon  the  fortunes  of  which  for  j'ears  the 
attention  of  Christendom  was  fixed.  With  loftier, 
nobler,  holier  aims  than  the  righting  of  mere 
family  wrongs  he  conceived  the  idea  of  a  great 
league  in  defense  of  religion ;  a  holy  war,  in 
which  he  might  demand  the  sustainment  and  in- 
tervention of  the  Catholic  powers.  Elizabeth's, 
own  conduct  at  this  juncture  in  stirring  up  and 
subsidizing  the  Huguenots  in  France  supplied 
Fitzmaurice  with  another  argument  in  favor  of 
his  scheme.  First  of  all  he  sent  an  envoy  to  the 
pope — Gregory  the  Thirteenth — demanding  the 
blessing  and  assistance  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff  in 
this  struggle  of  a  Catholic  nation  against  a  mon- 
arch nakedly  violating  all  title  to  allegiance. 
The  act  of  an  apostate  sovereign  of  a  Catholic 
country  drawing  the  sword  to  compel  his  sub- 
jects into  apostasy  on  pain  of  death,  was  not. 
only  a  forfeiture  of  his  title  to  rule,  it  placed 
him  outside  the  pale  of  law,  civil  and  ecclesias- 
tical. This  was  Henry's  position  when  he  died; 
to  this  position,  as  the  envoy  pointed  out,  Eliza- 
beth succeeded  "with  a  vengeance ;"  and  so  he 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


lirayed  of  Pope  Gregory,  "liis  blessing  on  the 
undertaking  and  the  concession  of  indulgences 
whicb  the  cburcb  bestows  on  those  v>h.o  die  in 
•defense  of  the  faith."  The  holy  father  flung 
himself  earnestly  and  actively  into  the  cause. 
"Then,"  says  the  old  Geraldine  chaplain,  "forth 
flashed  the  sword  of  the  Geraldine ;  like  chaff  did 
lie  scatter  the  host  of  reformers ;  fire  and  devas- 
tation did  he  carry  into  their  strongholds,  so 
that  during  five  years  he  won  many  a  glorious 
victory,  and  carried  oif  innumerable  trophies." 

This  burst  of  rhapsody,  excusable  enough  on 
the  part  of  the  old  Geraldine  chronicler,  gives, 
however,  no  faithful  idea  of  what  ensued;  many 
brilliant  victories,  it  is  true,  James  Geraldine 
iichieved  in  his  protracted  struggle.  But  after 
five  years  of  valiant  effort  and  of  varied  fortunes, 
the  hour  of  reverses  came.  One  by  one  Fitz- 
maurice's  allies  were  struck  down  or  fell  away 
from  him,  until  at  length  he  himself  with  a  small 
force  stood  to  bay  in  the  historic  Glen  of  Aher- 
low,  which  "had  now  become  to  the  patriots  of 
the  south  what  the  valley  of  Glenmalure  had  been 
for  those  of  Leinster — a  fortress  dedicated  hy 
nature  to  the  defense  of  freedom. "  Here  he  held 
out  for  a  year;  but,  eventually,  he  dispatched 
envoys  to  the  lord  president  at  Kilmallock  to 
make  terms  of  submission,  wliich  were  duly 
granted.  "Whether  from  motives  of  polic3',  or  in 
compliance  with  these  stipulations,  the  impris- 
oned earl  and  his  brother  were  forthwith  released 
in  Loudon ;  the  queen  making  them  an  exceed- 
ingly smooth  and  bland  speech  against  the  sin  of 
rebellion.  The  gallant  Fitzmaurice  betook  him- 
self into  exile,  there  to  plot  and  organize  with 
redoubled  energy  in  the  cause  of  faith  and  coun- 
try; while  the  Earl  of  Desmond,  utterly  dis- 
heartened no  doubt  by  the  result  of  James' 
revolt,  and  "only  too  happy  to  be  tolerated  in 
the  possession  of  his  five  hundred  and  seventy 
thousand  acres,  was  eager  enough  to  testif3'  his 
allegiance  by  any  sort  of  service. " 

Fitzmaurice  did  not  labor  in  vain.  He  went 
from  court  to  court  pleading  the  cause  he  had  so 
deeply  at  heart.  He  was  received  with  honor 
and  respect  every  where ;  but  it  was  only  at  Rome 
that  he  obtained  that  which  ho  valued  beyond 
personal  honors  for  himself — aid  in  men,  money, 
and  arms  for  the  struggle  in  Ireland.  A  power- 
ful expedition  was  fitted  out  at  Civita  Veccbia 


by  the  sovereign  pontiff;  and  from  various 
princes  of  Europe  secret  promises  of  further  aid 
were  showered  upon  the  brave  Geraldine.  He 
little  knew,  all  this  time,  while  he  in  exile  was 
toiling  night  and  day — was  pleading,  urging, 
beseeching — planning,  organizing,  and  direct- 
ing— full  of  ardor  and  of  faithful  courageous  re- 
solve, that  his  countrymen  at  home — even  bis 
own  kinsmen — were  temporizing  and  compromis- 
ing with  the  lord  president!  He  little  knew 
that,  instead  of  finding  Ireland  ready  to  welcome 
him  as  a  deliverer,  be  was  to  land  in  the  midst 
of  a  prostrate,  dispirited,  and  apathetic  popula- 
tion, and  was  to  find  some  of  his  own  relatives, 
not  only  fearing  to  countenance,  but  cravenly 
arrayed  against  him!  It  was  even  so.  As  the 
youthful  Emmett  exclaimed  of  his  own  project 
against  the  British  crown  more  than  two  hundred 
years  subsequently,  we  may  say  of  Fitzmaurice 's 
— "There  was  failure  in  every  part.  "  B.y  some 
wild  fatality  everything  miscarried.  There  was 
concert  nowhere ;  there  was  no  one  engaged  in 
the  cause  of  ability  to  second  James'  efforts;  and 
what  misfortune  marred,  incompetencj'-  ruined. 
The  pope's  expedition,  upon  which  so  much  de- 
pended, was  diverted  from  its  destination  by  its 
incompetent  commander,  an  English  adventurer 
named  Stukelj',  knave  or  fool,  to  whom,  in  an 
evil  hour,  James  had  unfortunately  confided  such 
a  trust.  Stukely,  having  arrived  at  Lisbon  on 
his  way  to  Ireland,  and  having  there  learned  that 
the  King  of  Portugal  was  setting  out  on  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  Moors,  absolutely  joined  his 
forces  to  those  of  Dom  Sebastian,  and  accom- 
panied him,*  leaving  James  of  Desmond  to  learn 
as  best  he  might  of  this  inexplicable  imbecility, 
if  not  cold-blooded  treason! 

Meanwhile,  in  Ireland,  the  air  was  thick  with 
rumors,  vague  and  furtive,  that  James  was  "on 
the  sea,"  and  soon  to  land  with  a  liberating  ex- 
pedition. The  government  was,  of  course,  on 
the  alert,  fastening  its  gaze  with  Ij-nx-ej'ed  vigi- 
lance on  all  men  likelj'  to  join  the  "foreign  emis- 
saries," as  the  returning  Irish  and  their  friends 
were  styled;  and  around  the  southwestern  coast 
of  Ireland  was  instantly  drawn  a  line  of  British 
cruisers.    The    government   fain   would  have 

*  Stukely,  and  most  of  bis  force,  perished  on  the  bloody 
field  of  Aicazarquebir,  wbere  Doui  Seba.stian  and  two 
Moorish  kings  likewise  fell. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


93 


seized  upon  the  Earl  of  Desmond  and  his  broth- 
ers, but  it  was  not  certain  whether  this  would 
aid  or  retard  the  apprehended  revolt;  for,  so  far, 
these  Geraldines  protested  their  opposition  to  it, 
and  to  them — to  the  earl  in  particular — the  pop- 
ulation of  the  south  looked  for  leadership.  Yet, 
in  sooth,  the  English  might  have  relieved  the 
earl,  who,  hoping  nothing  of  the  revolt,  yet 
sympathizing  secretly  with  his  kinsman,  was  in  a 
sad  plight  what  to  do,  anxious  to  be  "neutral," 
and  trying  to  convince  the  lord  pi-esident  that  he 
■was  well  affected.  The  government  party,  on 
"the  other  hand,  trusting  him  naught,  seemed 
anxious  to  goad  him  into  some  "overt  act"  that 
would  put  him  utterly  in  their  power.  While  all 
was  excitement  about  the  expected  expedition, 
lo!  three  suspicious  strangers  were  landed  at 
jDiugle  from  a  Spanish  ship!  They  were  seized 
•as  "foreign  emissaries,"  and  were  brought  first 
before  the  Earl  of  Desmond.  Glad  of  an  oppor- 
tunity for  showing  the  government  his  zeal,  he 
forthwith  sent  them  prisoners  to  the  lord  presi- 
dent at  Kilmallock.  In  vain  they  protested  that 
they  were  not  conspirators  or  invaders.  And  in- 
deed they  were  not,  though  they  were  what  was 
just  as  bad  in  the  eyes  of  the  law,  namely,  Cath- 
olic ecclesiastics,  one  of  them  being  Dr.  O'Haly, 
Bishop  of  Mayo,  and  another  Father  Cornelius 
O'Rorke.  To  reveal  what  they  really  were  would 
serve  them  little ;  inasmuch  as  hanging  and  be- 
heading as  "rebels"  was  in  no  way  different 
from  hanging  and  beheading  as  "popish  ec- 
•clesiastics. "  Yet  would  the  authorities  insist 
that  they  were  vile  foreign  emissaries.  They 
spoke  with  a  Spanish  accent;  they  wore  their 
beards  in  the  Spanish  fashion,  and  their  boots 
"were  of  Spanish  cut.  So  to  force  a  confession  of 
what  was  not  truth  out  of  t^iem,  no  effort  was 
spared.  They  were  "put  to  every  conceivable 
torture,"  says  the  historian,  "in  order  to  extract 
intelligence  of  Fitzmaurice's  movements.  After 
their  thighs  had  been  broken  with  hammers  they 
were  hanged  on  a  tree,  and  their  bodies  used  as 
targets  by  the  soldiery. 

By  this  time  James,  all  unconscious  of  Stukely 's 
defection,  had  embarked  from  Spain  for  Ireland, 
with  a  few  score  Spanish  soldiers  in  three  small 
ships.  He  brought  with  him  Dr.  Saunders,  papal 
legate,  the  Bishop  of  Killaloe,  and  Dr.  Allen. 
The  little  fleet,  after  surviving  shipwreck  on  the 


coast  of  Gallicia,  sailed  into  Dingle  Harbor  July 
17,  1579.  Here  James  first  tasted  disheartening 
disillusion.  His  great  kinsman  the  earl,  so  far 
from  marching  to  welcome  him  and  summoning 
the  country  to  rise,  "sent  him  neither  sign  of 
friendship  nor  promise  of  co-operation."  This 
was  discouragement  indeed;  yet  Fitzmaurice 
was  not  without  hope  that  when  in  a  few  days 
the  main  expedition  under  Stukely  would  arrive, 
the  earl  might  think  more  hopefully  of  the  enter- 
prise, and  rally  to  it  that  power  which  he  alone 
could  assemble  in  Munster.  So,  weighing  anchor, 
James  steered  for  a  spot  which  no  doubt  he  had 
long  previously  noted  and  marked  as  pre-emi- 
nently suited  by  nature  for  such  a  purpose  as 
this  of  his  just  now — Illan-an-Oir,  or  Golden 
Island,  in  Smerwick  Harbor,  on  the  northwest 
Kerry  coast,  destined  to  be  famed  in  story  aa 
Fort  del  Ore.  This  was  a  singular  rock,  a  dimin- 
utive Gibraltar,  j  utting  into  the  harbor  or  bay  of 
Smerwick.  Even  previously  its  natural  strength 
as  a  site  for  a  fort  had  been  noticed,  and  a  rude 
fortification  of  some  sort  crowned  the  rock.  Here 
James  landed  his  small  force,  threw  up  an  earth- 
work across  the  narrow  neck  of  land  connecting 
the  "Isle  of  Gold"  with  the  mainland,  and  waited 
for  news  of  Stukely. 

But  Stukely  never  came!  There  did  come, 
however,  unfortunately  for  James,  an  English 
man-of-war,  which  had  little  difficulty  in  captur- 
ing his  transports  within  sight  of  the  helpless 
fort.  All  hope  of  the  expected  expedition  soon 
fied,  or  mayhap  its  fate  became  known,  and  mat- 
ters grew  desperate  on  Illan-an-Oir.  Still  the 
earl  made  no  sign.  His  brothers  John  and 
James,  however,  less  timid  or  more  true  to  kins- 
ship,  had  chivalrously  hastened  to  join  Fitz- 
maurice. But  it  was  clear  the  enterprise  was 
lost.  The  government  forces  were  mustering 
throughout  Munster,  and  nowhere  was  help  be- 
ing organized.  In  this  strait  it  was  decided  to 
quit  the  fort  and  endeavor  to  reach  the  old  fast- 
nesses amid  the  Galtees.  The  little  band  in 
their  eastward  march  were  actually  pursued  by 
the  Earl  of  Desmond,  not  very  much  in  earnest 
indeed — in  downright  sham,  the  English  said, 
yet  in  truth  severely  enough  to  compel  them  to 
divide  into  three  fugitive  groups,  the  papal 
legate  and  the  other  dignitaries  remaining  with 
Fitzmaurice.    Making  a  desperate  push  to  reach 


94  THE  STORY 

the  Shannon,  his  horses  utterly  exhausted,  the 
brave  Geraldiue  •was  obliged  to  impress  into  his 
service  some  horses  belonging  to  Sir  "William 
Burke,  through  whose  lauds  he  was  then  passing. 
Burke,  indeed,  was  a  relative  of  his,  and  Fitz- 
maurice  thought  that  revealing  his  name  would 
silence  all  objection.  On  the  contrary,  however, 
this  miserable  Burke  assembled  a  force,  pursued 
the  fugitives,  and  fell  upon  them,  as  "few  and 
faint,  "jaded  and  outworn,  they  had  halted  at 
the  little  river  Mulkern  in  Limerick  county. 
Fitzmaurice  was  wounded  mortally  early  in  the 
fray,  yet  his  ancient  prowess  flashed  out  Avith  all 
its  natiA'e  brilliancy  at  the  last.  Dashing  into 
the  midst  of  his  dastard  foes,  at  one  blow  he 
clove  to  earth  Theobald  Burke,  and  in  another 
instant  laid  the  brother  of  Theobald  mortally- 
wounded  at  his  feet.  The  assailants,  though  ten 
to  one,  at  once  turned  and  fled.  But  alas!  vain 
was  the  victorj^ — James  Geraldiue  had  received 
his  death  wound!  Calmly  receiving  the  last 
rites  of  the  church  at  the  hands  of  Dr.  Allen, 
and  having  with  his  last  breath  dictated  a  mes- 
sage to  his  kinsmen  enjoining  them  to  take  up 
the  banner  fallen  in  his  hand,  and  to  fight  to  the 
last  in  the  holy  war — naming  his  cousin  John  of 
Desmond  as  leader  to  succeed  him— the  chival- 
rous Fitzmaurice  breathed  his  last  sigh.  "Such, " 
says  the  historian,  "was  the  fate  of  the  glorious 
hopes  of  Sir  James  Fitzmaurice!  So  ended  in  a 
squabble  with  churls  about  cattle,  on  the  banks 
of  an  insignificant  stream,  a  career  which  had 
di'awn  the  attention  of  Europe,  and  had  inspired 
with  apprehension  the  lion-hearted  English 
queen ! ' ' 

Faithful  to  the  dying  message  of  Fitzmaurice, 
John  of  Desmond  now  avowed  his  resolution  to 
continue  the  struggle;  which  he  did  bravely,  and 
not  without  brilliant  results.  But  the  earl  still 
"stood  on  the  fence."  Still  would  he  fain  per- 
suade the  government  that  he  was  quite  averse 
to  the  mad  designs  of  his  unfortunate  kinsmen ; 
and  still  government,  fully  believing  him  a  sym- 
jjathizer  with  the  movement,  lost  no  opportunity 
of  scornfully  taunting  him  with  insinuations. 
Eventually  they  commenced  to  treat  his  lands  as 
the  possessions  of  an  enemy,  wasting  and  harry- 
ing them ;  and  at  length  the  earl,  finding  too  late 
that  in  such  a  struggle  there  was  for  him  no 
neutrality,  took  the  field.    But  this  step  on  his 


OF  IRELAND. 

part,  which  if  it  had  been  taken  earlier,  might  , 
have  had  a  powerful  effect,  was  now,  as  I  have 
said,  all  too  late  for  any  substantial  influence 
upon  the  lost  cause.  Yet  be  showed  by  a  few 
brilliant  victories  at  the  very  outset  that  he  was, 
in  a  military  sense,  not  all  unworthy  of  his  posi- 
tion as  First  Geraldiue  The  Spanish  king,  too, 
had  by  this  time  been  moved  to  the  aid  of  the 
struggle.  The  Fort  del  Ore  once  more  received 
an  expedition  from  Spain,  where  this  time  there 
landed  a  force  of  seven  hundred  Spaniards  and 
Italians,  under  the  command  of  Sebastian  San 
Josef,  Hercules  Pisano,  and  the  Duke  of  Biscay. 
They  brought,  moreover,  arms  for  five  thousand 
men,  a  large  sui^ply  of  money,  and  cheering 
promises  of  still  further  aid  from  over  the  sea. 
Lord  Grey,  the  deputy,  quickly  saw  that  prob- 
ably the  future  existence  of  British  power  in  Le- 
land  depended  upon  the  swift  and  sudden  crush- 
ing of  this  formidable  expedition;  accordingly 
with  all  vehemence  did  he  strain  every  energy  to 
concentrate  with  rapidity  around  Fort  del  Ore, 
by  land  and  sea,  an  overwhelming  force  before 
any  aid  or  co-operation  could  reach  it  from  the 
Geraldines.  "Among  the  ofiicers  of  the  besieg- 
ing force  were  three  especially  notable  men — Sir 
Walter  Raleigh,  the  poet  Spenser,  and  Hugh 
O'Neill — afterward  Earl  of  Tyrone,  but  at  this 
time  commanding  a  squadron  of  cavalry  for  her 
majesty  Queen  Elizabeth.  San  Josef  surrendered 
the  place  on  conditions;  that  savage  outrage 
ensued,  which  is  known  in  Lish  history  as  'the 
massacre  of  Smerwick. '  Raleigh  and  Wingfield 
appear  to  have  directed  the  operations  by  which 
eight  hundred  prisoners  of  war  were  cruelly 
butchered  and  flung  over  the  rocks.  The  sea 
upon  that  coast  is  deep,  and  the  tide  swift ;  but 
it  has  not  proved  deep  enough  to  hide  that  hor- 
rid crime,  or  to  wash  the  stains  of  such  wanton 
bloodshed  from  the  memory  of  its  authors!"* 

It  may  be  said  that  the  Geraldiue  cause  never 
rallied  after  this  disaster.  "For  four  years 
longer,"  says  the  historian  whom  I  have  just 
quoted,  "the  Geraldiue  League  flickered  in  the 
south.  Proclamations  offering  pardon  to  all  con- 
cerned, except  Earl  Gerald  and  a  few  of  his  most 
devoted  adherents,  had  their  effect.  Deserted  at 
home,  and  cut  off  from  foreign  assistance,  the 


*  McGee. 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND.  95 


condition  of  Desmond  grew  more  and  more  intol- 
erable. On  one  occasion  he  narrowly  escaped 
capture  by  rushing  with  his  countess  into  a 
river,  and  remaining  concealed  up  to  the  chin  in 
water.  His  dangers  can  hardly  be  paralleled  hy 
those  of  Bruce  after  the  battle  of  Falkirk,  or  by 
the  more  familiar  adventures  of  Charles  Edward. 
At  length  on  the  night  of  November  11,  1584,  he 
was  surprised  with  only  two  followers  in  a  lone- 
some valley,  about  five  miles  distant  from  Tralee, 
among  the  mountains  of  Kerry.  The  spot  is 
still  remembered,  and  the  name  of  'the  Earl's 
Eoad'  transports  the  fancy  of  the  traveler  to  that 
tragical  scene.  Cowering  over  the  embers  of  a 
half-extinct  fire  in  a  miserable  hovel,  the  lord  of 
a  country  which  in  time  of  peace  had  j'ielded  an 
annual  rental  of  'forty  thousand  golden  pieces,' 
was  dispatched  by  the  hands  of  common  soldiers, 
without  pity,  or  time,  or  hesitation.  A  few  fol- 
lowers watching  their  creaghts  or  herds,  further 
up  the  valley,  found  his  bleeding  trunk  flung  out 
upon  the  highway;  the  head  was  transported 
over  seas  to  rot  upon  the  spikes  of  London 
Tower." 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  great  Geraldine 
League  of  1579.  Even  the  youngest  of  my  read- 
ers must  have  noticed  in  its  plan  and  constitu- 
tion, one  singular  omission  which  proved  a  fatal 
defect.  It  did  not  raise  the  issue  of  national  in- 
dependence at  all.  It  made  no  appeal  to  the 
national  aspirations  for  liberty.  It  was  simply  a 
war  to  compel  Elizabeth  to  desist  from  her  bloody 
persecution  of  the  Catholic  faith.  Furthermore, 
it  left  out  of  calculation  altogether  the  purely 
Irish  elements.  It  left  all  the  northern  half  of 
the  kingdom  out  of  sight.  It  was  only  a  south- 
ern movement.  The  Irish  princes  and  chiefs — 
those  of  them  most  opposed  to  the  English  power 
— never  viewed  the  enterprise  with  confidence  or 
sympathy.  Fitzmaurice  devoted  much  more  at- 
tention to  foreign  aid  than  to  native  combina- 
tion. In  truth  his  movement  was  simply  an 
Anglo-Irish  war  to  obtain  freedom  of  conscience, 
and  never  raised  issues  calculated  to  call  forth 
the  united  efforts  of  the  Irish  nation  in  a  war 
against  England. 

Before  passing  to  the  next  great  event  of  this 
era,  I  may  pause  to  note  here  a  few  occurrences 
worthy  of  record,  but  for  which  I  did  not  deem 
it  advisable  to  break  in  upon  the  consecutive 


narration  of  the  Geraldine  war.  My  endeavor 
throughout  is  to  present  to  my  young  readers,  in 
clear  and  distinct  outline,  a  sketch  of  the  chief 
event  of  each  period  more  or  less  complete  by 
itself,  so  that  it  may  be  easily  comprehended  and 
remembered.  To  this  end  I  omit  many  minor 
incidents  and  occurrences,  which,  if  engrafted  or 
brought  in  upon  the  main  narrative,  might  have 
a  tendency  to  confuse  and  bewilder  the  facts  in 
one's  recollection. 


CHAPTEE  XXXVII. 

how  commander  cosby  held  a  "  feast "  at  mul- 
laghmast;  and  how  "ruaki  oge"  recompensed 

THAT     "hospitality"  A      VICEROY's    VISIT  TO 

GLENMALURE,   AND  HIS  RECEPTION  THERE. 

It  was  within  the  period  which  we  have  just 
passed  over  that  the  ever-memorable  massacre  of 
Mullaghmast  occurred.  It  is  not,  unhappily, 
the  only  tragedy  of  the  kind  to  be  met  with  in 
our  blood-stained  annals;  yet  it  is  of  all  the  most 
vividly  perpetuated  in  popular  traditions.  In 
1577,  Sir  Francis  Cosby,  commanding  the  queen's 
troops  in  Leix  and  Offaly,  formed  a  diabolical 
plot  for  the  permanent  conquest  of  that  district. 
Peace  art  the  moment  prevailed  between  the  gov- 
ernment and  the  inhabitants ;  but  Cosby  seemed 
to  think  that  in  extirpation  lay  the  only  effectual 
security  for  the  crown.  Feigning,  howevei", 
gi'eat  friendship,  albeit  suspicious  of  some  few 
"evil  disposed"  persons  said  not  to  be  well 
affected,  he  invited  to  a  grand  feast  all  the  chief 
families  of  the  territory ;  attendance  thereat 
being  a  sort  of  test  of  amity.  To  this  summons 
responded  the  flower  of  the  Irish  nobility  in  Leix 
and  Offaly,  with  their  kinsmen  and  friends — 
the  O 'Mores,  O'Kellys,  Lalors,  O 'Nolans,  etc. 
The  "banquet" — alas!^ — ^was  prepared  by  Cosby 
in  the  great  Eath  or  Fort  of  Mullach-Maisten,  or 
Mullaghmast,  in  Kildare  county.  Into  the  great 
rath  rode  many  a  pleasant  cavalcade  that  day ; 
but  none  ever  came  forth  that  entered  in.  A 
gentleman  named  Lalor  who  had  halted  a  little 
way  off,  had  his  suspicions  in  some  way  aroused. 
He  noticed,  it  is  said,  that  while  many  went  into, 
the  rath,  none  were  seen  to  reappear  outside. 
Accordingly  he  desired  his  friends  to  remain  be- 
hind while  he  advanced  and  reconnoitered.  H^; 


96  THE  STORY 

entered  cautiouslj\  Inside,  what  a  horrid  spec- 
tacle met  his  sight!  At  the  very  entrance  the 
dead  bodies  of  some  of  his  slaughtered  kinsmen! 
In  an  instant  he  himself  was  set  upon ;  but  draw- 
ing his  sword,  he  hewed  his  way  out  of  the  fort 
and  back  to  his  friends,  and  they  barely  escaped 
with  their  lives  to  Dysart!  He  was  the  only 
Irishman  out  of  more  than  four  hundred  who 
entered  the  fort  that  day  that  escaped  with  life ! 
The  invited  guests  were  butchered  to  a  man;  one 
hundred  and  eighty  of  the  O 'Mores  alone  having 
thus  perished. 

The  peasantry  long  earnestly  believed  and 
asserted  that  on  the  encircled  rath  of  slaughter 
rain  nor  dew  never  fell,  and  that  the  ghosts  of 
the  slain  might  be  seen,  and  their  groans  dis- 
tinctly heard  "on  the  solemn  midnight  blast!" 

"O'er  the  Rath  of  Mullaghmast, 
On  the  solemn  midnight  blast, 
What  bleeding  specters  pass'd 

With  their  gashed  breasts  bare! 

"Hast  thou  heard  the  fitful  wail 
That  o'erloads  the  sullen  gale 
When  the  waning  moon  shines  pale 

O'er  the  cursed  ground  there? 

"Hark!  hollow  moans  arise 
Through  the  black  tempestuous  skies. 
And  curses,  strife,  and  cries. 

From  the  lone  rath  swell; 

"For  bloody  Sydney  there 
Nightly  tills  the  lurid  air 
With  the  unholy  pompous  glare 

Of  the  foul,  deep  hell. 

•  •  •  .  ■  •  •  • 

"False  Sydney!  knighthood's  stain! 
The  trusting  brave — in  vain 
Thy  guests — ride  o'er  the  plain 

To  thy  dark  cow'rd  snare; 

"Flow'r  of  Offaly  and  Leix, 
They  have  come  thy  board  to  grace — 
Fools!  to  meet  a  faithless  race. 

Save  with  true  swords  bare. 

"While  cup  and  song  abound, 
The  triple  lines  surround 
The  closed  and  guarded  mound. 

In  the  night's  dark  noon. 


OF  IRELAND. 

"Alas!  too  brave  O 'Moore, 
Ere  the  revelry  was  o'er. 
They  have  spill 'd  thy  j'oung  heart's  gore. 
Snatch 'd  from  love  too  soon! 

"At  the  feast,  unarmed  all. 
Priest,  bard,  and  chieftain  fall 
In  the  treacherous  Saxon's  hall. 

O'er  the  bright  wine  bowl; 

"And  now  nightly  round  the  board. 
With  unsheath'd  and  reeking  sword. 
Strides  the  cruel  felon  lord 

Of  the  blood-stain 'd  soul. 

"Since  that  hour  the  clouds  that  pass'd 
O'er  the  Rath  of  Mullaghmast, 
One  tear  have  never  cast 

On  the  gore-dyed  sod; 

"For  the  shower  of  crimson  rain 
That  o'erflowed  that  fatal  plain. 
Cries  aloud,  and  not  in  vain. 

To  the  most  high  God!" 

A  sword  of  vengeance  tracked  Cosby  from  that 
day.  In  Leix  or  Offaly  after  this  terrible  blow 
there  was  no  raising  a  regular  force;  yet  of  the 
family  thus  murderously  cut  down,  there  re- 
mained one  man  who  thenceforth  lived  but  to 
avenge  his  slaughtered  kindred.  This  was  Ruari 
Oge  O' More,  the  guerrilla  chief  of  Leix  and  Offaly, 
long  the  terror  and  the  scourge  of  the  Pale. 
While  he  lived  none  of  Cosby's  "undertakers" 
slept  securely  in  the  homes  of  the  plundered 
race.  Swooping  down  upon  their  castles  and 
mansions,  towns  and  settlements,  Ruari  became 
to  them  an  angel  of  destruction.  When  they 
deemed  him  farthest  away  his  sword  of  venge- 
ance was  at  hand.  In  the  lurid  glare  of  burning 
roof  and  blazing  granarj',  they  saw  like  a  specter 
from  the  rath,  the  face  of  an  O'More;  and,  above 
the  roar  of  the  flames,  the  shrieks  of  victims,  or 
the  crash  of  falling  battlements,  they  heard  in  the 
hoarse  voice  of  an  implacable  avenger — "Remem- 
ber Mullaghmast !" 

And  the  sword  of  Ireland  still  was  swift  and 
strong  to  pursue  the  author  of  that  bloody  deed, 
and  to  strike  him  and  his  race  through  two  gen- 
erations.   One  by  one  they  met  their  doom: 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


97 


"In  the  lost  battle 

Borne  down  by  the  flying ; 
Where  mingles  war's  rattle 

With  the  groans  of  the  dying," 

On  the  bloody  daj'  of  Glenmalure,  when  the 
red  flag  of  England  went  down  in  the  battle's 
hurricane,  and  Elizabeth's  proud  viceroy.  Lord 
Grey  de  Wilton,  and  all  the  chivalry  of  the  Pale 
were  scattered  and  strewn  like  autumn  leaves  in 
the  gale,  Cosby  of  Mullaghmast  fell  in  the  rout, 
sent  swiftly  to  eternal  judgment  with  the  brand 
of  Cain  upon  his  brow.  A  like  doom,  a  fatality, 
tracked  his  children  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion! They  too  perished  by  the  sword  or  the 
battle-ax — the  last  of  them,  son  and  grandson, 
on  one  day,  by  the  stroke  of  an  avenging 
O'More* — until  it  may  be  questioned  if  there 
now  exists  a  human  being  in  whose  veins  runs 
the  blood  of  the  greatly  infamous  knight  com- 
mander. Sir  Francis  Cosby. 

The  battle  of  Glenmalure  was  fought  August 
25,  1580.  That  magnificent  defile,  as  I  have 
already  remarked,  in  the  words  of  one  of  our  his- 
torians, had  long  been  for  the  patriots  of  Lein- 
ster  "a  fortress  dedicated  by  nature  to  the  de- 
fense of  freedom;"  and  never  had  fortress  of 
freedom  a  nobler  soul  to  command  its  defense 
than  he  who  now  held  Glenmalure  for  God  and 
Ireland — Feach  M'Hugh  O'Byrne,  of  Ballinacor, 
called  by  the  English  "The  Firebrand  of  the 
Mountains."  In  his  time  no  sword  was  drawn 
for  liberty  in  any  corner  of  the  island,  near  or 
far,  that  his  own  good  blade  did  not  leap  respon- 
Bively  from  its  scabbard  to  aid  "the  good  old 
cause."  Whether  the  tocsin  was  sounded  in  the 
north  or  in  the  south,  it  ever  woke  pealing  echoes 
amid  the  hills  of  Glenmalure.  As  in  later 
years,  Feach  of  Ballinacor  was  the  most  trusted 
and  faithful  of  Hugh  CNeill's  friends  and  allies, 
so  was  he  now  in  arms  stoutly  battling  for  the 
Geraldine  league.  His  son-in-law.  Sir  Francis 
Fitzgerald,  and  James  Eustace,  Viscount  Bal- 
tinglass,  had  rallied  what  survived  of  the  clans- 
men of  Idrone,  Offaly,  and  Leix,  and  had  effected 
a  junction  with  him,  taking  up  strong  positions 


*"Ouney,  son  of  Ruari  Oge  O'More,  slew  Alexander  and 
Francis  Cosby,  son  and  grandson  of  Cosby  of  Mullaghmast, 
and  routed  their  troops  with  great  slaughter,  at  Stradbally 
Bridge,  May  19,  1597," 


in  the  passes  of  Slieveroe  and  Glenmalure,  Lord 
Grey  of  Wilton  arrived  as  lord  lieutenant  from 
England  on  August  12th.  Eager  to  signalize 
his  advent  to  office  by  some  brilliant  achieve- 
ment, he  rejoiced  greatly  that  so  near  at  hand — ■ 
within  a  day's  march  of  Dublin  Castle — an  op- 
portunity presented  itself.  Yes!  He  would 
measure  swords  with  this  wild  chief  of  Glenma- 
lure who  had  so  often  defied  the  power  of 
England.  He  would  extinguish  the  "Firebrand 
of  the  Mountain,"  and  plant  the  cross  of  St, 
George  on  the  ruins  of  Ballinacor!  So,  assem- 
bling a  right  royal  host,  the  haughty  viceroy 
marched  upon  Glenmalure.  The  only  accounts 
which  we  possess  of  the  battle  are  those  con- 
tained in  letters  written  to  England  by  Sir  Will- 
iam Stanley  and  others  of  the  lord  lieutenant's 
officials  and  subordinates;  so  that  we  may  be 
sure  the  truth  is  very  scantily  revealed.  Lord 
Grey  having  arrived  at  the  entrance  to  the  glen, 
seems  to  have  had  no  greater  anxiety  than  to 
"hem  in"  the  Irish.  So  he  constructed  a  strong 
earthwork  or  intrenched  camp  at  the  mouth  of 
the  valley  the  more  effectually  to  stop  "escape." 
It  never  once  occurred  to  the  vainglorious 
English  viceroy  that  it  was  he  himself  and  his 
royal  army  that  were  to  play  the  part  of  fugitives 
in  the  approaching  scene!  All  being  in  readi- 
ness. Lord  Grey  gave  the  order  of  the  advance ; 
he  and  a  group  of  courtier  friends  taking  their 
places  on  a  high  ground  commanding  a  full  view 
up  the  valley,  so  that  they  might  lose  nothing  of 
the  gratifying  spectacle  anticipated.  An  omi- 
nous silence  i>revailed  as  the  English  regiments 
pushed  their  way  into  the  glen.  The  courtiers 
waxed  witty;  they  wondered  whether  the  game 
had  not  "stolen  away;"  they  sadly  thought  there 
would  be  "no  sport;"  or  they  halloed  right  mer- 
rily to  the  troops  to  follow  on  and  "unearth"  the 
"old  fox."  After  awhile  the  way  became  more 
and  more  tedious.  "We  were, "  says  Sir  William 
Stanley,  "forced  to  slide  sometimes  three  or  four 
fathoms  ere  we  could  stay  our  feet;"  the  way 
being  "full  of  stones,  rocks,  logs,  and  wood;  in 
the  bottom  thereof  a  river  full  of  loose  stones 
which  we  were  driven  to  cross  divers  times," 
At  length  it  seemed  good  to  Feach  M'Hugh 
O'Byrne  to  declare  that  the  time  had  come  for 
action.  Then,  from  the  forest-clad  mountain 
sides  there  burst   forth  a  wild  shout,  whereat 


98 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


manj'  of  the  jesting  courtiers  turned  pale;  and  a 
storm  of  bullets  assailed  the  entangled  English 
legions.  As  yet  the  foe  was  unseen,  but  his  ex- 
ecution was  disastrous.  The  English  troops 
broke  into  disorder.  Lord  Grey,  furious  and 
distracted,  ordered  up  the  reserves;  but  now 
Feach  passed  the  word  along  the  Irish  lines  to 
charge  the  foe.  Like  the  torrents  of  winter 
pouring  down  those  hills,  down  swept  the  Irish 
force  from  every  side  upon  the  struggling  mass 
below.  Vain  was  all  effort  to  wrestle  against 
such  a  furious  charge.  From  the  very  first  it 
became  a  pursuit.  How  to  escape  was  now  each 
castle  courtier's  wild  endeavor.  Discipline  was 
utterly  cast  aside  in  the  panic  rout!  Lord  Grey 
and  a  few  attendants  fled  early,  and  by  fleet 
horses  saved  themselves;  but  of  all  the  brilliant 
host  the  viceroy  had  led  out  of  Dublin  a  few  days 
before,  there  returned  but  a  few  shattered  com- 
panies to  tell  the  tale  of  disaster,  and  to  sur- 
round with  new  terrors  the  name  of  Feach 
M'Hugh,  the  "Firebrand  of  the  Mountains." 


CHAPTER  XXXVin. 

"HUGH      OF      DUNGANNOn"  HOW     QUEEN  ELIZABETH 

BROUGHT  UP  THE  YOUNG  IRISH  CHIEF  AT  COURT, 
WITH   CERTAIN  CRAFTY  DESIGNS  OF  HER  OWN. 

There  now  appears  upon  the  scene  of  Irish 
history  that  remarkable  man  whose  name  will 
live  in  song  and  story  as  long  as  the  Irish  race 
survives — leader  of  one  of  the  greatest  struggles 
ever  waged  against  the  Anglo-Norman  subjuga- 
tion— Hugh  O'Neill;  called  in  English  "patents" 
Earl  of  Tyrone. 

Ever  since  the  closing  years  of  the  eighth 
Henry's  reign — the  period  at  which,  as  I  have 
already  explained,  the  policy  of  splitting  up  the 
clans  by  rival  chiefs  began  to  be  adopted  by  the 
English  power — the  government  took  care  to  pro- 
vide itself,  by  fair  means  or  by  foul,  with  a  supply 
of  material  from  which  crown  chiefs  might  be 
taken.  That  is  to  say,  the  government  took  care 
to  have  in  its  hands,  and  trained  to  its  own  pur- 
poses, some  member  or  members  of  each  of  the 
ruling  families — the  O'Neills,  O'Reillys,  O'Don- 
nells,  M'Guires,  O'Connors,  etc.,  ready  to  be  set 
up  as  the  king's  or  queen's  O'Neill,  O'Reilly,  or 


O'Donuell,  as  the  case  might  be,  according  as 
policy  dictated  and  opportunity  offered.  One  of 
these  government  proteges  was  Hugh  O'Neill, 
who,  when  yet  a  boy,  was  taken  to  London  and 
bi'ought  up  in  the  court  of  Elizabeth.  As  he 
was  a  scion  of  the  royal  house  of  O'Neill,  and, 
in  English  plannings,  destined  one  day  to  play 
the  most  important  part  as  yet  assigned  to  a 
queen's  chief  in  Ireland,  viz.,  the  reducing  to 
subserviency  of  that  Ulster  which  formed  the 
standing  menace  of  English  power,  the  uncon- 
querable citadel  of  nationality,  the  boy  Hugh — • 
the  young  Baron  of  Dungannon,  as  he  was  called 
— -was  the  object  of  unusual  attention.  He  was 
an  especial  favorite  with  the  queen,  and  as  may 
be  supposed  the  courtiers  all,  lords  and  ladies, 
took  care  to  pay  him  suitable  obeisance.  No 
pains  were  spared  with  his  education.  He  had 
the  best  tutors  to  attend  upon  him,  and  above  all 
he  was  assiduously  trained  into  court  finesse, 
how  to  dissemble,  and  with  smooth  and  smiling 
face  to  veil  the  true  workings  of  mind  and  heart. 
In  this  way  it  was  hoped  to  mold  the  young 
Irish  chief  into  English  shape  for  English  pur- 
poses; it  never  once  occurring  to  his  royal 
trainers  that  nature  some  day  might  burst  forth 
and  prove  stronger  than  courtly  artificiality,  or 
that  the  arts  they  were  so  assiduously  teaching 
the  boy  chief  for  the  ruin  of  his  country's  inde- 
pendence might  be  turned  against  themselves. 
In  due  time  he  was  sent  into  the  army  to  perfect 
his  military  studies,  and  eventually  (fully  trained, 
polished,  educated,  and  prepared  for  the  role 
designed  for  him  by  his  English  masters)  he  took 
up  his  residence  at  his  family  seat  in  Dungannon. 

Fortunately  for  the  fame  of  Hugh  O'Neill,  and 
for  the  Irish  nation  in  whose  history  he  played 
so  memorable  a  part,  the  life  of  that  illustrious 
man  has  been  written  in  our  generation  by  a 
biographer  worthy  of  the  theme.  Among  the 
masses  of  Irishmen,  comparatively  little  would 
be  known  of  that  wondrous  career  had  its  history 
not  been  popularized  by  John  Mitchel's  "Life  of 
Hugh  O'Neill."  The  dust  of  centuries  had  been 
alloAved  to  cover  the  noble  picture  drawn  from 
life  by  the  master  hand  of  Don  Philip  O 'Sulli- 
van Beare — a  writer  but  for  whom  we  should  now 
be  without  any  contemporaneous  record  of  the 
most  eventful  iieriod  of  Anglo-Irish  history,  save 
the  unjust  and  distorted  versions  of  bitterly 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


99 


ipartisan  English  officials.*  Don  Philip's  his- 
tory, however,  was  practically  inaccessible  to 
the  masses  of  Irishmen ;  and  to  Mr.  Mitchel  is 
-almost  entirely  owinjjj  the  place  O'Neill  now 
holds — his  rightful  prominence — in  popular 
estimation. 

Mr.  Mitchel  pictures  the  great  Ulster  chieftain 
to  us  a  patriot  from  the  beginning;  adroitly 
and  dissemblingly  biding  his  time;  learning 
all  that  was  to  be  learned  in  the  camp  of 
the  enemy ;  looking  far  ahead  into  the  future, 
and  shaping  his  course  from  the  start  with 
fixed  purpose  toward  the  goal  of  national  in- 
dependence. This,  however,  cannot  well  be 
'Considered  more  than  a  "view,"  a  "theory, "  a 
"reading."  O'Neill  was,  during  his  earlier 
-career,  in  purpose  and  in  plan,  in  mind,  manner, 
and  action,  quite  a  different  man  from  the  O'Neill 
■of  his  later  years.  It  is  very  doubtful  that  he 
had  any  patriotic  aspirations  after  national  inde- 
pendence— much  less  any  fixed  policy  or  design 
tending  thereto — until  long  after  he  first  found 
himself,  by  the  force  of  circumstances,  in  colli- 
-sion  with  the  English  power.  In  him  we  see  the 
-conflicting  influences  of  nature  and  nature-re- 
pressing art.  His  Irishism  was  ineradicable, 
though  long  dormant.  His  court  tutors  strove 
hard  to  eliminate  it,  and  to  give  him  instead  a 
"polished"  Englishism;  but  they  never  more 
than  partially  succeeded.  They  put  a  court  lac- 
■quer  on  the  Celtic  material,  and  the  superficial 
wash  remained  for  a  few  years,  not  more.  The 
voice  of  nature  was  ever  crying  out  to  Hugh 
■O'Neill.  For  some  years  after  leaving  court,  he 
lived  very  much  like  any  other  Anglicized  or 
English  baron,  in  his  house  at  Dungannon.  But 
the  touch  of  his  native  soil,  intercourse  with 
neighboring  Irish  chieftains,  and  the  force  of 
sympathy  with  his  own  people,  now  surrounding 


*  To  Don  Philip's  great  work  tbe  "Historiae  Catbolicse 
Iberniae,"  we  are  indebted  for  nearly  all  that  we  know  oF 
this  memorable  struggle.  "  He  is,"  says  Mr.  Mitchel, 
"  the  only  writer,  Irish  or  foreign,  who  gives  an  intelligible 
account  of  O'Neill's  battles ;  but  he  was  a  soldier  as  well  as 
a  chronicler."  Another  writer  says,  "  The  loss  of  this  his- 
tory could  not  be  supplied  by  any  work  extant."  Don 
Philip  was  nephew  to  Donal,  last  lord  of  Beare,  of  whom 
we  shall  hear  more  anon.  The  "Historiae  Iberniae"  was 
-written  in  Latin,  and  published  about  the  year  1621,  in 
Lisbon,  the  O'Sulllvans  having  settled  in  Spain  after  the 
*fall  of  Dunboy. 


him,  were  gradually  telling  upon  him.  His  life 
then  became  a  curious  spectacle  of  inconsisten- 
cies, as  he  found  himself  pulled  and  strained  in 
opposite  directions  by  opposite  sympathies, 
claims,  commands,  or  impulses;  sometimes  in 
proud  disregard  of  his  English  masters,  behav- 
ing like  a  true  Irish  O'Neill;  at  other  times 
swayed  by  his  foreign  allegiance  into  acts  of  very 
obedient  suit  and  service  to  the  queen's  cause. 
But  the  day  was  gradually  nearing  when  these 
struggles  between  two  allegiances  were  to  cease, 
and  when  Hugh,  with  all  the  fervor  of  a  great 
and  noble  heart,  was  to  dedicate  his  life  to  one 
unalterable  purpose,  the  overthrow  of  English 
rule  and  the  liberation  of  his  native  land ! 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

HOW  LORD  DEPUTY  PERBOT  PLANNED  A  RIGHT  CUNNINO 
EXPEDITION,     AND    STOLE     AWAY     THE  YOUTHFUL 

PRINCE  OF  TYRCONNELL  HOW,  IN    THE  DUNGEONS 

OF  DUBLIN  CASTLE,  THE  BOY  CHIEF  LEARNED  HIS 
DUTY  TOWARD  ENGLAND  ;  AND  HOW  HE  AT  LENGTH 
ESCAPED  AND  COMMENCED  DISCHARGING  THAT  DUTY. 

Meanwhile,  years  passed  by,  and  another  Hugh 
had  begun  to  rise  above  the  northern  horizon, 
amid  signs  and  perturbations  boding  no  good 
to  the  crown  and  government  of  the  Pale.  This 
was  Hugh  O'Donnell— "Hugh  Roe"  or  "Red 
Hugh" — son  of  the  reigning  chief  of  Tyrconnell. 
Young  O'Donnell,  who  was  at  this  time  "a  fiery 
stripling  of  fifteen,  was  already  known  through- 
out the  five  provinces  of  Ireland,  not  only  'by 
the  report  of  his  beauty,  his  agility,  and  his 
noble  deeds, '  but  as  a  sworn  foe  to  the  Saxons  of 
the  Pale;"  and  the  mere  thought  of  the  possibil- 
ity of  the  two  Hughs — Hugh  of  Tyrone  and 
Hugh  of  Tyrconnell — ever  forming  a  combina- 
tion, sufficed  to  fill  Dublin  Castle  with  dismay. 
For  already  indeed,  Hugh  O'Neill's  "loyalty" 
was  beginning  to  be  considered  rather  unsteady. 
To  be  sure,  as  yet  no  man  durst  whisper  a  word 
against  him  in  the  queen's  hearing;  and  he  was 
still  ready  at  call  to  do  the  queen's  fighting 
against  southern  Geraldine,  O'Brien,  or  Mac 
Caura.  But  the  astute  in  these  matters  noted 
that  he  was  unpleasantly  neighborly  and  friendly 
with  the  northern  chiefs  and  tanists;  that,  so  far 
from  maintaining  suitable  ill-will  toward  the 


1 


100 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


reigning  O'Neill  (■whom  the  queen  meant  him 
some  day  to  overthro-w),  Hugh  had  actually 
treated  him  with  respect  and  obedience.  More- 
over, "the  English  knew,  "saj^s  the  chronicler  of 
Hugh  Roe,  "that  it  was  Judith,  the  daughter  of 
O'Donnell,  and  sister  of  the  before-mentioned 
Hugh  Roe,  that  was  the  spouse  and  best  beloved 
of  the  Earl  _^0'Neill. "  "Those  six  companies  of 
troops  also,"  says  Mr.  Mitchel,  "that  he  kept  on 
foot  (in  the  queen's  name,  but  for  his  oAvn 
behoof)  began  to  be  suspicious  in  the  eyes  of  the 
state;  for  it  is  much  feared  that  he  changes  the 
men  so  soon  as  they  thoroughly  learn  the  use  of 
arms,  replacing  them  by  others,  all  of  his  own 
clansmen,  whom  he  diligently  drills  and  reviews 
for  some  unknown  service.  And  the  lead  he  im- 
ports— surely  the  roofing  of  that  house  of  Dun- 
gannon  will  not  need  all  these  shiploads  of  lead — 
lead  enough  to  sheet  Glenshane,  or  clothe  the 
sides  of  Cairnocher.  And,  indeed,  a  rumor  does 
reach  the  deputy  in  Dublin  that  there  goes  on 
at  Dungannon  an  incredible  casting  of  bullets. 
No  wonder  that  the  eyes  of  the  English  govern- 
ment began  to  turn  anxiously  to  the  north." 

"And  if  this  princely  Red  Hugh  should  live  to 
take  the  leading  of  his  sept — and  if  the  two 
potent  chieftains  of  the  north  should  forget  their 
ancient  feud,  and  unite  for  the  cause  of  Ireland," 
proceeds  Mr.  Mitchel,  "then,  indeed,  not  only 
this  settlement  of  the  Ulster  'counties'  must  be 
adjourned,  one  knows  not  how  long;  but  the 
Pale  itself  or  the  Castle  of  Dublin  might  hardly 
protect  her  majesty's  officers.  These  were  con- 
tingencies which  any  prudent  agent  of  the  queen 
of  England  must  speedily  take  order  to  prevent; 
and  we  are  now  to  see  Perrot's  device  for  that 
end. 

"Near  Rathmullan,  on  the  western  shore  of 
Lough  Swilly,  looking  toward  the  mountains  of 
Innishowen,  stood  a  monastery  of  Carmelites  and 
a  church  dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the 
most  famous  place  of  devotion  in  Tyrconnell, 
whither  all  the  Clan-Connell,  both  chiefs  and 
people,  made  resort  at  certain  seasons  to  pay 
their  devotions.  Here  the  young  Red  Hugh,  with 
Mac  Swyne  of  the  battle-axes,  O' Gallagher  of 
Ballyshannon,  and  some  other  chiefs,  were  in  the 
summer  of  1587  sojourning  a  short  time  in  that 
part  to  pay  their  vows  of  religion;  but  not  with- 
out staghounds  and  implements  of  chase,  having 


views  upon  the  I'ed  deer  of  Fanad  and  Innish- 
owen. One  day,  while  the  prince  was  here,a  swift- 
sailing  merchant  ship  doubled  the  promontory 
of  Dunaff,  stood  up  the  lough,  and  cast  anchor 
opposite  Rathmullan;  a  'bark,  black-hatched, 
deceptive,'  bearing  the  flag  of  England,  and 
offering  for  sale,  as  a  peaceful  trader,  her  cargo 
of  Spanish  wine.  And  surely  no  more  coui'teous 
merchant  than  the  master  of  that  ship  had 
visited  the  north  for  many  a  year.  He  invited 
the  people  most  hospitably  on  board,  solicited 
them,  whether  purchasers  or  not,  to  partake  of 
his  good  cheer,  entertained  them  with  music  and 
wine,  and  so  gained  very  speedily  the  good  will 
of  all  Fanad.  Red  Hugh  and  his  companions, 
soon  heard  of  the  obliging  merchant  and  his 
rare  wines.  They  visited  the  ship,  where  they 
were  received  with  all  respect,  and,  indeed,, 
with  unfeigned  joy;  descended  into  the  cabin,, 
and  with  connoisseur  discrimination  tried  and 
tasted,  and  finally  drank  too  deeply  ;  and  at  last 
when  they  would  come  on  deck  and  return  to  the 
shore,  they  found  themselves  secured  under 
hatches;  their  weapons  had  been  removed;  night 
had  fallen ;  they  were  prisoners  to  those  traitor 
Saxons.  Morning  dawned,  and  they  looked 
anxiously  toward  the  shore;  but,  ah!  where  is 
Rathmullan  and  the  Carmelite  church?  And 
what  wild  coast  is  this?  Past  Malin  and  the 
cliffs  of  Innishowen ;  past  Benmore,  and  south- 
ward to  the  shores  of  Antrim  and  the  mountains 
of  Mourne  flew  that  ill-omened  bark,  and  never 
dropped  anchor  till  she  lay  under  the  towers  of 
Dublin.  The  treacherous  Perrot  joyfully  re- 
ceived his  prize,  and  'exulted,'  says  an  historian, 
'in  the  easiness  and  success  with  which  he  had 
procured  hostages  for  the  peaceable  submission 
of  O'Donnell.'  And  the  prince  of  Tyrconnell 
was  thrown  into  'a  strong  stone  castle,'  and  kept 
in  heavy  irons  three  years  and  three  mouths, 
'meditating,'  says  the  chronicle,  on  the  feeble 
and  impotent  condition  of  his  friends  and  rela- 
tions, of  his  princes  and  supreme  chiefs,  of  his. 
nobles  and  clergy,  his  poets  and  professors."* 

Three  long  and  weary  years — oh!  but  they 
seemed  three  ages! — the  young  Hugh  pined  in 
the  grated  dungeons  of  that  "Bermingham 
Tovrer, "  which  still   stands  in  Dublin  Castle 


•Mitcliel's  "Life  of  Hugh  O'Neill." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


101 


yard.  How  the  fierce  Lot  spirit  of  the  impetu- 
ous northern  youth  chafed  in  this  cruel  captiv- 
ity. He,  accustomed  daily  to  breathe  the  free 
air  of  his  native  hills  in  the  pastimes  of  the 
chase,  now  gasped  for  breath  in  the  close  and 
fetid  atmosphere  of  a  squalid  cell!  He,  the  joy 
and  the  pride  of  an  aged  father^ — -the  strong  hope 
of  a  thousand  faithful  clansmen — was  now  the 
helpless  object  of  jailers'  insolence,  neglect,  and 
persecution!  "Three  years  and  three  months, " 
the  old  chroniclers  tell  us — when  hark!  there  is 
whispering  furtively  betimes  as  young^Hugh  and 
Art  Kavanagh,  and  other  of  the  captives  meet  on 
the  stone  stairs,  or  the  narrow  landing,  by  the 
warders' gracious  courtesy.  Yes;  Art  had  a  plan 
of  escape.  Escape!  Oh!  the  thought  sends  the 
blood  rushing  hotly  through  the  veins  of  Red 
Hugh.  Escape!  Home!  Freedom  on  the  Tyr- 
connell  hills  once  more!  O  blessed,  thrice  blessed 
words! 

It  is  even  so.  And  now  all  is  arranged,  and 
the  daring  attempt  waits  but  a  night  favorably 
dark  and  wild — ^which  comes  at  last ;  and  while 
the  sentries  shelter  themselves  from  the  pitiless 
sleet,  the  young  fugitives,  at  peril  of  life  or  limb, 
are  stealthily  scaling  or  descending  bastion  and 
battlement,  fosse  and  barbican.  AVith  beating 
hearts  they  pass  the  last  sentry,  and  now  through 
the  city  streets  they  grope  their  way  southward ; 
for  the  nearest  hand  of  succor  is  amid  the  val- 
leys of  Wicklow.  Theirs  is  a  slow  and  toilsome 
progress;  they  know  not  the  paths,  and  they 
must  hide  by  day  and  fly  as  best  they  can  in  the 
night-time  through  wooded  country.  At  length 
they  cross  the  Three  Rock  Mountain,  and  look 
down  upon  Glencree.  But  alas!  Young  Hugh 
sinks  down  exhausted.  Three  years  in  a  dungeon 
have  cramped  his  limbs,  and  he  is  no  longer  the 
Hugh  that  bounded  like  a  deer  on  the  slopes  of 
Glenvigh !  His  feet  are  torn  and  bleeding  from 
sharp  rock  and  piercing  bramble;  his  strength  is 
gone;  he  can  no  further  fly.  He  exhorts  his 
companions  to  speed  onward  and  save  them- 
selves, while  he  seci'etes  himself  in  the  copse  and 
awaits  succor  if  they  can  send  it.  Reluctantly, 
and  only  yielding  to  his  urgent  entreaties,  thej' 
departed.  A  faithful  servant,  we  are  told,  who 
had  been  in  the  secret  of  Hugh's  escape,  still  re- 
mained with  him,  and  repaired  for  succor  to  the 
house  of  Felim  O 'Tubal,  the  beautiful  site  of 


'  whose  residence  is  now  called  Powers-court. 
Felim  was  known  to  be  a  friend,  though  he  dared 
not  openly  disclose  the  fact.  He  was  too  close 
to  the  seat  of  the  English  power,  and  M'as  obliged 
to  keep  on  terms  with  the  Pale  authorities.  But 
now  "the  flight  of  the  prisoners  had  created 
great  excitement  in  Dublin,  and  numerous  bands 
were  dispatched  in  pursuit  of  them."  It  was 
next  to  impossible — certainly  full  of  danger — for 
the  friendly  O'Tuhal,  with  the  English  scouring- 
parties  spread  all  over  hill  and  vale,  to  bring  in 
the  exhausted  and  helpless  fugitive  from  his, 
hiding-place,  Avhere  nevertheless  he  must  perish 
if  not  quickly  reached.  Sorrowfully  and  reluct- 
antly Felim  was  forced  to  conclude  that  all  hope 
of  escape  for  young  Hugh  this  time  must  be 
abandoned,  and  that  the  best  course  was  to  pre- 
tend to  discover  him  in  the  copse,  and  to  make  a 
merit  of  giving  him  up  to  his  pursuers.  So, 
with  a  heart  bursting  with  mingled  rage,  grief, 
and  despair,  Hugh  found  himself  once  more  in 
the  gripe  of  his  savage  foes.  He  was  brought 
back  to  Dublin  "loaded  with  heavy  iron  fetters," 
and  flung  into  a  narrower  and  stronger  dungeon, 
to  spend  another  year  cursing  the  day  that  Nor- 
man foot  had  touched  the  Irish  shore. 

There  he  lay  until  Christmas  Day,  December 
25,  1592,  "when,"  says  the  old  chronicle,  "it 
seemed  to  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  time  for  him  to 
escape.  Henry  and  Art  O'Neill,  fellow-prisoners, 
were  on  this  occasion  companions  of  Hugh's 
flight.  In  fact  the  lord  deputy,  Fitzwilliam,  a 
needy  and  corrupt  creature,  had  taken  a  bribe 
from  Hugh  O'Neill  to  afford  opportunity  for  the- 
escape.  Hugh  of  Dungannon  had  designs  of  his 
own  in  desiring  the  freedom  of  all  three;  for 
events  to  be  noted  further  on  had  been  occur- 
ring, and  already  he  was,  like  a  skillful  states- 
man, preparing  for  future  contingencies.  He 
knew  that  the  liberation  of  Red  Hugh  would  give 
him  an  ally  worth  half  Ireland,  and  he  knew  that 
rescuing  the  two  O'Neills  would  leave  the  gov- 
ernment without  a  "queen's  O'Neill"  to  set  up- 
against  him  at  a  future  day.  Of  this  escape 
Haverty  gives  us  the  following  account : 

"They  descended  by  a  rope  through  a  sewer 
which  opened  into  the  castle  ditch ;  and  leaving 
there  the  soiled  outer  garments,  they  were  con- 
ducted by  a  young  man,  named  Turlough  Roe 
0'liaga.n,  the  conjidential servant  or  einisaary  of  the 


103 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Earl  of  Tyrone,  who  was  sent  to  act  as  their 
guide.  Passing  through  the  gates  of  the  city, 
"which  were  still  open,  three  of  the  party  reached 
the  same  Slieve  Rua  which  Hugh  had  visited  on 
the  former  occasion.  The  fourth,  Henry  O'Neill, 
•strayed  from  his  companions  in  some  way — prob- 
ably before  they  left  the  city — but  eventually  he 
reached  Tyrone,  where  the  earl  seized  and  im- 
prisoned him.  Hugh  Roe  and  Art  O'Neill,  with 
their  faithful  guide,  proceeded  on  their  way  over 
"the  Wicklow  mountains  toward  Glenmalure,  to 
Feagh  Mac  Hugh  O'Byrne,  a  chief  famous  for  his 
heroism,  and  who  was  then  in  arms  against  the 
government.  Art  O'Neill  had  grown  corpulent 
in  prison,  and  had  beside  been  hurt  in  descend- 
ing from  the  castle,  so  that  he  became  quite  worn 
•out  from  fatigue.  The  party  were  also  exhausted 
with  hunger,  and  as  the  snow  fell  thickly,  and 
their  clothing  was  verj'  scanty,  they  suffered  ad- 
ditionally from  intense  cold.  For  awhile  Red 
Hugh  and  the  servant  supported  Art  between 
"them ;  but  this  exertion  could  not  long  be  sus- 
tained, and  at  length  Red  Hugh  and  Art  lay 
down  exhausted  under  a  lofty  rock,  and  sent  the 
servant  to  Glenmalure  for  help.  With  all  possi- 
ble speed  Feagh  O'Byrne,  on  receiving  the  mes- 
sage, dispatched  some  of  his  trusty  men  to  carry 
the  necessary  succor ;  but  they  arrived  almost 
too  late  at  the  precipice  under  which  the  two 
youths  lay.  'Their  bodies, '  say  the  Four  Mas- 
ters, 'were  covered  with  white-bordered  shrouds 
of  hailstones  freezing  around  them,  and  their 
light  clothes  adhered  to  their  skin,  so  that,  cov- 
ered as  they  were  with  the  snow,  it  did  not 
appear  to  the  men  who  had  arrived  that  they 
were  human  beings  at  all,  for  they  found  no  life 
in  their  members,  but  just  as  if  they  were  dead. ' 
On  being  raised  up.  Art  O'Neill  fell  back  and 
expired,  and  was  buried  on  the  spot;  but  Red 
Hugh  was  revived  with  some  difficulty,  and  car- 
ried to  Glenmalure,  where  he  was  secreted  in  a 
sequestered  cabin  and  attended  by  a  physician." 

Mr.  Mitchel  describes  for  us  the  sequel. 
"O'Byrne  brought  them  to  his  house  and  revived 
and  Avarmed  and  clothed  them,  and  instantly  sent 
a  messenger  to  Hugh  O'Neill  (with  whom  he  was 
then  in  close  alliance)  with  the  .ioyful  tidings  of 
O'Donnell's  escape.  O'Neill  heard  it  with  de- 
light, and  sent  a  faithful  retainer,  Tirlough 
Buidhe  O'Hagan,  who  was  well  acquainted  with 


the  country,  to  guide  the  young  chief  into  Ul- 
ster. After  a  few  days  of  rest  and  refreshment, 
O'Donnell  and  his  guide  set  forth,  and  the  Irish 
chronicler  minutely  details  that  perilous  journey 
— how  they  crossed  the  Liffey  far  to  the  west- 
ward of  Fitzwilliam's  hated  towers,  and  rode 
cautiously  through  Fingal  and  Meath,  avoiding 
the  garrisons  of  the  Pale,  until  they  arrived  at 
the  Boyne,  a  short  distance  west  of  Inver  Colpa 
(Drogheda),  'where  the  Danes  had  built  a  noble 
city;'  how  they  sent  round  their  horses  through 
the  town,  and  themselves  passed  over  in  a  fisher- 
man's boat;  how  they  passed  by  Mellifont,  a 
great  monastery,  'which  belonged  to  a  noted 
3'oung  Englishman  attached  to  Hugh  O'Neill,' 
and  therefore  met  with  no  interruption  there; 
rode  right  through  Dundalk,  and  entered  the 
friendly  Irish  country,  where  they  had  nothing 
more  to  fear.  One  night  they  rested  at  Feadth 
Mor  (the  Fews),  where  O'Neill's  brother  had  a 
house,  and  the  next  day  crossed  the  Blackwater 
at  Moy,  and  so  to  Dungannon,  where  O'Neill 
received  them  right  joyfully.  And  here 'the  two 
Hughs'  entered  into  a  strict  and  cordial  friend- 
ship, and  told  each  other  of  their  wrongs  and  of 
their  hopes.  O'Neill  listened,  with  such  feel- 
ings as  one  can  imagine,  to  the  story  of  the 
youth's  base  kidnapping  and  cruel  imprisonment 
in  darkness  and  chains;  and  the  impetuous  Hugh 
Roe  heard  with  scornful  rage  of  the  English 
deputy's  atrocity  toward  Mac  Mahon,  and  at- 
tempts to  bring  his  accursed  sheriffs  and  juries 
among  the  ancient  Irish  of  Ulster.  And  they 
deeply  swore  to  bury  forever  the  unhappy  feuds 
of  their  families,  and  to  stand  by  each  other  with 
all  the  powers  of  the  North  against  their  treach- 
erous and  relentless  foe.  The  chiefs  parted,  and 
O'Donnell,  with  an  escort  of  the  Tyrowen  cavalry, 
passed  into  Mac  Gwire's  country.  The  chief  of 
Fermanagh  received  him  with  honor,  eagerly 
joined  in  the  confederacy,  and  gave  him  'a  black 
polished  boat,'  in  which  the  prince  and  his  at- 
tendants rowed  through  Lough  Erne,  and  glided 
down  that  'pleasant  salmon-breeding  river'  which 
leads  to  Ballyshaunon  and  the  ancient  seats  of 
the  Clan-Conal. 

"We  may  conceive  with  what  stormy  joy  the 
tribes  of  Tyrconnell  welcomed  their  prince;  with 
what  mingled  pity  and  wrath,  thanksgivings 
and  curses,  they  heard  of  his  chains  and  wander- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


103 


ings  and  sufferings,  and  beheld  the  feet  that 
used  to  bound  so  lightly  on  the  hills  swollen  and 
crippled  by  that  cruel  frost,  by  the  crueller  fet- 
ters of  the  Saxon.  But  little  time  was  now  for 
festal  rejoicing  or  the  unprofitable  luxury  of 
cursing;  for  just  then.  Sir  Richard  Bingham,  the 
English  leader  in  Connaught,  relying  on  the  ir- 
resolute nature  of  old  O'Donuell,  and  not  aware 
of  Red  Hugh's  return,  had  sent  two  hundred  men 
by  sea  to  Donegal,  where  they  took  by  surprise 
the  Franciscan  monastery,  drove  away  the  monks 
(making  small  account  of  their  historic  studies 
and  learned  annals),  and  garrisoned  the  build- 
ings for  the  queen.  The  fiery  Hugh  could  ill 
endure  to  hear  of  these  outrages,  or  brook  an 
English  garrison  upon  the  soil  of  Tyrconnell.  He 
collected  the  people  in  hot  haste,  led  them  in- 
stantly into  Donegal,  and  commanded  the  Eng- 
lish by  a  certain  day  and  hour  to  betake  them- 
selves with  all  speed  back  to  Connaught,  and 
leave  behind  them  the  rich  spoils  they  had  taken ; 
all  which  thej-  thought  it  prudent  without  fur- 
ther parley  to  do.  And  so  the  monks  of  St. 
Francis  returned  to  their  home  and  their  books, 
gave  thanks  to  God,  and  prayed,  as  well  they 
might,  for  Hugh  O'Donnell. " 

CHAPTER  XL. 

HOW  HUGH    OF    DUNGANNON    WAS    MEANTIME  DRAWING 
OFF  FROM  ENGLAND  AND  DRAWING  NEAR  TO  IRELAND. 

During  the  four  years  over  which  the  imprison- 
ment of  Red  Hugh  extended,  important  events 
had  been  transpiring  in  the  outer  world;  and 
amid  them  the  character  of  Hugh  of  Dungannon 
was  undergoing  a  rapid  transmutation.  We  had 
■already  seen  him  cultivating  friendly  relations 
with  the  neighboring  chiefs,  though  most  of 
them  were  in  a  state  of  open  hostility  to  the 
queen.  He,  by  degrees,  went  much  further  than 
this.  He  busied  himself  in  the  disloyal  work  of 
healing  the  feuds  of  the  rival  clans,  and  extend- 
ing throughout  the  north  feelings  of  amity — nay, 
a  network  of  alliances  between  them.  To  some 
of  the  native  princes  he  lends  one  or  two  of  his 
fully-trained  companies  of  foot;  to  others,  some 
troops  of  his  cavalry.  He  secretly  encourages 
some  of  them  (say  his  enemies  at  court)  to 
stouter  resistance  to  the  English.    It  is  even  said  i 


that  he  harbors  popish  priests.  "North  of  Slieve 
Gullion  the  venerable  brehons  still  arbitrate  un- 
disturbed the  causes  of  the  people ;  the  ancient 
laws,  civilization,  and  religion  stand  untouched. 
Nay,  it  is  credibly  rumored  to  the  Dublin  deputy 
that  this  noble  earl,  forgetful  apparently  of  his 
coronet  and  golden  chain,  and  of  his  high  favor 
with  so  potent  a  princess,  does  about  this  time 
get  recognized  and  solemnly  inaugurated  as 
chieftain  of  his  sept,  by  the  proscribed  name  of 
'The  O'Neill;'  and  at  the  rath  of  Tulloghoge,  on 
the  Stone  of  Royalty,  amid  the  circling  warriors, 
amid  the  bards  and  ollamhs  of  Tyr-eoghain,  're- 
ceives an  oath  to  preserve  all  the  ancient  former 
customs  of  the  country  inviolable,  and  to  deliver 
up  the  succession  peaceably  to  his  tanist;  and 
then  hath  a  wand  delivered  to  him  by  one  whose 
proper  office  that  is,  after  which,  descending 
from  the  stone,  he  turneth  himself  round  thrice 
forward  and  thrice  backward,'  even  as  the 
O'Neills  had  done  for  a  thousand  years;  alto- 
gether in  the  most  un-English  manner,  and  with 
the  strangest  ceremonies,  which  no  garter  king- 
at-arms  could  endure. ' ' 

While  matters  were  happening  thus  in  Ulster, 
England  was  undergoing  the  excitement  of  ap- 
prehended invasion.  The  Armada  of  Philip  the 
Second  was  on  the  sea,  and  the  English  nation — 
queen  and  people^ — Protestant  and  Catholic — per- 
secutor and  persecuted — with  a  burst  of  genuine 
patriotism,  prepared  to  meet  the  invaders.  The 
elements,  however,  averted  the  threatened  doom. 
A  hurricane  of  unexampled  fury  scattered  Philip's 
flotilla,  so  vauntingly  styled  "invincible;"  the 
ships  were  strewn,  shattered  wrecks,  all  over  the 
coasts  of  England  and  Ireland.  In  the  latter 
country  the  crews  were  treated  very  differently, 
according  as  they  happened  to  be  cast  upon  the 
shores  of  districts  amenable  to  English  authority 
or  influences,  or  the  reverse.  In  the  former  in- 
stances they  were  treated  barbarously — slain  as 
the  queen's  enemies,  or  given  up  to  the  queen's 
forces.  In  the  latter,  they  were  sheltered  and 
succored,  treated  as  friends,  and  afforded  means 
of  safe  return  to  their  native  Spain.  Some  of 
these  ships  were  cast  upon  the  coast  of  O'Neill's 
country,  and  by  no  one  were  the  Spanish  crews 
more  kindly  treated,  more  warmly  befriended, 
than  by  Hugh,  erstwhile  the  queen's  most 
favored  protege,  and  still  professedly  her  most 


104 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


true  and  obedient  servant.  This  hospitality  to 
the  shipwrecked  Spaniards,  however,  is  too  much 
for  English  flesh  and  blood  to  bear.  Hugh  is 
openly  murmured  against  in  Dublin  and  in  Lon- 
don. 

And  soon  formal  proof  of  his  "treason"  is 
preferred.  An  envious  cousin  of  his,  known  as 
John  of  the  Fetters — a  natural  son  of  John  the 
Proud,  by  the  false  wife  of  O'Donnell — animated 
by  a  mortal  hatred  of  Hugh,  gave  information  to 
the  lord  deputy  that  he  had  not  only  regaled  the 
Spanish  officers  right  roj'ally  at  Dungannon,  but 
had  then  and  there  planned  with  them  an  alliance 
between  himself  and  King  Philip,  to  whom  Hugh 
— so  said  his  accuser — had  forwarded  letters  and 
presents  by  the  said  officers.  All  of  which  the 
said  accuser  undertook  to  pi'ove,  either  upon  the 
body  of  Hugh  in  mortal  combat,  or  before  a  jury 
well  and  truly  packed  or  impanneled,  as  the 
case  might  be.  Whereupon  there  was  dreadful 
commotion  in  Dublin  Castle.  Hugh's  reply  was 
— to  arrest  the  base  informer  on  a  charge  of  ti'ea- 
son  against  the  sacred  person  and  prerogatives 
of  his  lawful  chief ;  which  charge  being  proved, 
John  of  the  Fetters  was  at  once  executed.  In- 
deed, some  accounts  say  that  Hugh  himself  had 
to  act  as  executioner ;  since  in  all  Tyrone  no  man 
could  be  prevailed  upon  to  put  to  death  one  of 
the  royal  race  of  Nial — albeit  an  attainted  and 
condemned  traitor.  Then  Hugh,  full  of  a  fine 
glowing  indignation  against  these  accusing  mur- 
murers  in  Dublin,  sped  straightway  to  London 
to  complain  of  them  to  the  queen,  and  to  con- 
vince her  anew,  with  that  politic  hypocrisy 
taught  him  (for  quite  a  different  use,  though)  in 
that  same  court,  that  her  majesty  had  no  more 
devoted  admirer  than  himself.  And  he  suc- 
ceeded. He  professed  and  promised  the  most 
ample  loyalty.  He  would  undertake  to  harbor 
no  more  popish  priests;  he  would  admit  sheriffs 
into  Tyrone;  he  would  no  more  molest  chiefs 
friendly  to  England,  or  befriend  chiefs  hostile  to 
the  queen;  and  as  for  the  title  of  "The  O'Neill," 
which,  it  was  charged,  he  gloried  in,  while  feel- 
ing quite  ashamed  of  the  mean  English  title, 
"Earl  of  Tyrone,"  he  protested  by  her  majesty's 
most  angelic  countenance  (ah,  Hugh!)  that  he 
merely  adopted  it,  lest  some  one  else  might  pos- 
sess himself  thereof ;  but  if  it  in  the  least 
offended  a  queen  so  beautiful  and  so  exalted. 


why  he  would  disown  it  forever!*  Elizabeth  was 
charmed  by  that  dear  sweet-spoken  young  noble 
— and  so  handsome  too.  (Hugh,  who  was. 
brought  up  at  court,  knew  Elizabeth's  weak 
points).  The  Lord  of  Dungannon  returned  to 
Ireland  higher  than  ever  in  the  queen's  favor;, 
and  his  enemies  in  Dublin  Castle  were  overturned 
for  that  time. 

The  most  inveterate  of  these  was  Sir  Henry 
Bagnal,  commander  of  the  Newry  garrison. 
"The  marshal  and  his  English  garrison  in  the^ 
castle  and  abbey  of  Newry,"  says  Mr.  Mitchel, 
"were  a  secret  thorn  in  the  side  of  O'Neill. 
They  lay  upon  one  of  the  main  passes  to  the 
north,  and  he  had  deeply  vowed  that  one  day  the 
ancient  monastery,  de  viridi  ligno,  should  be  swept 
clear  of  this  foreign  soldiery.  But  in  that  castle 
of  Newry  the  Saxon  marshal  had  a  fair  sister,  a. 
woman  of  rarest  beauty,  whom  O'Neill  thought 
it  a  sin  to  leave  for  a  spouse  to  some  churl  of  an 
English  undertaker.  And  indeed  we  next  hear 
of  him  as  a  love-suitor  at  the  feet  of  the  English 
beauty. ' '  Haverty  tells  the  story  of  this  romantic 
love-suit  as  follows : 

"This  man — the  marshal.  Sir  Henry  Bagnal — 
hated  the  Irish  with  a  rancor  which  bad  men 
are  known  to  feel  toward  those  whom  they  have 
mortally  injured.  He  had  shed  a  great  deal  of 
their  blood,  obtained  a  great  deal  of  their  lands, 
and  was  the  sworn  enemy  of  the  whole  race. 
Sir  Henry  had  a  sister  who  was  young  and  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful.  The  wife  of  the  Earl  of 
Tyrone,  the  daughter  of  Sir  Hugh  Mac  Manua 
O'Donnell,  had  died,  and  the  heart  of  the  Irish 
chieftain  was  captivated  by  the  beautiful  English 
girl.  His  love  was  reciprocated,  ajid  he  became 
in  due  form  a  suitor  for  her  hand ;  but  all  efforts, 
to  gain  her  brother's  consent  to  this  marriage 
were  in  vain.  The  story,  indeed,  is  one  which 
might  seem  to  be  borrowed  from  some  old  ro- 
mance, if  we  did  not  find  it  circumstantially  de- 
tailed in  the  matter-of-fact  documents  of  the 
State  Paper  Office.  The  Irish  prince  and  the 
English  maiden  mutually  plighted  their  vows, 

*Thus,  according  to  tlie  tenor  of  Englisli  chroniclers, 
but  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Hugh  had  not  at  this  time  been 
elected  as  The  O'Neill.  This  event  occurred  subsequently; 
the  existing  O'Neill  having  been  persuaded  or  compelled 
by  Hugh  Hoe  of  Tyrconnell  to  abdicate,  that  the  clans 
might,  as  they  desired  to  do,  elect  Hugh  of  Dungannon  ia 
liis  place. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


105 


and  O'Neill  presented  to  the  lady  a  gold  chain 
worth  one  hundred  pounds;  but  the  inexorable 
■Sir  Henry  removed  his  sister  from  Newry  to  the 
house  of  Sir  Patrick  Barnwell,  Avho  was  married 
to  another  of  his  sisters,  and  who  lived  about 
seven  miles  from  Dublin.  Hither  the  earl  fol- 
lowed her.  He  was  courteously  received  by  Sir 
Patrick,  and  seems  to  have  had  many  friends 
among  the  English.  One  of  these,  a  gentleman 
named  "William  Warren,  acted  as  his  confidant, 
and  at  a  party  at  Barnwell's  house,  the  earl  en- 
gaged the  rest  of  the  company  in  conversation 
while  Warren  rode  off  with  the  lady  behind  him, 
^iccompanied  by  two  servants,  and  carried  her 
safely  to  the  residence  of  a  friend  at  Drumcondra, 
near  Dublin.  Here  O'Neill  soon  followed,  and 
the  Protestant  bishop  of  Meath,  Thomas  Jones,  a 
Lancashire  man,  was  easily  induced  to  come  and 
unite  them  in  marriage  the  same  evening.  This 
elopement  and  marriage,  which  took  place  on 
August  3,  1591,  were  made  the  subject  of  violent 
accusations  against  O'Neill.  Sir  Henry  Bagnal 
was  furious.  He  charged  the  earl  with  having 
another  wife  living;  but  this  point  was  ex- 
plained, as  O'Neill  showed  that  this  lady,  who 
was  his  first  wife,  the  daughter  of  Sir  Brian  Mac 
Felim  O'Neill,  had  been  divorced  previous  to  his 
marriage  with  the  daughter  of  O'Donnell.  Alto- 
gether the  government  would  appear  to  have 
viewed  the  conduct  of  O'Neill  in  this  matter 
rather  lenientb' ;  but  Bagnal  was  henceforth  his 
most  implacable  foe,  and  the  circumstance  was 
not  without  its  influence  on  succeeding  events." 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

how  red  hugh  went  circuit  against  the  english 

in  the    north  how  the  crisis  came  upon 

o'neill. 

By  this  time  young  Hugh  Roe  O'Donnell  had, 
as  we  have  already  learned,  escaped  from  his 
cruel  captivity  in  Dublin,  mainly  by  the  help  of 
that  astute  and  skillful  organizer,  Hugh  of  Dun- 
gannon.  In  the  spring  of  the  year  following, 
"on  May  3,  1593,  there  was  a  solemn  meeting  of 
the  warriors,  clergy,  and  bards  of  Tyrconnell,  at 
the  Rock  of  Doune,  at  Kilmacrenau,  'the  nursing 
place  of  Columbcille. '  And  here  the  father  of 
Hed  Hugh  renounced  the  chieftaincy  of  the  sept, 


and  his  impetuous  son  at  nineteen  years  of  age 
was  duly  inaugurated  by  Erenach  O'Firghil, 
and  made  The  O'Donnell  with  the  ancient  cere- 
monies of  his  race." 

The  young  chief  did  not  wear  his  honors  idly. 
In  the  Dublin  dungeons  he  had  sworn  vows,  and 
he  Avas  not  the  man  to  break  them ;  vows  that 
while  his  good  right  hand  could  draw  a  sword, 
the  English  should  have  no  peace  in  Ireland. 
Close  by  The  O'Donnell 's  territory,  in  Strabane, 
old  Torlogh  Lynagh  O'Neill  had  admitted  an 
English  force  as  "auxiliaries"  forsooth.  "And 
it  was  a  heart-break,"  says  the  old  chronicler, 
"to  Hugh  O'Donnell,  that  the  English  of  Dublin 
should  thus  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  country. " 
He  fiercely  attacked  Strabane,  and  chased  the 
obnoxious  English  "auxiliaries"  away,  "pardon- 
ing old  Torlogh  only  on  solemn  promise  not  to 
repeat  his  offense.  From  this  forth  Red  Hugh 
engaged  himself  in  what  we  may  call  a  circuit  of 
the  north,  rooting  out  English  garrisons,  sheriffs, 
seneschals,  or  functionaries  of  what  sort  soever, 
as  zealouslj'  and  scrupulously  as  if  they  were 
plague-pests.  Woe  to  the  English  chief  that  ad- 
mitted a  queen's  sheriff  within  his  territories! 
Hugh  was  down  upon  him  like  a  whirlwind! 
O'Donnell's  cordial  ally  in  this  crusade  was 
Maguire  lord  of  Fermanagh,  a  man  truly  worthy 
of  such  a  colleague.  Hugh  of  Dungannon  saw 
with  dire  concern  this  premature  conflict  pre- 
cipatated  by  Red  Hugh's  impetuosity.  Very 
probably  he  was  not  unwilling  that  O'Donnell 
should  find  the  English  some  occupation  yet 
awhile  in  the  north ;  but  the  time  had  not  at  all 
arrived  (in  his  opinion)  for  the  serious  and  com- 
prehensive undertaking  of  a  stand-up  fight  for 
the  great  stake  of  national  freedom.  But  it  was 
vain  for  him  to  try  remonstrance  with  Hugh  Roe, 
whose  nature  could  ill  brook  restraint,  and  who, 
indeed,  could  not  relish  or  comprehend  at  all  the 
subtle  and  politic  slowness  of  O'Neill.  Hugh  of 
Dungannon,  however,  would  not  allow  himself  at 
any  hazard  to  be  pushed  or  drawn  into  open 
action  a  day  or  an  hour  sooner  than  his  own 
judgment  approved.  He  could  hardly  keep  out 
of  the  conflict  so  close  beside  him,  and  so,  rather 
than  be  precipitated  prematurely  into  the  strug- 
gle which,  no  doubt,  he  now  deemed  inevitable, 
and  for  which,  accordingly,  he  was  preparing, 
he  made  show  of  joining  the  queen's  side,  and 


106  THE  STORY 

led  some  troops  against  Maguire.  It  >vas  noted, 
however,  that  the  species  of  assistance  whicli  he 
gave  the  English  generally  consisted  in  "moder- 
ating" Hugh  Roe's  punishment  of  them,  and 
pleading  with  him  merely  to  sweep  them  away  a 
little  more  gentlj';  "interfering,"  as  Moryson 
informs  us,  "to  save  their  lives,  on  condition  of 
their  instantly  quitting  the  country'!"  Now  this 
seemed  to  the  English  (small  wonder  indeed)  a 
very  queer  kind  of  "help. "  It  was  not  what 
suited  them  at  all;  and  we  need  not  be  surprised 
that  soon  Hugh's  accusers  in  Dublin  and  in  Lon- 
don once  more,  and  more  vehemently  than  ever, 
demanded  his  destruction. 

It  was  now  the  statesmen  and  courtiers  of  Eng- 
land began  to  feel  that  craft  may  overleap  itself. 
In  the  moment  when  first  they  seriously  contem- 
plated Hugh  as  a  foe  to  the  queen,  they  felt  like 
"the  engineer  hoist  by  his  own  petard."  Here 
was  their  own  pupil,  trained  under  their  own 
hands,  versed  in  their  closest  secrets,  and  let  into 
their  most  subtle  arts !  Here  was  the  steel  they 
had  polished  and  sharpened  to  pierce  the  heart 
of  Ireland,  now  turned  against  their  own  breast! 
No  wonder  there  was  dismay  and  consternation 
in  London  and  Dublin — it  was  so  hard  to  devise 
au3'  plan  against  him  that  Hugh  would  not  divine 
like  one  of  themselves !  Failing  any  better  resort, 
it  was  resolved  to  inveigle  him  into  Dublin  by 
offering  him  a  safe-conduct,  and,  this  document 
notwithstanding,  to  seize  him  at  all  hazards. 
Accordingly  Hugh  was  duly  notified  of  charges 
against  his  loj-alty,  and  a  roj-al  safe-conduct  was 
given  to  him  that  he  might  "come  in  and  ap- 
pear." To  the  utter  astonishment  of  the  plotters, 
he  came  with  the  greatest  alacritj^  and  daringly 
confronted  them  at  the  council-board  in  the  cas- 
tle! He  would  have  been  seized  in  the  room, 
but  for  the  nobly  honorable  conduct  of  the  Earl 
of  Ormond,  whose  indignant  letter  to  the  lord 
treasurer  Burleigh  (in  reply  to  the  queen's  order 
to  seize  O'Neill)  is  recorded  by  Carte:  "My 
lord,  I  will  never  use  treachery  to  any  man ;  for 
it  would  both  touch  her  highness'  honor  and  my 
own  credit  too  much ;  and  whosoever  gave  the 
queen  advice  thus  to  write,  is  fitter  for  such  base 
service  than  I  am.  Saving  my  duty  to  her  ma- 
jesty, I  would  I  might  have  revenge  by  my  sword 
of  any  man  that  thus  persuaded  the  queen  to 
■write  to  me."    Ormond  acquainted  O'Neill  with 


OF  IRELAND. 

the  perfidy  designed  against  him,  and  told  him. 
that  if  he  did  not  fly  that  night  he  was  lost,  as. 
the  false  deputy  was  drawing  a  cordon  round 
Dublin.  O'Neill  made  his  escape,  and  prepared 
to  meet  the  crisis  which  now  he  knew  to  be  at, 
hand.  "News  soon  reached  him  in  the  north," 
as  Mr.  Mitchel  recounts,  "that  large  reinforce- 
ments were  on  their  way  to  the  deputy  from 
England,  consisting  of  veteran  troops  who  had 
fought  in  Bretagne  and  Flanders  under  Sir  John 
Norreys,  the  most  experienced  general  in  Eliza- 
beth's service;  and  that  garrisons  were  to  be 
forced  upon  Ballyshannon  and  Belleek,  com- 
manding the  passes  into  Tyrconnell,  between 
Lough  Erne  and  the  sea.  The  strong  fortress  of 
Portmore  also,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the. 
Blackwater,  was  to  be  strengthened  and  well 
manned;  thus  forming,  with  Newry  and  Green- 
castle,  a  chain  of  forts  across  the  island,  and  ^ 
basis  for  future  operations  against  the  north." 

CHAPTER  XLIL 

o'nEILL  in  arms  for  IRELAND— CLONTIBEET  AND 
BEAL-AN-ATHA-BUIE. 

There  was  no  misunderstanding  all  this.  "It 
was  clear  that,  let  King  Philip  send  his  promised 
aid,  or  send  it  not,  open  and  vigorous  resistance 
must  be  made  to  the  further  progress  of  foreign 
power,  or  Ulster  would  soon  become  an  English 
province."  Moreover,  in  all  respects,  save  the 
aid  from  Spain,  Hugh  was  well  forward  in  organ- 
ization and  preparation.  A  great  Northern 
Confederacy,  the  creation  of  his  master-mind, 
now  si)anned  the  laud  from  shore  to  shore,  and 
waited  only  for  him  to  take  his  rightful  place  as 
leader,  and  give  the  signal  for  such  a  war  as  had 
not  tried  the  strength  of  England  for  two  hun- 
dred years. 

"At  last,"  says  Mitchel,  "the  time  had  come; 
and  Dungannon  with  stern  joy  beheld  unfurled, 
the  royal  standard  of  O'Neill,  displaying,  as  it 
floated  proudly  on  the  breeze,  that  terrible  Red 
Right  Hand  upon  its  snow-white  folds,  waving 
defiance  to  the  Saxon  queen,  dawning  like  a  new 
Aurora  upon  the  awakened  children  of  Heremon. 

"With  a  strong  bod3'  of  horse  and  foot,  O'Neill 
suddenly  appeared  upon  the  Blackwater,  stormed 
Portmore,  and  drove  away  its  garrison,  'as  car©- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


107; 


fully,'  says  an  historian,  'as  he  would  have 
driven  poison  from  his  heart;'  then  demolished 
the  fortress,  burned  down  the  bridge,  and  ad- 
vanced into  O'Reilly's  country,  everywhere  driv- 
ing the  English  and  their  adherents  before  him 
to  the  south  (but  without  wanton  bloodshed, 
slaying  no  man  save  in  battle,  for  cruelty  is  no- 
where charged  against  O'Neill);  and,  finally, 
with  Mac  Gwire  and  Mac  Mahon,  he  laid  close 
siege  to  Monaghan,  which  was  still  held  for  the 
queen  of  England.  O'Donnell,  on  his  side, 
crossed  the  Saimer  at  the  head  of  his  fierce  clan, 
burst  itito  Connaught,  and  shutting  up  Bing- 
ham's troops  in  their  strong  places  at  Sligo, 
Balb'mote,  Tulsk,  and  Boyle,  traversed  the  coun- 
try with  avenging  fire  and  sword,  putting  to 
death  every  man  who  could  speak  no  Irish,  ravag- 
ing their  lands,  and  sending  the  spoil  to  Tyrcon- 
nell.  Then  he  crossed  the  Shannon,  entered  the 
Anually's,  where  O'Ferghal  was  living  under 
English  dominion,  and  devastated  that  country 
so  furiously,  that  'the  whole  firmament, '  says  the 
chronicle,  'was  one  black  cloud  of  smoke.'  " 

This  rapidity  of  action  took  the  English  at 
complete  disadvantage.  They  accordingly 
(merely  to  gain  time)  feigned  a  great  desire  to 
"treat"  with  the  two  Hughs.  Perhaps  those 
noble  gentlemen  had  been  wronged.  If  so,  the 
queen's  tender  heart  yearned  to  have  them  recon- 
ciled ;  and  so  forth.  Hugh,  owing  to  his  court 
training,  understood  this  kind  of  thing  perfectly. 
It  did  not  impose  upon  him  for  a  moment;  yet 
he  consented  to  give  audience  to  the  royal  com- 
missioners, whom  he  refused  to  see  except  at  the 
head  of  his  army,  "nor  would  he  enter  any  walled 
town  as  liege  man  of  the  Queen  of  England." 
"So  they  met,"  we  are  told,  "in  the  open  plain, 
in  the  presence  of  both  armies. "  The  conditions 
of  peace  demanded  by  Hugh  were : 

1.  Complete  cessation  of  attempts  to  disturb 
the  Catholic  Church  in  Ireland. 

2.  No  more  garrisons — no  more  sheriffs  or 
English  ofiicials  of  any  sort  soever  to  be  allowed 
into  the  Irish  territories,  which  should  be  unre- 
stictedly  under  the  jurisdiction  of  their  lawfully 
elected  native  chiefs. 

3.  Payment  by  Marshal  Bagnal  to  O'Neill  of 
one  thousand  pounds  of  silver  "as  a  marriage 
portion  with  the  lady  whom  he  had  raised  to  the 
dignity  of  an  O'Neill's  bri'de." 


We  may  imagine  how  hard  the  royal  commis-. 
sioners  must  have  found  it  to  even  heai'ken  to 
these  propositions,  especially  this  last  keen  touch 
at  Bagnal.  Nevertheless,  they  were  fain  to  de- 
clare them  very  reasonable  indeed;  only  they 
suggested — merely  recommended  for  considera- 
tion— that  as  a  sort  of  set-off,  the  confederates 
might  lay  down  their  arms,  beg  forgiveness,  and 
"discover"  their  correspondence  with  foreign 
states.  Phew !  There  was  a  storm  about  their 
ears!  Beg  "pardon"  indeed !  "The rebels  grew 
insolent, "  says  Moryson.  The  utmost  that  could 
be  obtained  from  O'Neill  was  a  truce  of  a  few 
days'  duration. 

Early  in  June  Bagnal  took  the  field  with  a 
strong  force,  and  effecting  a  junction  with  Nor- 
reys,  made  good  his  march  from  Dundalk  to. 
Armagh.  Not  far  from  Monaghan  is  Clontibret 
— Cluain-Tuberaid,  the  "Lawn  of  the  Spring." 
What  befell  there,  I  will  relate  in  the  words  of 
Mr.  Mitchel: 

"The  castle  of  Monaghan,  which  had  been 
taken  by  Con  O'Neill,  was  now  once  more  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  and  once  more  besieged  by 
the  Irish  troops.  Norreys,  with  his  whole  force, 
was  in  full  march  to  relieve  it;  and  O'Neill,  who 
had  hitherto  avoided  pitched  battles,  and  con- 
tented himself  with  harassing  the  enemy  by  con- 
tinual skirmishes  in  their  march  through  the, 
woods  and  bogs,  now  resolved  to  meet  this  re- 
doubtable general  fairly  in  the  open  field.  He 
chose  his  ground  at  Clontibret,  about  five  miles, 
from  Monaghan,  where  a  small  stream  rans 
northward  through  a  valley  inclosed  by  low  hills. 
On  the  left  bank  of  this  stream  the  Irish,  in  bat- 
tle array,  awaited  the  approach  of  Norreys.  We. 
have  no  account  of  the  numbers  on  each  side, 
but  when  the  English  general  came  up,  he 
thought  himself  strong  enough  to  force  a  pas- 
sage. Twice  the  English  infantry  tried  to  make 
good  their  way  over  the  river,  and  twice  were 
beaten  back,  their  gallant  leader  each  time 
charging  at  their  head,  and  being  the  last  to  i-e- 
tire.  The  general  and  his  brother,  Sir  Thomas, 
were  both  wounded  in  these  conflicts,  and  the 
Irish  counted  the  victory  won,  when  a  chosen 
body  of  English  horse,  led  on  by  Segrave,  a 
Meathian  officer,  of  giagntic  bone  and  height, 
spurred  fiercely  across  the  river,  and  charged  the 
cavalry  of  Tyrowen,  commanded  by  their  prince. 


108 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


in  person.  Segrave  singled  out  O'Neill,  and  the 
two  leaders  laid  lance  in  rest  for  deadly  combat, 
■while  the  troops  on  each  side  lowered  their 
weapons  and  held  their  breath,  awaiting  the 
shock  in  silence.  The  warriors  met,  ajid  the 
lance  of  each  was  splintered  on  the  others' 
corslet,  but  Segrave  again  dashed  his  horse 
against  the  chief,  flung  his  giant  frame  against 
his  enemy,  and  endeavored  to"  unhorse  him  by 
the  mere  weight  of  his  gauntleted  hand.  O'Neill 
grasped  him  in  his  arms,  and  the  combatants 
rolled  together  in  that  fatal  embrace  to  the 
ground : 

"  'Now,  gallant  Saxon,  hold  thine  own: 
No  maiden's  arms  are  round  thee  thrown.' 

There  was  one  moment's  deadly  wrestle  and  a 
death  gi-oan:  the  shortened  sword  of  O'Neill  was 
buried  in  the  Englishman's  groin  beneath  his 
mail.  Then  from  the  Irish  ranks  arose  such  a 
wild  shout  of  triumph  as  those  hills  had  never 
echoed  before — the  still  thunder-cloud  burst  into 
a  tempest — those  equestrian  statues  become  as 
winged  demons,  and  with  their  battle-cry  of 
*'Lamh-dearg-aboo!"  and  their  long  lances  poised 
in  Eastern  fashion  above  their  heads,  down  swept 
the  chivalry  of  Tyrowen  upon  the  astonished 
ranks  of  the  Saxon.  The  banner  of  St.  George 
wavered  and  went  down  before  that  furious 
charge.  The  English  turned  their  bridle-reins 
and  fled  headlong  over  the  sti-eam,  leaving  the 
field  covered  with  their  dead,  and,  worse  than 
all,  leaving  with  the  Irish  that  proud  red-cross 
banner,  the  first  of  its  disgraces  in  those  Ulster 
wars.  Norreys  hastily  retreated  southward,  and 
the  castle  of  Monaghan  was  yielded  to  the  Irish. " 

This  was  opening  the  campaign  in  a  manner 
truly  worthy  of  a  royal  O'Neill.  The  flame  thus 
lighted  spread  all  over  the  northern  land.  Suc- 
cess shone  on  the  Irish  banners,  and  as  the  his- 
torian informs  us,  "at  the  close  of  the  year  1595, 
the  Ii'ish  power  predominated  in  Ulster  and 
Connaught. " 

The  proceedings  of  the  next  two  years — 1596 
and  1597 — during  which  the  struggle  was  varied 
by  several  efforts  at  negotiation,  occupy  too  large 
a  portion  of  history  to  be  traced  at  length  in  these 
pages.  The  English  forces  were  being  steadily 
though  slowly  driven  in  upon  the  Pale  from 
nearly  all  sides,  and  strenuous  efforts  were  made 


to  induce  0  'Neill  to  accept  terms.    He  invariably 

professed  the  utmost  readiness  to  do  so ;  deplored 
the  stern  necessity  that  had  driven  him  to  claim 
his  rights  in  the  field,  and  debated  conditions  of 
peace;  but,  either  mistrusting  the  designs  of  the 
English  in  treating  with  him,  or  because  he  had 
hopes  far  beyond  anything  they  were  likely  to 
concede,  he  managed  so  that  the  negotiations 
somehow  fell  through  at  all  times.  On  one  oc- 
casion royal  commissioners  actually  followed  and 
chased  him  through  the  country  with  a  royal 
"pardon"  and  treaty,  which  they  were  beseech- 
ing him  to  accept,  but  O'Neill  continued  to 
"miss"  all  appointments  with  them.  More  than 
once  the  English  bitterly  felt  that  their  quondam 
pupil  was  feathering  his  keenest  arrows  against 
them  with  plumes  plucked  from  their  own  wing ! 
But  it  was  not  in  what  they  called  "diplomacy" 
alone  Hugh  showed  them  to  their  cost  that  he 
had  not  forgotten  his  lessons.  He  could  enliven 
the  tedium  of  a  siege — ^and,  indeed,  terminate  it 
— by  a  ruse  worthy  of  an  humorist  as  of  a  strat- 
egist. On  the  expiration  of  one  of  the  truces, 
we  are  told,  he  attacked  Norrey's  encampment 
with  great  fury,  "and  drove  the  English  before 
him  with  heavy  loss  till  they  found  shelter  within 
the  walls  of  Armagh."  He  sat  down  before  the 
town  and  began  a  regular  siege;  "but  the  troops 
of  Ulster  were  unused  to  a  war  of  posts,  and  little 
skilled  in  reducing  fortified  places  by  mines, 
blockades,  or  artillery.  They  better  loved  a 
rushing  charge  in  the  open  field,  or  the  guerrilla 
warfare  of  the  woods  and  mountains,  and  soon 
tired  of  sitting  idly  before  battlements  of  stone. 
O'Neill  tried  a  stratagem.  General  Norreys  had 
sent  a  quantity  of  provisions  to  relieve  Armagh 
under  a  convoy  of  three  companies  of  foot  and  a 
body  of  cavalry,  and  the  Irish  had  surprised 
these  troops  by  night,  captured  the  stores,  and 
made  prisoners  of  all  the  convoy.  O'Neill  caused 
the  English  soldiers  to  be  stripped  of  their  uni- 
form, and  an  equal  number  of  his  own  men  to  be 
dressed  in  it,  whom  he  ordered  to  appear  by  day- 
break as  if  marching  to  relieve  Armagh.  Then, 
having  stationed  an  ambuscade  before  morning 
in  the  walls  of  a  ruined  monastery  lying  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  city,  he  sent  another  body  of 
troops  to  meet  the  red-coated  gallow-glasses,  so 
that  when  day  dawned  the  defenders  of  Armagh 
beheld  what  they  imagined  to  be  a  strong  body 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


109 


of  their  countrymen  in  full  marcli  to  relieve  them 
"with  supplies  of  provisions,  then  they  saw 
■O'Neill 's  troops  rush  to  attack  these,  and  a  furi- 
ous conflict  seemed  to  proceed,  but  apparently 
the  English  were  overmatched,  many  of  them 
fell,  and  the  Irish  were  pressing  forward,  pour- 
ing in  their  shot  and  brandishing  their  battle- 
axes  with  all  the  tumult  of  a  deadly  fight.  The 
hungry  garrison  could  not  endure  this  sight.  A 
strong  sallying  party  issued  from  the  city  and 
rushed  to  support  their  friends;  but  when  they 
came  to  the  field  of  battle  all  the  combatants  on 
both  sides  turned  their  weapons  against  them 
alone. 

"The  English  saw  the  snare  that  had  been  laid 
for  them,  and  made  for  the  walls  again ;  but  Con 
O'Neill  and  his  party  issued  from  the  monastery 
and  barred  their  retreat.  They  defended  them- 
selves gallantly,  but  were  all  cut  to  pieces,  and 
the  Irish  entered  Armagh  in  triumph.  Stafford 
and  the  remnant  of  his  garrison  were  allowed  to 
retire  to  Dundalk,  and  O'Neill,  who  wanted  no 
strong  places,  dismantled  the  fortifications  and 
then  abandoned  the  town." 

Over  several  of  the  subsequent  engagements  in 
1596  and  1597  I  must  pass  rapidly,  to  reach  the 
more  important  events  in  which  the  career  of 
O'Neill  culminated  and  closed.  My  young  read- 
ers can  trace  for  themselves  on  the  page  of  Irish 
history  the  episodes  of  valor  and  patriotism  that 
memorize  "Tyrrell's  Pass"  and  "Portmore. " 
The  ignis  fatuus  of  "aid  from  Spain"  was  still  in 
O'Neill's  eyes.  He  was  waiting — but  striking 
betimes,  parleying  with  royal  commissioners,  and 
■corresponding  with  King  Philip,  when  he  was 
not  engaging  Bagnal  or  Norreys;  Red  Hugh 
meanwhile  echoing  in  Connaught  every  blow 
struck  by  O'Neill  in  Ulster.  At  length,  in  the 
summer  of  1598,  he  seems  to  have  thrown  aside 
all  reliance  upon  foreign  aid,  and  to  have 
organized  his  countrymen  for  a  still  more  reso- 
lute stand  than  any  they  yet  had  made  against 
the  national  enemy. 

"In  the  month  of  July,  O'Neill  sent  messen- 
gers to  Phelim  Mac  Hugh,  then  chief  of  the 
O'Byrnes,  that  he  might  fall  upon  the  Pale,  as 
they  were  about  to  make  emploj^ment  in  the  j 
north  for  the  troops  of  Ormond,  and  at  the  same 
i;ime  he  detached  fifteen  hundred  men  and  sent 
"them  to  assist  his  ally,  O'More,  who  was  then  be-  I 


sieging  Porteloise,  a  fort  of  the  English  in  Leix. 
Then  he  made  a  sudden  stoop  upon  the  castle  of 
Portmore,  which,  says  Moryson,  'was  a  great 
eyesore  to  him  lying  upon  the  chiefe  passage  into 
his  country, '  hoping  to  carry  it  hy  assault. 

"Ormond  now  perceived  that  a  powerful  effort 
must  be  made  by  the  English  to  hold  their 
ground  in  the  north,  or  Ulster  might  at  once  be 
abandoned  to  the  Irish.  Strong  reinforcements 
were  sent  from  England,  and  O'Neill's  spies  soon 
brought  him  intelligence  of  large  masses  of 
troops  moving  northward,  led  by  Marshal  Sir 
Henry  Bagnal,  and  composed  of  the  choicest 
forces  in  the  queen's  service.  Newry  was  their 
place  of  rendezvous,  and  early  in  August,  Bagnal 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  the  largest  and  best 
appointed  army  of  veteran  Englishmen  that  had 
ever  fought  in  Ireland.  He  succeeded  in  reliev- 
ing Armagh,  and  dislodging  O'Neill  from  his 
encampment  at  Mullaghbane,  where  the  chief 
himself  narrowly  escaped  being  taken,  and  then 
prepared  to  advance  with  his  whole  army  to  the 
Blackwater,  and  raise  the  siege  of  Portmore. 
Williams  and  his  men  were  by  this  time  nearly 
famished  with  hunger;  they  had  eaten  all  their 
horses,  and  had  come  to  feeding  on  the  herbs  and 
grass  that  grew  upon  the  walls  of  the  fortress. 
And  everj'  morning  they  gazed  anxiously  over 
the  southern  hills,  and  strained  their  eyes  to  see 
the  waving  of  a  red-cross  flag,  or  the  glance  of 
English  spears  in  the  rising  sun. 

"O'Neill  hastily  summoned  O'Donnell  and 
Mac  William  to  his  aid,  and  determined  to  cross 
the  marshal's  path,  and  give  him  battle  before 
he  reached  the  Blackwater.  His  entire  force  on 
the  day  of  battle,  including  the  Scots  and  the 
troops  of  Connaught  and  Tyrconnell,  consisted  of 
four  thousand  five  hundred  foot  and  six  hundred 
horse,  and  Bagnal 's  army  amounted  to  an  equal 
number  of  infantry  and  five  hundred  veteran 
horsemen,  sheathed  in  corslets  and  headpieces, 
together  with  some  field  artillery,  in  which 
O'Neill  was  wholly  wanting. 

"Hugh  Roe  O'Donnell  had  snuffed  the  coming 
battle  from  afar,  and  on  the  9th  of  August  joined 
O'Neill  with  the  clans  of  Connaught  and  Tyrcon- 
nell. They  drew  up  their  main  body  about  a 
mile  from  Portmore,  on  the  way  to  Armagh, 
where  the  plain  was  narrowed  to  a  pass,  inclosed 
on  one  side  by  a  thick  wood,  and  on  the  other  by 


110 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


a  bog.  To  arrive  at  that  plain  from  Armagh  the 
enemy  would  have  to  penetrate  through  wooded 
hills,  divided  by  winding  and  marshy  hollows, 
in  which  floAved  a  sluggish  and  discolored  stream 
from  the  bogs,  and  hence  the  pass  was  called 
Beal-an-atha-buie,"the  mouth  of  the  yellow  ford. ' 
Fearfasa  O'Clerj-,  a  learned  poet  of  O'Donnell's, 
asked  the  name  of  that  place,  and  when  he  heard 
it,  remembered  (and  proclaimed  aloud  to  the 
armj')  that  St.  Bercan  had  foretold  a  terrible 
battle  to  be  fought  at  a  yellow  ford,  and  a  glori- 
ous victory  to  be  won  by  the  ancient  Irish. 

"Even  so,  Moran,  son  of  Maoin!  and  for  thee, 
wisest  poet,  O'Clery,  thou  hast  this  day  served 
thy  country  well,  for,  to  an  Ii-ish  armj^,  auguries 
of  good  were  more  needful  than  a  commissariat; 
and  those  bards'  songs,  like  the  Dorian  flute  of 
Greece,  breathed  a  passionate  valor  that  no  blare 
of  English  trumpets  could  ever  kindle. 

"Bagnal's  army  rested  that  night  in  Armagh, 
and  the  Irish  bivouacked  in  the  woods,  each  war- 
rior covered  by  his  shaggy  cloak,  under  the  stars 
of  a  summer  night,  for  to  'an  Irish  rebel,'  says 
Edmund  Spenser,  'the  wood  is  his  house  against 
all  weathers,  and  his  mantle  is  his  couch  to  sleep 
in.'  But  O'Neill,  we  may  well  believe,  slept  not 
that  night  away ;  the  morrow  was  to  put  to  proof 
what  valor  and  discipline  was  in  that  Irish  army, 
which  he  had  been  so  long  organizing  and  train- 
ing to  meet  this  very  hour.  Before  him  lay  a 
splendid  army  of  tried  English  troops  in  full 
march  for  his  ancient  seat  of  Dungannon,  and  led 
on  by  his  mortal  enemy.  And  O'Neill  would 
not  have  had  that  host  weakened  by  the  deser- 
tion of  a  single  man,  nor  commanded — no,  not 
for  his  white  wand  of  chieftaincy — by  any  leader 
but  this  his  dearest  foe. " 

To  Mr.  Mitchel,  whose  vivid  narrative  I  have 
so  far  been  quoting,  we  are  indebted  for  the  fol- 
lowing stirring  description  of  O'Neill's  greatest 
battle — ever  memorable  Beal-an-atha-buie : 

"The  tenth  morning  of  August  rose  bright  and 
serene  upon  the  towers  of  Armagh  and  the  silver 
waters  of  Avonmore.  Before  day  dawned  the 
English  army  left  the  city  in  thi'ee  divisions,  and 
at  sunrise  they  were  winding  through  the  hills 
and  woods  behind  thp  spot  where  now  stands  the 
little  church  of  Grange. 

"The  sun  was  glancing  on  the  corslets  and 
spears  of  their  glittering  cavalry,  their  banners 


waved  proudly,  and  their  bugles  rung  clear  im 
the  morning  air,  when,  suddenly,  from  the: 
thickets  on  both  sides  of  their  path,  a  deadly 
volley  of  musketry  swept  through  the  foremost, 
ranks.  O'Neill  had  stationed  here  five  hundred 
light-armed  troops  to  guard  the  defiles,  and  in 
the  shelter  of  thick  groves  of  fir  trees  they  had 
silently  waited  for  the  enemy.  Now  they  poured 
in  their  shot,  volley  after  volley,  and  killed  great 
numbers  of  the  English ;  but  the  first  division, 
led  by  Bagnal  in  person,  after  some  hard  fight- 
ing, carried  the  pass,  dislodged  the  marksmen 
from  the,ir  position,  and  drove  them  backward 
into  the  plain.  The  center  division  under  Cosby 
and  Wingfield  and  the  rearguard  led  by  Cuin 
and  Billing,  supported  in  flank  by  the  cavalrj' 
under  Brooke,  Montacute,  and  Fleming,  now 
pushed  forward,  speedily  cleared  the'  diflficult. 
country,  and  formed  in  the  open  ground  in  front 
of  the  Irish  lines.  'It  was  not  quite  safe,'  says 
an  Irish  chronicler  (in  admiration  of  Bagnal's 
disposition  of  his  forces)  'to  attack  the  nest  of 
griffins  and  den  of  lions  in  which  were  placed  the 
soldiers  of  London. '  Bagnal  at  the  head  of  his 
first  division,  and  aided  by  a  body  of  cavalry, 
charged  the  Irish  light-armed  troops  up  to  the 
very  intrenchments,  in  front  of  which  O'Neill's, 
foresight  had  prepared  some  pits,  covered  over 
with  wattles  and  grass,  and  many  of  the  English 
cavalry  rushing  impetuously  forward,  rolled 
headlong,  both  men  and  horses,  into  these- 
trenches  and  perished.  Still  the  marshal's 
chosen  troops,  with  loud  cheers  and  shouts  of 
'St.  George  for  merry  England!'  resolutely  at- 
tacked the  intrenchment  that  stretched  across, 
the  pass,  battered  them  with  cannon,  and  in  one 
place  succeeded,  though  with  heavy  loss,  in  forc- 
ing back  their  defenders.  Then  first  the  main 
body  of  O'Neill's  troops  was  brought  into  action, 
and  with  bagpipes  sounding  a  charge,  thej'  fell 
upon  the  English, shoutingtheir  fierce  battle-cries, 
'Lamh-dearg!'  and  'O'DoDuell  aboo!'  O'Neill 
himself,  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  horse,  pricked 
forward  to  seek  out  Bagnal  amid  the  throng  of 
battle,  but  they  never  met :  the  marshal,  who  had 
done  his  devoir  that  day  like  a  good  soldier,  was 
shot  through  the  brain  by  some  unknown  marks- 
man. The  division  he  had  led  was  forced  back 
by  the  furious  onslaught  of  the  Irish,  and  put  to- 
utter  rout;  and,  what  added  to  their  confusion^ 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Ill 


a  cart  of  gunpowder  exploded  amid  the  English 
ranks  and  blew  many  of  their  men  to  atoms. 
And  now  the  cavalry  of  Tyrconnell  and  Tyrowen 
dashed  into  the  plain  and  bore  down  the  remnant 
of  Brooke's  and  Fleming's  horse;  the  columns  of 
Wingfield  and  Cosby  reeled  before  their  rushing 
charge — while  in  front,  to  the  warcry  of  'Batail- 
lah-aboo!'  the  swords  and  axes  of  the  heavy 
armed  gallowglasses  were  raging  among  the 
Saxon  ranks.  By  this  time  the  cannon  were  all 
taken;  the  cries  of  'St.  George!'  had  failed,  or 
turned  into  death-shrieks ;  and  once  more,  Eng- 
land's royal  standard  sunk  before  the  Red  Hand 
of  Tyrowen. " 

Twelve  thousand  gold  pieces,  thirty-four  stan- 
dards, and  all  the  artillery  of  the  vanquished 
army  were  taken.  Nearly  three  thousand  dead 
were  left  by  the  English  on  the  field.  The  splen- 
did army  of  the  Pale  was,  in  fact,  annihilated. 

Beal-an-atha-buie,  or,  as  some  of  the  English 
chroniclers  call  it,  Blackwater,  ma3'  be  classed  as 
one  of  the  great  battles  of  the  Irish  nation ;  per- 
haps the  greatest  fought  in  the  course  of  the  war 
against  English  invasion.  Other  victories  as 
brilliant  and  complete  may  be  found  recorded  in 
our  annals;  many  defeats  of  English  armies  as 
utter  and  disastrous;  but  most  of  these  were,  in 
a  military  point  of  view,  not  to  be  ranked  for  a 
moment  with  the  "Yellow  Ford."  Very  nearly 
all  of  them  were  defile  surprises,  conducted  on 
the  simplest  principles  of  warfare  common  to 
struggles  in  a  mountainous  country.  But  Beal- 
an-atha-buie  was  a  deliberate  engagement,  a  for- 
midable pitched  battle  between  the  largest  and 
the  best  armies  which  England  and  Ireland  re- 
spectively were  able  to  send  forth,  and  was 
fought  out  on  principles  of  military  science  in 
which  both  O'Neill  and  Bagnal  were  proficients. 
It  was  a  fair  stand-up  fight  between  the  picked 
troops  and  chosen  generals  of  the  two  nations; 
and  it  must  be  told  of  the  vanquished  on  that 
day,  that,  though  defeated,  they  were  not  dis- 
honored. The  Irish  annals  and  chants,  one  and 
all,  do  justice  to  the  daring  bravery  and  unflinch- 
ing endurance  displayed  by  Bagnal's  army  on 
the  disastrous  battlefield  of  Beal-an-atha-buie. 

As  might  be  supposed,  a  victory  so  consider- 
able as  this  has  been  sung  by  a  hundred  bards. 
More  than  one  notable  poem  ia  the  native  Gaelic 
has  celebrated  its  glori' ;  and  quite  a  number  of 


our  modern  bards  have  made  it  the  theme  of  stir- 
ring lays.  Of  these  latter,  probably  the  best 
known  is  Drennan's  ballad,  from  which  I  quote 
the  opening  and  concluding  verses : 

"By  O'Neill  close  beleaguer'd,  the  spirits  might 
droop 

Of  the  Saxon  three  hundred  shut  up  in  their 
coop, 

Till  Bagnal  drew  forth  his  Toledo,  and  swore 
On  the  sword  of  a  soldier  to  succor  Portmore. 

"His  veteran  troops,  in  the  foreign  wars  tried. 
Their  features  how  bronz'd,  and  how  haughty 

their  stride, 
Step'd  steadily  on;  it  was  thrilling  to  see 
That  thunder-cloud  brooding  o'er  Beal-an-atha- 

Buidh! 

"The  flash  of  their  armor,  inlaid  with  fine  gold, 
Gleaming  matchlocks  and  cannons  that  mut- 

teringly  roll'd. 
With  the  tramp  and  the  clank  of  those  stern 
cuirassiers. 

Dyed  in  blood  of  the  Flemish  and  French  cava- 
liers. 

"Land  of  Owen  aboo!  and  the  L-ish  rushed  on: 
The  foe  fir'd  but  one  volley — their  gunners  are 
gone. 

Before  the  bare  bosoms  the  steel  coats  have  fled. 
Or,  despite  casque  or  corslet,  lie  dying  or  dead. 

"And  brave  Harry  Bagnal,  he  fell   while  he 
fought, 

With  many  gay  gallants :  they  slept  as  men 
ought. 

Their  faces  to  Heaven :  there  were  others,  alack ! 
By  pikes  overtaken,  and  taken  aback. 

"And  the  Irish  got  clothing,  coin,  colors,  great 
store. 

Arms,  forage,  and  provender — plunder  go  leor. 
They   munch 'd   the   white    manchets,  they 

champ 'd  the  brown  chine, 
Fuliluah  for  that  day,  how  the  natives  did  dine ! 

"The  chieftain  looked  on,  when  O'Shanagan  rose, 
And  cried :  'Hearken,  O'Neill,  I've  a  health  to 
propose — 

To  our  Sassenach  hosts,'  and  all  quaffed  in  huge 
glee, 

With  Ceadmilefailtego!  Beal-an-atha-Buid":  I" 


112 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


The  same  subject  has  been  the  inspiration  of, 
perhaps,  the  most  beautiful  poem  in  Mr.  Aubrey 
de  Vere's  "Lyrical  Chronicle  of  Lreland:" 

THE  WAR-SONG  OF  TYRCONNELL'S  BARD 
AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  BLACKWATER. 

Glory  to  God,  and  to  the  Powers  that  fight 

For  Freedom  and  the  Right! 
"We  have  them  then,  the  invaders!  there  they 
stand 

Once  more  on  Oriel's  land! 
They  have  pass'd  the  gorge  stream  cloven, 

And  the  mountain's  purple  bound; 
Now  the  toils  are  round  them  woven, 

Now  the  nets  are  spread  around! 
Give  them  time:  their  steeds  are  blown; 

Let  them  stand  and  round  them  stare. 

Breathing  blasts  of  Irish  air : 
Our  eagles  know  their  own ! 

Thou  rising  sun,  fair  fall 
Thy  greeting  on  Armagh's  time-honored  wall 
And  on  the  willows  hoar 
That  fringe  thy  silver  waters,  Avonmore ! 
See!  on  that  hill  of  drifted  sand 
The  far-famed  marshal  holds  command, 
Bagnal,  their  bravest :  to  the  right. 
That  recreant,  neither  chief  nor  knight, 
"The  Queen's  O'Reilly,"  he  that  sold 
His  country,  clan,  and  church  for  gold! 
"Saint    George   for    England!" — recreant 
crew, 

What  are  the  saints  ye  spurn  to  j'ou  ? 
They  charge ;  they  pass  yon  grassy  swell ; 
They  reach  our  pitfalls  hidden  well : 
On ! — warriors  native  to  the  sod ! 
Be  on  them,  in  the  power  of  God! 

Seest  thou  yon  stream,  whose  tawny  waters  glide 
Through  weeds  and  yellow  marsh  lingeringly 

and  slowly? 
Blest  is  that  spot  and  holy ! 
There,  ages  past.  Saint  Bercan  stood  and  cried, 
"This  spot  shall  quell  one  day  th'  invader's 
pride!" 

He  saw  in  mystic  trance 

The  bloodstain  flush  yon  rill: 
On! — hosts  of  God,  advance! 

Your  country's  fate  fulfill! 


Hark!  the  thunder  of  their  meeting! 

Hand  meets  hand,  and  rough  the  greeting  1 

Hark!  the  crash  of  shield  and  brand; 

They  mix,  they  mingle,  band  with  band. 

Like  two  horn-commingling  stags. 

Wrestling  on  the  mountain  crags, 

Intertwined,  intertangled. 

Mangled  forehead  meeting  mangled! 

See!  the  wavering  darkness  through 

I  see  the  banner  of  Red  Hugh; 

Close  beside  is  thine,  O'Neill! 

Now  they  stoop  and  now  they  reel. 

Rise  once  more  and  onward  sail. 

Like  two  falcons  on  one  gale! 

O  ye  clansmen  past  me  rushing. 

Like  mountain  torents  seaward  gushing. 

Tell  the  chiefs  that  from  this  height 

Their  chief  of  bards  beholds  the  fight; 

That  on  theirs  he  pours  his  spirit; 

Marks  their  deeds  and  chants  their  merit; 

While  the  Priesthood  evermore, 

Like  him  that  ruled  God's  host  of  yore. 

With  arms  outstretched  that  God  implore! 

Glory  be  to  God  on  high! 

That  shout  rang  up  into  the  sky! 

The  plain  lies  bare;  the  smoke  drifts  by; 

Again  that  cry ;  they  fly !  they  fly ! 

O'er  them  standards  thirty -four 

Waved  at  morn :  they  wave  no  more. 

Glory  be  to  Him  alone  who  holds  the  nations  in 
His  hand. 

And  to  them   the  heavenly  guardians  of  our 

church  and  native  land! 
Sing,  ye  priests,  your  deep  Te  Deum;  bards, 

make  answer  loud  and  long. 
In  your  rapture  flinging  heavenward  censers  of 

triumphant  song. 
Isle  for  centuries  blind  in  bondage,  lift  once 

more  thine  ancient  boast. 
From  the  cliffs  of  Innishowen  southward  on  to 

Carbery's  coast! 
We  have  seen  the  right  made  perfect,  seen  the 

Hand  that  rules  the  spheres. 
Glance  like  lightning  through  the  clouds,  and 

backward  roll  the  wrongful  years. 
Glory  fadeth,  but  this  triumph  is  no  barren  mun- 
dane glory ; 

Rays  of  healing  it  shall  scatter  on  the  eyes  that 
read  our  story : 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


113 


Upon  nations  bound  and  torpid  as  they  waken  it 
shall  shine, 

As  on  Peter  in  his  chains  the  angel  shone,  with 

light  divine. 
From  th'  unheeding,  from  th'  unholy  it  may 

hide,  like  truth,  its  ray ; 
But  when  Truth  and  Justice  conquer,  on  their 

crowns  its  beams  shall  play : 
O'er  the  ken  of  troubled  tyrants  it  shall  trail  a 

meteor's  glare; 
For  the  blameless  it  shall  glitter  as  the  star  of 

morning  fair; 
"Whensoever  Erin  triumphs,  then  its  dawn  it  shall 

renew; 

Then  O'Neill  shall  be  remember 'd,  and  Tyrcon- 
nell's  chief.  Red  Hugh! 

The  fame  of  this  great  victory  filled  the  land. 
Not  in  Ireland  alone  did  it  create  a  sensation. 
The  English  historians  tell  us  that  for  months 
nothing  was  talked  of  at  court  or  elsewhere 
throughout  England  but  O'Neill  and  the  great 
battle  on  the  Blackwater,  which  had  resulted  so 
disastrously  for  "her  highness."  Moryson  him- 
self informs  us  that  "the  generall  voyce  was  of 
Tyrone  amongst  the  English  after  the  defeat  of 
Blackwater,  as  of  Hannibal  amongst  the  Romans 
after  the  defeat  at  Cannae."  The  event  got 
noised  abroad,  too,  and  in  all  the  courts  of 
Europe  Hugh  of  Tyrone  became  celebrated  as  a 
military  commander  and  as  a  patriot  leader. 


CHAPTER  LXni. 

HOW  HUGH  FORMED  A  GREAT  NATIONAL  CONFEDERACY 
AND  BUILT  UP  A  NATION  ONCE  MORE  ON  IRISH 
SOIL. 

If  Ulster  was  Ireland,  Ireland  now  was  free. 

'  But  all  that  has  been  narrated  so  far  has  affected 
only  half  the  island.  The  south  all  this  time  lay 
in  the  heavy  trance  of  helplessness,  suffering, 

_  and  despair,  that  had  supervened  upon  the  deso- 
lating Desmond  war.  At  best  the  south  was  very 
unlikely  to  second  with  equal  zeal,  energy,  and 
success  such  an  effort  as  the  north  had  made. 
Munster  was  almost  exclusively  possessed  by 
Anglo-Irish  lords,  or  Irish  chiefs  in  the  power 
of,  and  submissive  to,  the  English.  Ulster  was 
the  stronghold  of  the  native  cause;  and  what 


was  possible  there  might  be,  and  in  truth  was, 
very  far  from  feasible  in  the  "colonized"  south- 
ern province.  Nevertheless,  so  irresistible  was 
the  inspiration  of  Hugh's  victories  in  the  north 
that  even  the  occupied,  conquered,  broken,  di- 
vided, and  desolated  south  began  to  take  heart 
and  look  upward.  Messengers  were  dispatched 
to  Hugh  entreating  him  to  send  some  duly 
authorized  lieutenants  to  raise  the  standard  of 
Church  and  Country  in  Munster,  and  take  charge 
of  the  cause  there.  He  complied  by  detaching 
Richard  Tyrrell,  of  Fertullah,  and  Owen,  son  of 
Ruari  O'More,  at  the  head  of  a  chosen  band,  to 
unfurl  the  national  flag  in  the  southern  prov- 
inces. They  were  enthusiastically  received. 
The  Catholic  Anglo-Norman  lords  and  the  native 
chiefs  entered  into  the  movement,  and  rose  to 
arms  on  all  sides.  The  newly-planted  "settlers," 
or  "undertakers"  as  they  were  styled — English 
adventurers  among  whom  had  been  pareled 
out  the  lands  of  several  southern  Catholic  fami- 
lies, lawlessly  seized  on  the  ending  of  the  Des- 
mond rebellion — fled  pell-mell,  abandoning  the 
stolen  castles  and  lands  to  their  rightful  owners, 
and  only  too  happy  to  escape  vs'ith  life.*  The 
lord  president  had  to  draw  in  every  outpost,  and 
abandon  all  Munster,  except  the  garrison  towns 
of  Cork  and  Kilmallock,  within  which,  cooped  up 
like  prisoners,  he  and  his  diminished  troops 
were  glad  to  find  even  momentary  shelter.  By 
the  beginning  of  1599,  "no  English  force  was 
able  to  keep  the  field  throughout  all  Ireland." 
O'Neill's  authority  was  paramount — was  loyally 
recognized  and  obeyed  everywhere  outside  two 
or  three  garrison  towns.  He  exercised  the  pre- 
rogatives of  royalty;  issued  commissions,  con- 
ferred offices,  honors,  and  titles;  removed  or 
deposed  lords  and  chiefs  actively  or  passively 
disloyal  to  the  national  authority,  and  appointed 
others  in  their  stead.  And  all  was  done  so 
wisely,  so  impartially,  so  patriotically — with  such 
scrupulous  and  fixed  regard  for  the  one  great 
object,  and  no  other — namely,  the  common  cause 
of  national  independence  and  freedom — that  evea 

*  Among  them  was  Spenser,  a  gentle  poet  and  rapacious, 
freebooter.  His  poesy  was  sweet,  and  full  of  cliarms, 
quaint,  simple,  and  eloquent.  His  prose  politics  were 
brutal,  venal,  and  cowardly.  He  wooed  tlie  muses  very 
blandly,  living  in  a  stolen  home,  and  pbilosopbically  coun- 
seled tbe  extirpation  of  tbe  Irish  owners  of  the  land,  fo^' 
the  greater  security  of  himself  and  fellow  adventurers. 


114 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


men  chronically  disposed  to  suspect  family  or 
oJan  selfishness  in  every  act  gave  in  their  full 
confidence  to  him  as  to  a  leader  who  had  com- 
pletely sunk  the  clan  chief  in  the  national  leader. 
In  fine,  since  the  days  of  Brian  the  First,  no 
native  sovereign  of  equal  capacity — singularly 
qualified  as  a  soldier  and  as  a  statesman — had 
been  known  in  Ireland.  "He  omitted  no  means 
of  strengthening  the  league.  He  renewed  his 
intercourse  with  Spain ;  planted  permanent 
bodies  of  troops  on  the  Foyle,  Erne,  and  Black- 
water;  engaged  the  services  of  some  additional 
Scots  from  the  Western  Isles,  improved  the  dis- 
cipline of  his  own  troops,  and  on  every  side  made 
preparations  to  renew  the  conflict  with  his  pow- 
erful enemj'.  For  he  well  knew  that  Elizabeth 
was  not  the  monarch  to  quit  her  deadly  gripe  of 
this  fair  island  without  a  more  terrible  struggle 
than  had  3'et  been  endured."* 

That  struggle  was  soon  inaugurated.  Eng- 
land, at  that  time  one  of  the  strongest  nations  in 
Europe,  and  a  match  for  the  best  among  them  by 
land  and  sea,  ruled  over  by  one  of  the  ablest,  the 
boldest,  and  most  crafty  sovereigns  that  had  ever 
sat  upon  her  throne,  and  served  by  statesmen, 
soldiers,  philosophers,  and  writers  whose  names 
are  famous  in  history — was  now  about  to  put 
forth  all  her  power  in  a  combined  naval  and  mil- 
itary armament  against  the  almost  reconstituted, 
but  as  yet  all  too  fragile  Irish  nation.  Such  an 
effort,  under  all  the  circumstances,  could  scarcely 
result  otherwise  than  as  it  eventually  did ;  for 
there  are,  after  all,  odds  against  which  no  human 
effort  can  avail  and  for  which  no  human  valor 
can  compensate.  It  was  England's  good  fortune 
on  this  occasion,  as  on  others  previously  and 
subsequently,  that  the  Irish  nation  challenged 
her  when  she  was  at  peace  with  all  the  world — 
when  her  bands  were  free  and  her  resources  un- 
divided. Equally  fortunate  was  she  at  all  times, 
on  the  other  hand,  in  the  complete  tranquillity  of 
the  Irish  when  desperate  emergencies  put  her  on 
her  own  defense,  and  left  her  no  resources  to 
spare  for  a  campaign  in  Ireland,  had  she  been 
challenged  then.  What  we  have  to  contemplate 
in  the  closing  scenes  of  O'Neill's  glorious  career 
is  the  heroism  of  Tbermdpylae,  not  the  success  of 
Salamis  or  Platasa. 

Elizabeth's  favorite,  Essex,  was  dispatched  to 

- — ^   • 

«  Mitchel. 


Ireland  with  twenty  thousand  men  at  his  back ; 
an  array  not  only  the  largest  England  had  put 
into  the  field  for  centuries,  but  in  equipment,  in 
drill,  and  in  armament,  the  most  complete  ever 
assembled  under  her  standard.  Against  this  the 
Irish  nowhere  had  ten  thousand  men  concen- 
trated in  a  regular  army  or  movable  corps.  In 
equipment  and  in  armament  they  were  sadly  de- 
ficient, while  of  sieging  material  they  were  alto- 
gether destitute.  Nevertheless,  we  are  told 
"O'Neill  and  his  confederates  were  not  dismayed 
by  the  arrival  of  this  great  army  and  its  magnifi- 
cent leader."  And  had  the  question  between 
the  two  nations  depended  solely  upon  such  issues 
as  armies  settle,  and  superior  skill  and  prowess 
control,  neither  O'Neill  nor  his  confederates 
would  have  erred  in  the  strong  faith,  the  high 
hope,  the  exultant  self-reliance,  that  now  ani- 
mated them.  The  campaign  of  1599 — the  disas- 
trous failure  of  the  courtly  Essex  and  his  mag- 
nificent army — must  be  told  in  a  few  lines. 
O'Neill  completely  out-generaled  and  overawed 
or  overreached  the  haughty  deputy.  In  more 
than  one  fatal  engagement  his  splendid  force  was 
routed  by  the  Irish,  until,  notwithstanding  a 
constant  stream  of  reinforcements  from  England, 
it  had  wasted  away,  and  was  no  longer  formi- 
dable in  O'Neill's  eyes.  In  vain  the  queen  wrote 
letter  after  letter  endeavoring  to  sting  her  quon- 
dam favorite  into  "something  notable;"  that  is, 
a  victory  over  O'Neill.  Nothing  could  induce 
Essex  to  face  the  famous  hero  of  Clontibret  and 
the  Yellow  Ford,  unless,  indeed,  in  peaceful 
parley.  At  length  having  been  taunted  into  a 
movement  northward,  he  proceeded  thither  reluc- 
tantly and  slowly.  "On  the  high  ground  north 
of  the  Lagan,  he  found  the  host  of  O'Neill  en- 
camped, and  received  a  courteous  message  from 
their  leader,  soliciting  a  personal  interview.  At 
an  appointed  hour  the  two  commanders  rode 
down  to  the  opposite  banks  of  the  river,  wholly 
unattended,  the  advanced  guards  of  each  looking 
curiously  on  from  the  uplands."*  O'Neill,  ever 
the  flower  of  courtesy,  spurred  his  horse  into  the 
stream  up  to  the  saddlegirths.  "First  they  had 
a  private  conference,  in  which  Lord  Essex,  won 
by  the  chivalrous  bearing  and  kindly  address  of 
the  chief,  became,  say  the  English  historians, 
too  confidential  with  an  enemy  of  his  sovereign, 

*M'Gee. 


THE  STORY 

■spoke  without  reserve  of  his  daring  hopes  and 
most  private  thoughts  of  ambition,  until  O'Neill 
had  suflficiently  read  his  secret  soul,  fathomed  his 
poor  capacity,  and  understood  the  full  meanness 
■of  his  shallow  treason.  Then  Cormac  O'Neill 
and  five  other  Irish  leaders  were  summoned  on 
the  one  side,  on  the  other  Lord  Southampton 
and  an  equal  number  of  English  officers,  and  a 
solemn  parley  was  opened  in  due  form."* 
O'Neill  offered  terms:  "first,  complete  liberty  of 
•conscience ;  second,  indemnity  for  his  allies  in  all 
the  four  provinces;  third,  the  principal  officers 
of  state,  the  judges,  and  one-half  the  army  to  be 
henceforth  Irish  by  birth."  Essex  considered 
these  very  far  from  extravagant  demands  from  a 
man  now  virtually  master  in  the  island.  He  de- 
clared as  much  to  O'Neill,  and  concluded  a  truce 
pending  reply  from  London.  Elizabeth  saw  in 
fury  how  completely  O'Neill  had  dominated  her 
favorite.  She  wrote  him  a  frantic  letter  full  of 
scornful  taunt  and  upbraiding.  Essex  flung  up 
all  his  duties  in  Ireland  without  leave,  and  hur- 
ried to  London,  to  bring  into  requisition  the 
personal  influences  he  had  undoubtedly  possessed 
at  one  time  with  the  queen.  But  he  found  her 
unapproachable.  She  stamped  and  swore  at 
him,  and  ordered  him  to  the  tower,  where  the 
unfortunate  earl  paid,  with  his  head  upon  the 
block,  the  forfeit  for  not  having  grappled  suc- 
cessfully with  the  "Eed  Hand  of  Ulster." 

The  year  IGOO  was  employed  by  O'Neill  in  a 
general  circuit  of  the  kingdom,  for  the  more 
complete  establishment  of  the  national  league 
and  the  better  organization  of  the  national  re- 
sources. "He  marched  through  the  center  of 
the  island  at  the  head  of  his  troops  to  the 
south,"  says  his  biographer,  "a  kind  of  royal 
progress,  which  he  thought  fit  to  call  a  pilgrim- 
age to  Holy  Cross.  He  held  princely  state 
there,  concerted  measures  with  the  southern 
lords,  and  distributed  a  manifesto  announcing 
himself  as  the  accredited  Defender  of  the 
Eaith." 

"In  the  beginning  of  March,"  says  another 
authority,  "the  Catholic  army  halted  at  Innis- 
carra,  upon  the  river  Lee,  about  five  miles  west 
of  Cork.  Here  O'Neill  remained  three  weeks  in 
camp  consolidating  the  Catholic  party  in  South 


OF  IRELAND.  115 

Munster.  During  that  time  he  was  visited  by 
the  chiefs  of  the  ancient  Eugenian  clans — O'Don- 
ohoe,  O 'Donovan,  and  O'Mahony.  Thither  also 
came  two  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  the 
southern  province :  Florence  McCarthy,  Lord  of 
Carbery,  and  Donald  O 'Sullivan,  Lord  of  Bear- 
haven.  McCarthy,  'like  Saul,  higher  by  the 
head  and  shoulders  than  any  of  his  house, '  had 
brain  in  proportion  to  his  brawn;  O'SuIlivau,  as 
was  afterward  shown,  was  possessed  of  military 
virtues  of  a  high  order.  Florence  was  inaugu- 
rated with  O'Neill's  sanction  as  McCarthy  More; 
and  although  the  rival  house  of  Muskerry  fiercely 
resisted  his  claim  to  superiority  at  first,  a  wiser 
choice  could  not  have  been  made  had  the  times 
tended  to  confirm  it. 

"While  at  Inniscarra,  O'Neill  lost  in  single 
combat  one  of  his  most  accomplished  officers,  the 
chief  of  Fermanagh.  Maguire,  accompanied 
only  by  a  priest  and  two  horsemen,  was  makiag 
observations  nearer  to  the  city  than  the  camp, 
when  Sir  Warham  St.  Leger,  marshal  of  Munster, 
issued  out  of  Cork  with  a  company  of  soldiers, 
probablj-  on  a  similar  mission.  Both  were  in 
advance  of  their  attendants  when  they  came  un- 
expectedly face  to  face.  Both  were  famous  as 
horsemen  and  for  the  use  of  their  weapons,  and 
neither  would  retrace  his  steps.  The  Irish  chief, 
posing  his  spear,  dashed  forward  against  his  op- 
ponent, but  received  a  pistol  shot  which  proved 
mortal  the  same  day.  He,  however,  had  strength 
enough  left  to  drive  his  spear  through  the  neck 
of  St.  Leger,  and  to  effect  his  escape  from  the 
English  cavalry.  St.  Leger  was  carried  back  to 
Cork,  where  he  expired.  Maguire,  on  reaching 
the  cam]),  had  barely  time  left  to  make  his  last 
confession  when  he  breathed  his  last.  This  un- 
toward event,  the  necessity  of  preventing  pos- 
sible dissensions  in  Fermanagh,  and  still  more 
the  menacing  movements  of  the  new  deputy, 
lately  sworn  in  at  Dublin,  obliged  O'Neill  to  re- 
turn home  earlier  than  he  intended.  Soon  after 
I'eachiug  Dungannon  he  had  the  gratification  of 
receiving  a  most  gracious  letter  from  Pope  Cle- 
ment the  Eighth,  together  with  a  crown  of 
phoenix  feathers,  symbolical  of  the  consideration 
with  which  he  was  regarded  by  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff."* 


*  Mitchel. 


*  M'Gee. 


• 


116 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

HOW  THE  RECONSTRUCTED  IRISH  NATION  WAS  OVERBORNE 

 HOW  THE  TWO  HUGHS  "  FOUGHT  BACK  TO  BACK  " 

AG.UNST     THEIR   OVERWHELMING   FOES  HOW  THE 

' '  SPANISH    AID  ' '    RUINED    THE  IRISH   CAUSE  THE 

DISASTROUS  BATTLE  OP  KINSALE. 

There  now  appear  before  us  two  remarkable 
men  whose  names  are  prominently  identified  with 
this  memorable  epoch  in  Irish  history — Mount- 
joy,  the  new  lord  deputy;  and  Carew,  the  new 
lord  president  of  Munster.  In  the  hour  in  which 
these  men  were  appointed  to  the  conduct  of 
affairs  in  Ireland,  the  Irish  cause  was  lost.  Im- 
mense resources  were  placed  at  their  disposal, 
new  levies  and  armaments  were  ordered;  and 
again  all  the  might  of  England  by  land  and  sea 
was  to  be  put  forth  against  Ireland.  But  Mount- 
joy  and  Carew  alone  were  worth  all  the  levies. 
They  were  men  of  indomitable  energy,  masters 
of  subtlety,  craft,  and  cunning,  utterly  unscru- 
pulous as  to  the  employment  of  means  to  an  end ; 
cold-blooded,  callous,  cruel,  and  brutal.  Nor- 
re.ys  and  Bagnal  were  soldiers — able  generals, 
illustrious  in  the  field.  Essex  was  a  lordly  cour- 
tier, vain  and  pomp-loving.  Of  these  men — sol- 
dier and  courtier — the  Irish  annals  speak  as  of 
fair  foes.  But  of  Mountjoy  and  Carew  a  differ- 
ent memory  is  kept  in  Ireland.  They  did  their 
work  by  the  wile  of  the  serpent,  not  by  the  skill 
of  the  soldier.  Where  the  brave  and  manly  Nor- 
reys  tried  the  sword,  they  tried  snares,  treach- 
ery, and  deceit,  gold,  flattery,  promises,  tempta- 
tion, and  seduction  in  every  shape.  To  split  up 
the  confederation  of  chiefs  was  an  end  toward 
which  they  steadily  labored  by  means  the  most 
subtle  and  crafty  that  human  ingenuity  could 
devise.  Letters,  for  instance,  were  forged  pur- 
porting to  have  been  written  secretly  to  the  lord 
deputy  by  the  Earl  of  Desmond,  offering  to  betray 
one  of  his  fellows  confederates,  O'Connor. 
These  forgeries  were  "disclosed,"  as  it  were,  to 
O'Connor,  with  an  offer  that  he  should  "fore- 
stal"  the  earl,  by  seizing  and  giving  up  the  latter 
to  the  government,  for  which,  moreover,  he  was 
to  have  a  thousand  pounds  in  hand,  besides  other 
considerations  promised.  The  plot  succeeded. 
O'Connor  betrayed  the  earl  and  handed  him  over 
a  prisoner  to  the  lord  deputy,  and  of  course  go- 
ing over  himself  as  ^n  ally  also.    This  rent 


worked  the  dismemberment  of  the  league  in  the: 
south.  Worse  defections  followed  soon  after; 
defections  unaccountable,  and,  indeed,  irretriev- 
able. Art  O'Neill  and  Nial  Garv  O'Donnell,  un- 
der the  operation  of  mysterious  influences,  went 
over  to  the  English,  and  in  all  the  subsequent 
events,  were  more  active  and  effective  than  any 
other  commanders  on  the  queen's  side!  Nial 
Garv  alone  was  worth  a  host.  He  was  one  of  the 
ablest  generals  in  the  Irish  camp.  His  treason 
fell  upon  the  national  leaders  like  a  thunderbolt. 
This  was  the  sort  of  "campaigning"  on  which 
Mountjoy  relied  most.  Time  and  money  were 
freelj'  devoted  to  it,  and  not  in  vain.  After  the 
national  confederation  had  been  sufficiently  split 
up  and  weakened  in  this  way  and  when,  north 
and  south,  the  defecting  chiefs  were  able  of 
themselves  to  afford  stiff  employment  for  the 
national  forces,  the  lord  deputy  took  the  field. 

In  the  struggle  that  now  ensued  O'Neill  and 
O'Donnell  presented  one  of  those  spectacles 
which,  according  to  the  language  of  the  heathen 
classics,  move  gods  and  men  to  sympathy  and 
admiration!  Hearts  less  brave  might  despair; 
but  they,  like  Leonidas  and  the  immortal  Three 
Hundred,  would  fight  out  the  battle  of  country 
while  life  remained.  The  English  now  had  in 
any  one  province  a  force  superior  to  the  entire 
strength  of  the  national  army.  The  eventful 
campaign  of  1601,  we  are  told,  was  fought  out  in 
almost  every  part  of  the  kingdom.  To  hold  the 
coast  lines  on  the  north — where  Dow-cra  had 
landed  (at  Derry)  four  thousand  foot  and  four 
hundred  horse — was  the  task  of  O'Donnell; 
while  to  defend  the  southern  Ulster  frontier  was 
the  peculiar  charge  of  O'Neill.  "They  thus," 
says  the  historian,  "fought  as  it  were  back  to 
back  against  the  opposite  lines  of  attack." 
Through  all  the  spring  and  summer  months  that 
fight  went  on.  From  hill  to  valley,  from  pass  to- 
plain,  all  over  the  island,  it  was  one  roll  of  can- 
non and  musketry,  one  ceaseless  and  universal 
engagement;  the  smoke  of  battle  never  lifted  off 
the  scene.  The  two  Hughs  were  all  but  ubiqui- 
tous; confronting  and  defeating  an  attack  to-day 
at  one  point;  falling  upon  the  foes  next  day  at 
another  far  distant  from  the  scene  of  the  last  en- 
counter! Between  the  two  chiefs  the  most 
touching  confidence  and  devoted  affection  sub- 
sisted.   Let  the  roar  of  battle  crash  how  it  might. 


THE  STORY 

on  the  northern  horizon,  O'Neill  relied  that  all 
■was  well,  for  O'Donnell  was  at  his  post.  No 
matter  what  myriads  of  foes  were  massing  in  the 
south,  it  was  enough  for  O'Donnell  to  know  that 
O'Neill  was  there. 

"Back  to  back,"  indeed,  as  many  a  brave  bat- 
tle against  desperate  odds  has  been  fought,  they 
maintained  the  unequal  combat,  giving  blow  for 
blow,  and  so  far  holding  their  ground  right  nobly. 
By  September,  except  in  Munster,  comparatively 
little  had  been  gained  by  the  English  beyond  the 
successful  planting  of  some  further  garrisons; 
but  the  Irish  were  considerably  exhausted,  and 
sorely  needed  rest  and  recruitment.  At  this 
juncture  came  the  exciting  news  that — at  length 
— a  powerful  auxiliary  force  from  Spain  had 
landed  at  Kinsale.  The  Anglo-Irish  privy  coun- 
cil were  startled  by  the  news  while  assembled  in 
deliberation  at  Kilkenny.  Instantly  they  ordered 
a  concentration  of  all  their  available  forces  in  the 
south,  and  resolved  upon  a  winter  campaign. 
They  acted  with  a  vigor  and  determination  which 
plainly  showed  their  conviction  that  on  the  quick 
crushing  of  the  Spanish  force  hung  the  fate  of 
their  cause  in  Ireland.  A  powerful  fleet  was  sent 
round  the  coast,  and  soon  blockaded  Kinsale; 
while  on  the  land  side  it  was  invested  by  a  force 
of  some  fifteen  thousand  men. 

This  Spanish  expedition,  meant  io  aid,  effected 
the  ruin  of  the  Irish  cause.  It  consisted  of  little 
more  than  thre  thousand  men,  with  a  good  sup- 
ply of  stores,  arms,  and  ammunition.  In  all  his 
letters  to  Spain,  O'Neill  is  said  to  have  strongly 
urged  that  if  a  force  under  five  thousand  men 
came,  it  should  land  in  Ulster,  where  it  would  be 
morally  and  materially  worth  ten  thousand  landed 
elsewhere ;  but  that  if  Munster  was  to  be  the 
point  of  debarkation,  anything  less  than  eight  or 
ten  thousand  men  would  be  useless.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  is  easily  discerned.  The  south  was 
the  strong  ground  of  the  English,  as  the  north 
was  of  the  Irish  side.  A  force  landed  in  Munster 
should  be  able  of  itself  to  cope  with  the  strong 
opposition  which  it  was  sure  to  encounter. 
These  facts  were  not  altogether  lost  sight  of  in 
Spain.  The  expedition  as  fitted  out  consisted  of 
six  thousand  men ;  but  various  mishaps  and  dis- 
appointments reduced  it  to  half  the  number  by 
the  time  it  landed  at  Kinsale.  Worse  than  all, 
the   wrong   man   commanded    it;   Don  Juan 


OF  IRELAND.  11?- 

D'Aquilla,  a  good  soldier,  but  utterly  unsuited 
for  an  enterprise  like  this.  He  was  proud,  sour- 
tempered,  hasty,  and  irascible.  He  had  heard 
nothing  of  the  defections  and  disasters  in  the 
south.  The  seizure  of  Desmond  and  the  ensnar- 
ing of  Florence  McCarthy — the  latter  the  most 
influential  and  powerful  of  the  southern  nobles 
and  chiefs — had  paralyzed  everything  there ;  and 
Don  Juan,  instead  of  finding  himself  in  the  midst 
of  friends  in  arms,  found  himself  sui-rounded  by 
foes  on  land  and  sea.  He  gave  way  to  his  natural 
ill-temper  in  reproaches  and  complaints ;  and  in 
letters  to  O'Neill  bitterly  demanded  whether  he 
and  the  other  confederates  meant  to  hasten  to  his 
relief.  For  O'Neill  and  O'Donnell,  with  their 
exhausted  and  weakened  troops  to  abandon  the 
north  and  undertake  a  winter  march  southward 
was  plain  destruction.  At  least  it  staked  every- 
thing on  the  single  issue  of  success  or  defeat  be- 
fore Kinsale ;  and  to  prevent  defeat  and  to  insure 
success  there,  much  greater  oi-ganization  for  co- 
operation and  concert,  and  much  more  careful 
preparations,  were  needed  than  was  possible  now, 
hurried  southward  in  this  way  by  D'Aquilla. 
Nevertheless,  there  was  nothing  else  for  it. 
O'Neill  clearly  discerned  that  the  crafty  and  poli- 
tic Carew  had  been  insidiously  working  on  the 
Spanish  commander,  to  disgust  him  with  the 
enterprise,  and  induce  him  to  sail  homeward  on 
liberal  terms.  And  it  was  so.  Don  Juan,  it  is, 
said,  agreed,  or  intimated  that  if,  within  a  given 
time,  an  Irish  army  did  not  appear  to  his  relief, 
he  would  treat  with  Carew  for  terms.  If  it  was, 
therefore,  in-obable  disaster  for  O'Neill  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  south,  it  was  certain  ruin  for  him  to. 
refuse ;  so  with  heavy  hearts  the  northern  chief- 
tains set  out  on  their  winter  march  for  Munster, 
at  the  head  of  their  thinned  and  wasted  troops. 
"O'Donnell,  with  his  habitual  ardor,  was  first  on 
the  way.  He  was  joined  by  Felim  O'Doherty, 
MacSwiney-na-Tuath,  O 'Boyle,  O'Eorke,  the 
brother  of  O'Connor  Sligo,  the  O'Connor  Roe, 
Mac  Dermott,  O'Kelly,  and  others;  mustering  in 
all  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  men." 
O'Neill,  with  MacDonnell  of  Antrim,  Mac  Gennis 
of  Down,  MacMahon  of  Monaghan,  and  others  of 
his  suffragans,  marched  southward  at  the  head  of 
between  three  and  four  thousand  men.  Holy 
Cross  was  the  point  where  both  their  forces  ap- 
pointed to  effect  their  junction.    O'Donnell  was. 


118  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND, 


first  at  the  rendezvous.  A  desperate  effort  on 
the  part  of  Carew  to  intercept  and  overwhelm 
liim  befoi'e  O'Neill  could  come  up  was  defeated 
■only  by  a  sudden  night-march  of  nearlj'  forty 
miles  hy  Red  Hugh.  O'Neill  reached  Belgooley, 
within  sight  of  Kinsale,  on  the  21st  of  December. 

In  Munster,  in  the  face  of  all  odds — amid  the 
wreck  of  the  national  confederacy,  and  in  the 
presence  of  an  overwhelming  army  of  occupation 
— a  few  chiefs  there -were,  undismayed  and  unfal- 
tering, who  rallied  faithfullj'  at  the  call  of  duty. 
Foremost  among  these  was  Donal  O'Sullivan, 
Lord  of  Bear,  a  man  in  whose  fidelity,  intrepidity, 
and  military  ability,  O'Neill  appears  to  have  re- 
posed unbounded  confidence.  In  all  the  south, 
the  historian  tells  us,  "only  O'Sullivan  Beare, 
O'Driscoll,  and  O'Connor  Kerry  declared  openly 
for  the  national  cause"  in  this  momentous  crisis. 
Some  of  the  missing  ships  of  the  Spanish  expe- 
dition reached  Castlehaven  in  November,  just  as 
O'Donnell,  who  had  made  a  detour  westward, 
reached  that  place.  Some  of  this  Spanish  con- 
tingent were  detailed  as  garrisons  for  the  forts  of 
Dunboy,  Baltimore,  and  Castlehaven,  command- 
ing three  of  the  best  havens  in  Munster.  The 
rest  joined  O'Donnell's  division,  and  which  soon 
sat  down  before  Kinsale. 

"When  O'Neill  came  up,  his  master  mind  at 
once  scanned  the  whole  position,  and  quickly 
discerned  the  true  policy  to  be  pursued.  The 
English  force  was  utterly  failing  in  commissariat 
arrangements;  and  disease  as  well  as  hunger  was 
committing  rapid  havoc  in  the  .besiegers'  camp. 
O'Neill  accordingly  resolved  to  besiege  the  be- 
siegers; to  increase  their  difficulties  in  obtain- 
ing provisions  or  provender,  and  to  cut  up  their 
lines  of  communication.  These  tactics  mani- 
festly offered  every  advantage  to  the  Irish  and 
allied  forces,  and  were  certain  to  work  the  de- 
struction of  Carew 's  army.  But  the  testy  Don 
Juan  could  not  brook  this  slow  and  cautious  mode 
of  procedure.  ' '  The  Spaniards  only  felt  their  own 
inconveniences ;  they  were  cut  off  from  escape  by 
sea  by  a  powerful  English  fleet;  and,"  continues 
the  historian,  "Carew  was  already  practicing  in- 
directly on  their  commander  his  'wit  and  cun- 
ning' in  the  fabrication  of  rumors  and  the  forg- 
ing of  letters.  Don  Juan  wrote  urgent  appeals 
to  the  northern  chiefs  to  attack  the  English  lines 
without  another  day's  delay;  and  a  council  of 


war  in  the  Irish  camp,  on  the  third  day  after 
their  arrival  at  Belgooley,  decided  that  the  attack 
should  be  made  on  the  morrow."  At  this  coun- 
cil, so  strongly  and  vehemently  was  O'Neill  op- 
posed to  the  mad  and  foolish  policy  of  risking  an 
engagement,  which,  nevertheless,  O'Donnell,  ever 
impetuous,  as  violently  supported,  that  for  the 
first  time  the  two  friends  were  angrily  at  issue, 
and  some  writers  even  allege  that  on  this  occa- 
sion question  was  raised  between  them  as  to  who 
should  assume  command-in-chief  on  the  morrow. 
However  this  may  have  been,  it  is  certain  that 
once  the  vote  of  the  council  was  taken,  and  the 
decision  found  to  be  against  him,  O'Neill  loyally 
acquiesced  in  it,  and  prepared  to  do  his  duty. 

"On  the  night  of  the  2d  of  January  (new  style) 
— 24th  of  December  old  style,  in  use  among  the 
English — the  Irish  army  left  their  camp  in  three 
divisions ;  the  vanguard  led  by  Tyrrell,  the  cen- 
ter by  O'Neill,  and  the  rear  by  O'Donnell.  The 
night  was  stormy  and  dark,  with  continuous 
peals  and  flashes  of  thunder  and  lightning.  The 
guides  lost  their  way,  and  the  march,  which  even 
by  the  most  circuitous  route  ought  not  to  have 
exceeded  four  or  five  miles,  was  protracted 
through  the  whole  night.  At  dawn  of  day, 
O'Neill,  with  whom  were  O'Sullivan  and 
O'Campo,  came  in  sight  of  the  English  lines, 
and  to  his  infinite  surprise  found  the  men  under 
arms,  the  cavalry  in  troops  posted  in  advance  of 
their  quarters.  O'Donnell's  division  was  still  to 
come  up,  and  the  veteran  earl  now  found  himself 
in  the  same  dilemma  into  which  Bagnal  had 
fallen  at  the  Yellow  Ford.  His  embarrassment 
was  perceived  from  the  English  camp ;  the  cavalry 
were  at  once  ordered  to  advance.  For  an  hour 
O'Neill  maintained  his  ground  alone ;  at  the  end 
of  that  time  he  was  forced  to  retire.  Of 
O'Campo's  three  hundred  Spaniards,  forty  sur- 
vivors were  with  their  gallant  leader  taken  pris- 
oners; O'Donnell  at  length  ari'ived  and  drove 
back  a  wing  of  the  English  cavalry;  Tyrrell's 
horsemen  also  held  their  ground  tenaciously. 
But  the  rout  of  the  center  proved  irremediable. 
Fully  twelve  hundred  of  the  Irish  were  left  dead 
on  the  field,  and  every  prisoner  taken  was  inr 
stantly  executed.  On  the  English  side  fell  Sir 
Richard  Graeme ;  Captains  Danvers  and  Godol- 
phin,  with  several  others,  were  wounded ;  their 
total  loss  they  stated  at  two  hundred,  and  the 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


119 


Anglo-Irish,  of  whom  they  seldom  made  count  in 
their  reports,  must  have  lost  in  proportion.  The 
«arls  of  Thomond  and  Clanricarde  were  actively 
engaged  with  their  followers,  and  their  loss  could 
hardly  have  been  less  than  that  of  the  English 
regulars. 

"On  the  night  following  their  defeat,  the  Irish 
leaders  held  council  together  at  lunishannon,  on 
'  the  river  Bandon,  where  it  was  agreed  that 
O'Donnell  should  instantly  take  shipping  for 
Spain  to  lay  the  true  state  of  the  contest  before 
Philip  the  Third;  that  O'Sullivan  should  en- 
deavor to  hold  his  castle  of  Dunboy,  as  com- 
manding a  most  important  harbor ;  that  Rory 
O'Donnell,  second  brother  of  Hugh  Roe,  should 
act  as  chieftain  of  Tyrconnell,  and  that  O'Neill 
should  return  into  Ulster  to  make  the  best  de- 
fense in  his  power.  The  loss  in  men  was  not  ir- 
reparable ;  the  loss  in  arms,  colors,  and  reputa- 
tion was  more  painful  to  bear,  and  far  more 
difficult  to  retrieve."* 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

■"the  last  LOED  of  BEARa"  HOW   DONAL  OF  DUNBOY 

WAS  ASSIGNED  A  PERILOUS  PROMINENCE,  AND  NOBLY 
UNDERTOOK  ITS  DUTIES  HOW  DON  JUAn's  IMBECIL- 
ITY OR  TREASON  RUINED  THE  IRISH  CAUSE. 

Confessedly  for  none  of  the  defeated  chiefs  did 
the  day's  disaster  at  Kinsale  involve  such  coiise- 
ctuences  as  it  presaged  for  the  three  southern 
leaders — O'Sullivan,  O'Driscoll,  and  O'Connor 
Kerry.  The  northern  chieftains  returning 
homeward,  retired  upon  and  within  the  strong 
lines  of  what  we  may  call  the  vast  intrenched 
■camp  of  the  native  cause.  But  the  three  south- 
erns— who  alone  of  all  their  Munster  compeers 
had  dared  to  take  the  field  against  the  English 
side  in  the  recent  crisis — were  left  isolated  in  a 
distant  extremity  of  the  island,  the  most  remote 
from  native  support  or  co-operation,  left  at  the 
mercj'  of  Carew,  now  master  of  Munster,  and 
leader  of  a  powerful  army  flushed  with  victory. 
The  northerns  might  have  some  chance,  standing 
together  and  with  a  considerable  district  almost 
entirely  in  their  hands,  of  holding  out,  or  exact- 
ing good  terms,  as  they  had  done  often  before. 
But  for  the  doomed  southern  chiefs,  if  aid  from 

*M'Gee. 


Spain  came  not  soon,  there  was  literally  no  pros- 
pect but  the  swift  and  immediate  crash  of 
Carew 's  vengeance;  no  hope  save  what  the 
strong  ramparts  of  Dunboy  and  the  stout  heart 
of  its  chieftain  might  encourage! 

O'Neill,  as  I  have  already  remarked,  had  a 
high  opinion  of  O'Sullivan — of  his  devotedness 
to  the  national  cause — ^of  his  prudence,  skill, 
foresight,  and  courage.  And  truly  the  character 
of  the  "last  lord  of  Beara, "  as  writ  upon  the  page 
of  history,  as  depicted  by  contemporary  writers, 
as  revealed  to  us  in  his  correspondence,  and  as 
displa.ved  in  his  career  and  actions  from  the  hour 
when,  at  the  call  of  duty,  with  nothing  to  gain 
and  all  to  peril,  he  committed  himself  to  the  na- 
tional struggle — is  one  to  command  respect, 
sympathy,  and  admiration.  In  extent  of  terri- 
torial sway  and  in  "following"  he  was  exceeded 
by  many  of  the  southern  chiefs,  but  his  personal 
character  seems  to  have  secured  for  him  by  com- 
mon assent  the  position  among  them  left  vacant 
by  the  imprisonment  of  Florence  MacCarthy, 
facile  princeps  among  the  Irish  of  Munster,  now 
fast  held  in  London  Tower.  In  manner,  temper- 
ament, and  disposition,  O'Sullivan  was  singu- 
larly unlike  most  of  the  impulsive  ardent  Irish  of 
his  time.  He  was  a  man  of  deep,  quiet,  calm 
demeanor;  grave  and  thoughtful  in  his  manner, 
yet  notably  firm  and  inflexible  in  all  that  touched 
his  personal  honor,  his  duty  toward  his  people,* 
or  his  loyalty  to  religion  or  country.  His  family 
had  flung  themselves  into  the  struggle  of  James 
Geraldine,  and  suffered  the  penalties  that  fol- 
lowed thereupon.  Early  in  Elizabeth's  reign, 
Eoghan,  or  Eugene,  styled  by  the  English  Sir 
Owen  O'Sullivan,  contrived  to  possess  himself  of 
the  chieftaincy  and  territory  of  Bear,  on  the 
death  of  his  brother  Donal,  father  of  the  hero  of 
Dunboy.  Eugene  accepted  an  English  title,  sat 
in  Lord  Deputy  Perrot's  parliament  of  1585,  in 

*  Noiliing  strikes  the  reader  of  Donal's  correspondence 
with  King  Philip  and  the  Spanish  ministers  more  forcibly 
than  the  constant  solicitude,  the  deep  feeling,  and  affec- 
tionate attachment  he  exhibits  toward  his  "poor  people,' 
as  he  always  calls  them.  Amid  the  wreck  of  all  his 
hopes,  the  loss  of  worldly  wealth  and  possessions,  home, 
country,  friends,  his  chief  concern  is  for  his  "  poor  peo- 
ple "  abandoned  to  the  persecution  of  the  merciless  English 
foe.  In  all  his  letters  it  is  the  same.  No  murmur,  no 
repining  for  himself  ;  but  constant  solicitude  about  Ireland, 
and  constant  sorrow  for  his  poor  people,  left  "like  sheep 
without  a  shepherd  when  the  storm  shuts  out  the  sky." 


120 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  records  of  which  we  find  his  name  duly  regis- 
tered, and  took  out  a  "patent"  in  his  own  name 
for  the  tribe  land.  His  nephew,  young  Donal — 
Donal  Mac  Donal  O'Sullivan,  as  he  was  called — 
vehemently  disputed  the  validity  of  Sir  Owen's 
title  to  the  lands,  and  after  a  length)'  lawsuit,  a 
letter  of  partition  was  issued  under  the  great  seal 
in  January,  1593,  according  to  which  Donal  was 
to  have  the  lordship,  castles,  and  dependencies 
of  Bear,  while  Sir  Owen  was  to  possess  those  east- 
ward and  northward  of  the  peninsula.  It  is 
highly  probable  that  by  this  decision  the  Pale 
authorities  hoped  to  enthral  Donal  without  los- 
ing Sir  Owen,  to  make  both  branches  of  the 
family,  as  it  were,  compete  in  loyalty  to  the 
English  power,  and  in  any  event,  by  putting 
enmity  between  them,  cause  them  to  split  up 
and  weaken  their  own  influence.  In  this  latter 
calculation  thej'  were  not  disappointed,  as  the 
sequel  shows;  but  their  speculations  or  expecta- 
tions about  Donal  were  all  astray.  He  was  in- 
deed averse  to  hopeless  and  prospectless  strug- 
gles against  the  power  of  England,  and  on  attain- 
ing to  the  chieftaincy,  directed  his  attention 
mainly  to  the  internal  regulation  of  his  territory, 
and  the  bettering  of  the  condition  of  his  people 
in  every  respect,  not  by  forays  on  neighboring 
clans,  but  by  the  peaceful  influences  of  industry. 
But  Donal,  grave  and  placid  of  exterior,  truly 
patriotic  of  heart,  watched  attentively  the  rise 
and  progress  of  O'Neill's  great  movement  in  the 
north.  For  a  time  he  believed  it  to  be  merely  a 
quarrel  between  the  queen's  jwotege  and  his 
royal  patroness,  sure  to  be  eventually  adjusted; 
and  accordingly  up  to  a  recent  period  he  dis- 
played no  sympathy  with  either  side  in  the  con- 
flict. But  when  that  conflict  developed  itself 
into  a  really  national  struggle,  O'Sullivan  never 
wavered  for  a  moment  in  deciding  what  his  atti- 
tude should  be ;  and  that  attitude,  once  taken, 
was  never  abandoned,  never  varied,  never  com- 
promised by  act  or  word  or  wish,  through  all 
that  followed  of  sacrifice  and  suffering  and  loss. 
O'Neill,  who  was  a  keen  discerner  of  character, 
read  O'Sullivan  correctly  when  he  estimated  all 
the  more  highly  his  accession,  because  it  was 
that  of  a  man  who  dcted  not  from  hot  impulse  or 
selfish  calculation,  but  from  full  deliberation  and 
a  pure  sense  of  duty.  In  fine,  it  was  not  lightly 
the  Irish  council  at  Innishannon  selected  the  lord 


of  Dunboy  for  such  honorable  but  perilous  promi^ 
nence  as  to  name  him  one  of  the  three  men  ta 
whom  was  committed,  in  the  darkest  crisis  of 
their  country,  the  future  conduct  of  the  national 
cause.* 

We  may  imagine  the  memorable  scene  of  the 
morn  succeeding  that  night  of  sleepless  consulta- 
tion at  Innishannon  over  "hapless  Erinn's  fate" 
— the  parting  of  the  chiefs!  "Wildly  i\xey  em- 
braced each  other,  and  like  clutch  of  iron  was  the 
farewell  grasp  of  hand  in  hand,  as  each  one 
turned  away  on  the  path  of  his  allotted  task! 
O'Neill  marched  northward,  where  we  shall  trace 
his  movements  subsequently.  O'Donnell  took 
shipping  for  Spain,  and  O'Sullivan  at  the  head 
of  his  faithful  clansmen  marched  westward 
for  Bantry  and  Bearhaven.  Had  Don  Juan 
D'Aquilla  been  a  true  and  steadfast  man — had 
he  been  at  all  worthy  and  fit  to  command  or  con- 
duct such  an  enterprise — had  he  been  at  all 
capable  of  appreciating  its  peculiar  exigencies 
and  duties — the  defeat  at  Kinsale,  heavy  and  full 
of  disaster  as  it  was,  might  soon  have  been  re- 
trieved, and  the  whole  aspect  of  affairs  reversed. 
Had  he  but  held  his  ground  (as  not  unreasonably 
he  might  have  been  expected  to  do,  with  three 
thousand  men  within  a  fortified  and  well-stored 
town)  until  the  arrival  of  the  further  reinforce- 
ments which  he  must  have  known  his  royal 
master  was  sending,  or  would  quickly  send,  and 
thus  co-operated  in  the  scheme  of  operations 
planned  by  the  Irish  chiefs  at  Innishannon, 
nothing  that  had  so  far  happened  could  be 
counted  of  such  great  moment  as  to  warrant 
abandonment  of  the  expedition.  ButD'Aquilla's 
conduct  was  miserably  inexplicable.  He  could 
not  act  more  despairingly  if  his  last  cartridge 
had  been  fired,  if  his  last  gunner  had  perished, 
if  his  "last  horse  had  been  eaten,"  or  if  assured, 
that  King  Philip  had  utterly  abandoned  him. 
After  a  few  sorties,  easily  repulsed,  he  offered  to 
capitulate.  Carew,  who  hereby  saw  that  Don 
Juan  was  a  fool,  was,  of  course,  only  too  happy 
to  grant  him  any  terms  that  would  insure  the  de- 

*"  These  liigli  Irislimen,  namely,  O'Neill  and  O'Donnell, 
ordered  that  the  cliief  command  and  leadership  of  these- 
(tbe  Munster  forces)  should  be  given  to  O'Sullivan  Beare, 
i.  6.,  Donal,  the  son  of  Donal  the  son  of  Dermot ;  for  he 
was  at  this  time  the  best  commander  among  their  allies  in 
Munster  for  wisdom  and  valor." — "Annals  of  the  Four. 
Masters." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


121 


parture  of  the  Spanish  aids.  By  conceding  con- 
ditions highly  flattering  to  D'Aquilla's  personal 
vanity,  the  lord  president  induced  that  outwitted 
commander  not  only  to  draw  off  to  Spain  the 
entire  of  the  expedition,  but  to  undertake  to 
yield  up  to  the  English  all  the  castles  and  for- 
tresses of  the  Irish  chiefs  in  which  Spanish  gar- 
risons had  been  placed,  and  to  order  back  to 
Spain  any  further  troops  that  might  arrive  before 
his  departure.  This  imbecility  or  treason  ruined 
the  Irish  cause  in  the  south,  and  ruining  it  there 
at  such  a  juncture,  ruined  it  everywhere.  Such 
a  capitulation  was  utter  and  swift  destruction  to 
the  southern  leaders.  It  "took  the  ground  from 
under  their  feet. ' '  It  reft  them  of  bases  of  opera- 
tions, and  flung  them  as  mere  fugitives  unshel- 
tered and  unprovisioned  into  the  open  field,  the 
forest,  the  morass,  or  the  mountain,  to  be  hunted 
and  harried,  cut  off  in  detail,  and  pitilessly  put 
to  the  sword  by  Carew's  numerous,  powerful, 
■and  well-appointed  field  corps  or  scouring 
parties. 

Don  Juan's  capitulation  was  signed  January 
11,  1602  (N.S.).  Seven  days  afterward  the  lord 
deputy  and  the  lord  president  drew  off  to  Cork. 
"The  day  following  the  captains  received  direc- 
tions to  repair  to  sundry  towns  in  Munster  ap- 
pointed for  their  garrisons ;  and  the  same  day 
Captain  Roger  Harvie  and  Captain  George  Flower 
were  dispatched  with  certain  companies  to  go  by 
sea  to  receive  the  castles  of  Castlehaven,  Don- 
nashed  and  Donnelong  at  Baltimore,  and  Dun- 
boy  at  Bearhaven. "  On  the  12th  of  February 
the  Spanish  officer  in  command  at  Castlehaven 
gave  up  the  castle  to  Harvie.  On  the  21st  he 
proceeded  to  Baltimore,  the  two  castles  of  which 
the  Spanish  officers  therein  gave  up  in  like  man- 
ner; and  in  a  few  weeks  all  the  coast  district 
castles  of  the  southwest,  those  of  the  Bear  prom- 
ontory alone  excepted,  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
English.  A  month  later  (March  16th)  Don  Juan 
sailed  for  Spain,  most  of  his  forces  having  been 
shipped  thither  previously.* 

O'Sullivan  heard  with  dismay  and  indignation 
of  Don  Juan's  audacious  undertaking  to  deliver 
up  to  his  "cruel,  cursed,  misbelieving  enemies, " 


*  "On  bis  return  to  Spain  be  was  degraded  from  bis  rank 
for  bis  too  great  intimacy  witb  Carew,  and  confined  a  pris- 
oner in  bis  own  bouse.  He  is  said  to  bave  died  of  a  broken 
heart  occasioned  by  tbese  indignities." — M'Gee. 


his  castle  of  Dunboy,  the  key  of  his  inheritance.* 
With  speed,  increased  by  this  evil  news,  he 
pushed  rapidly  homeward,  and  in  due  time  he 
api)eared  with  the  remnant  of  his  little  forcef  be- 
fore the  walls  of  the  castle,  demanding  admit- 
tance. The  Spaniards  refused ;  they  had  heard 
of  D'Aquilla's  terms  of  capitulation,  they  re- 
gretted them,  but  felt  constrained  to  abide  by 
them.  Donal,  however,  knowing  a  portion  of 
the  outworks  of  the  place  which  afforded  some 
facilities  for  his  purpose,  availed  himself  of  a 
dark  and  stormy  night  to  effect  an  entrance, 
mining  his  way  through  the  outer  wall,  and  sur- 
prising and  overpowering  the  Spaniards.  He 
then  addressed  them  feelingly  on  the  conduct  of 
D'Aquilla  and  the  present  posture  of  affairs,  stat- 
ing his  resolution  to  hold  the  castle  till  King 
Philip  would  send  fresh  aid,  and  offering  a 
choice  to  the  Spaniards  to  remain  with  him  or 
sail  for  home.  Some  of  them  decided  to  remain, 
and  were  among  the  most  determined  defenders 
of  Dunboy  in  the  subsequent  siege.  The  rest 
Donal  sent  to  Spain,  dispatching  at  the  same 
time  envoys  with  letters  to  King  Philip,  urg- 
ently entreating  speedy  aid.  Moreover,  in 
charge  of  these  messengers,  he  sent  to  the  king, 
as  guarantee  of  his  good  faith  and  perseverance, 
his  oldest  son,  a  boy  of  tender  years. 

Well  knowing  that  soon  he  would  have  the  foe 
upon  him,  Donal  now  set  about  preparing  Dun- 
boy for  the  tough  and  terrible  trial  before  it. 
He  had  the  outworks  strengthened  in  every  part; 
and  another  castle  of  his,  on  Dursey  Island  (at 
the  uttermost  extremity  of  the  peninsula  divid- 
ing Bantry  and  Kenmare  bays),  garrisoned  by  a 
trusty  band ;  designing  this  latter  as  a  refuge  for 
himself,  his  family,  and  clansmen,  in  the  event 
of  the  worst  befalling  Dunboy. 

* ' '  Among  otber  places  wbich  were  neitber  yielded  nor 
taken  toe  tbe  end  tbat  tbey  sbould  be  delivered  to  tbe  Eng- 
lisb,  Don  Juan  tied  bimself  to  deliver  my  castell  and 
baven,  tbe  only  key  of  mine  inberitance,  wbereupon  tbe 
living  of  many  tbousand  persons  dotb  rest  tbat  live  some 
twenty  leagues  upon  tbe  sea  coast,  into  tbe  bands  of  my 
cruell,  cursed,  misbelieving  enemies." — Letter  of  Donal 
O'Sullivan  Beare  to  tbe  Kingof  Spain. — "  Pacata  Hibernia." 

f  O'Sullivan's  contingent,  we  are  told,  "was  among 
tbose  wbo  made  tbe  most  determined  figbt  on  tbe  disas- 
trous day  of  Kinsale,  and  wben  tbe  battle  was  lost  it 
bravely  protected  some  of  tbe  retreating  troops  of  tbe 
nortbern  cbieftains,  wbo  but  for  sucb  protection  would 
bave  suffered  more  severely  tban  tbey  did." 


122  THE  STORY 

CHAPTER  XLYI. 

HOW  THE  queen's  FORCES  SET  ABOUT  "TRANQUILLIZING" 

MUNSTER  HOW  CAREW  SENT    EARL    THOMOND  ON 

A  MISSION   INTO   CARBERY,    BEAR,    AND  BANTRY. 

Meanwhile  the  detachments  detailed  by  Carew 
•were  doiug  their  savage  and  merciless  work 
throughout  Cork  and  Kerry.  According  to 
Carew 's  own  version,  the  occupation  of  these 
troops,  day  by  day,  was  the  seeking  out  and 
murdering  in  cold  blood  of  all  the  native  inhabi- 
tants, men,  women,  and  children;  and  when 
they  were  not  murdering  they  were  cow-stealing 
and  corn-burning.  How  to  extirpate  the  hap- 
less people — how  to  blast  and  desolate  the  land, 
rather  than  it  should  afford  sustenance  to  even  a 
solitary  fugitive  of  the  doomed  race — was  the 
constant  effort  of  the  English  commanders. 
Carew  was  not  the  first  of  his  name  to  signalize 
himself  in  such  work.  It  was  the  process  by 
which  Munster  had  been  "pacified" — i.e.,  deso- 
lated— barely  thirty  years  before.  It  was  that 
by  which  Cromwell,  forty  j-ears  subsequently, 
pursued  the  same  end.  It  was  a  system,  the  in- 
famy of  which,  among  the  nations  of  the  world, 
pagan  or  Christian,  is  wholly  monopolized  by 
England.  The  impartial  reader,  be  his  nation- 
ality English  or  Irish,  perusing  the  authentic 
documents  stored  in  the  State  Paper  Office,  is 
forced  to  admit  that  it  was  not  war  in  even  its 
severest  sense,  but  murder  in  its  most  hideous 
and  heartless  atrocity,  that  was  waged  upon  the 
Irish  people  in  the  process  of  subjugating  them. 
It  was  not  that  process  of  conquest  the  wounds 
of  which,  though  sharp  and  severe  for  the  mo- 
ment, soon  cicatrize  with  time.  Such  conquests 
other  countries  have  passed  through,  and  time 
has  either  fused  the  conqueror  and  the  con- 
quered, or  obliterated  all  bitterness  or  hate  be- 
tween them.  Had  Ireland,  too,  been  conquered 
thus,  like  happy  results  might  be  looked  for; 
but  as  the  process  was  woefully  different,  so  has 
the  product  been ;  so  must  it  ever  be,  till  the 
laws  of  nature  are  reversed  and  revolutionized, 
and  grapes  grow  on  thorns  and  figs  on  thistles. 
It  was  not  war — which  might  be  forgotten  on 
both  sides — but  mui-der  which  to  this  day  is 
remembered  on  one  side  with  a  terrible  memory. 

A  thoroughly  English  historian — Froude — 
•writing  in  our  day  on  these  events,  has  found  the 


OF  IRELAND. 

testimony  of  the  State  Paper  Office  too  powerful 
to  resist ;  and  with  all  his  natural  and  legitimate 
bias  or  sympathy  in  favor  of  "his  own  country,  his 
candor  as  a  histoiian  more  than  once  constitutes 
him  an  accuser  of  the  infamies  to  which  I  have 
been  referring.  "The  English  nation,"  he  says, 
"was  shuddering  over  the  atrocities  of  the  Duke 
of  Alva.  The  children  in  the  nurseries  were  be- 
ing inflamed  to  patriotic  rage  and  madness  by 
the  tales  of  Spanish  tyranny.  Yet  Alva's  bloody 
sword  never  touched  the  young,  the  defenseless, 
or  those  whose  sex  even  dogs  can  recognize  and 
respect. '  '* 

"Sir  Peter  Carew  has  been  seen  murdering^ 
women  and  children,  and  babies  that  had  scarcely 
left  the  breast;  but  Sir  Peter  Carew  was  not 
called  on  to  answer  for  his  conduct,  and  remained 
in  favor  with  the  deputy.  Gilbert,  who  was  left 
in  command  at  Kilmallock,  was  illustrating  yet 
more  signally  the  same  tendency. f 

"Nor  was  Gilbert  a  bad  man.  As  times  went 
he  passed  for  a  brave  and  chivalrous  gentleman ; 
not  the  least  distinguished  in  that  high  band  of 
adventurers  who  carried  the  English  flag  into  the 
western  hemisphere,  a  founder  of  colonies,  an. 
explorer  of  unknown  seas,  a  man  of  science,  and,^ 
above  all,  a  man  of  special  piety.  He  regarded 
himself  as  dealing  rather  with  savage  beasts  than 
with  human  beings,  and  when  he  tracked  them 
to  their  dens  he  strangled  the  cubs  and  rooted 
out  the  entire  broods.  "% 

"The  Gilbert  method  of  treatment,"  says  Mr. 
Froude  again,  "has  this  disadvantage,  that  it 
must  be  carried  out  to  the  last  extremity,  or  it 
ought  not  to  be  tried  at  all.  The  dead  do  not 
come  back ;  and  if  the  mothers  and  the  babies 
are  slaughtered  with  the  men,  the  race  gives  no 
further  trouble ;  but  the  work  must  be  done  thor- 
oughly ;  partial  and  fitful  cruelty  lays  up  only  a 
long  debt  of  deserved  and  ever-deepening  hate." 

The  work  on  this  occasion  happening  not  to  be 
"done  thoroughly,"  Mr.  Froude  immediately 
proceeds  to  explain : 

"In  justice  to  the  English  soldiers,  however, 
it  must  be  said  that  it  was  no  fault  of  theirs  if 
any  Irish  child  of  that  generation  was  allowed  to 
live  to  manhood.  "§ 


*Froude's  "  History  of  England,"  vol.  x.,  p.  508. 
t  Ibid.,  p.  509.        tlbid.,  p.  508.        §  Ibid.,  p.  507. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


12a 


The  same  historian  frankly  warns  his  readers 
against  supposing  that  such  work  was  exceptional 
on  the  part  of  the  English  forces.  From  the 
language  of  the  official  documents  before  him,  he 
says,  "the  inference  is  but  too  natural  that  work 
of  ihis  kind  was  the  road  to  prefei'ment,  and  that 
this,  or  .something  like  it,  was  the  ordinary  em- 
ployment of  the  'Saxon'  garrisons  in  Ire- 
land."* 

Such,  then,  was  the  work  in  which  Carew  the 
Second  and  his  gari'isons  occupied  themselves  on 
the  fall  of  Kinsale. 

Sir  Charles  Wilmot  at  the  head  of  fifteen 
hundred  men  was  dispatched  to  desolate  the 
whole  of  Kerry ;  and  on  the  9th  of  March  Carew 
formally  issued  a  commission  to  the  Earl  of 
Thomond  "to  assemble  his  forces  together,  con- 
sisting of  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  foot  in 
list,  and  fifty  horse,"  for  the  purpose  of  wasting 
Carbery,  Bear,  and  Bantrj',  and  making  a  recon- 
naissance of  Dunboy.f  Thomond  accordingly 
"marched  as  far  as  the  abbey  of  Bantrie,  and 
there  had  notice  that  Donnell  O 'Sullivan  Beare 
and  his  people,  by  the  advice  of  two  Spaniards, 
an  Italian,  and  a  fryer  called  Dominicke  Collins, 
did  still  continue  their  workes  about  the  castle  of 
Dunboy. " 

"Hereupon  the  earl  left  seven  hundred 
men  in  list  in  the  Whiddy  (an  island  lying 
within  the  Bay  of  Bantrie)  very  convenient  for 
the  service,  and  himself  with  the  rest  of  his 
forces  returned  to  Corke,  where  having  made 
relation  of  the  particulars  of  his  journey,  it  was 
found  necessary  that  the  president,  without 
any  protractions  or  delay,  should  draw  all 
the  forces  in  the  province  to  a  head  against 
them."* 


*Ibid.,  p.  513. 

f  "  The  service  you  are  to  performe  is  to  doe  all  your 
andeavour  to  burne  tlie  rebels'  Come  in  Carbery,  Bear,  and 
Bantry,  take  tbeir  Cowes,  and  to  use  all  hostile  prosecution 
upon  the  persons  of  the  people,  as  in  such  cases  of  rebellion 
is  accustomed  When  you  are  in  Beare  (if  you  may  with- 
out any  apparent  perill),  your  lordship  shall  doe  well  to 
take  a  view  of  the  Castle  of  Dunboy,  whereby  wee  may  be 
the  better  instructed  how  to  proceed  for  the  taking  of  it 
when  time  convenient  shall  be  afforded."— Instructions 
given  to  the  Earl  of  Thomond,  March  9th. — "  Pacata  Hi- 
bernia." 

+  "  Pacata  Hibernia." 


CHAPTER  XLVIL 

HOW  THE  LORD  PRESIDENT  GATHERED  AN  ARMY  OP 
FOUR  THOUSAND  MEN  TO  CRUSH  DOOMED  DUNBOY, 
THE  LAST  HOPE  OF  THE  NATIONAL  CAUSE  IN 
MUNSTER. 

Carew  set  out  from  Cork  on  the  20th  of  April, 
at  the  head  of  his  army ;  on  the  30th  they  reached 
Dunamark,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  town  of 
Bantry,  having  on  the  way  halted,  on  the  23d  at 
Owneboy,  near  Kinsale;  24th,  at  Timoleague; 
25th,  at  Eoscarbery ;  26th,  at  Glenharahan,  near 
Castlehaven;  27th,  at  Baltimore,  where  they 
spent  two  days,  Carew  visiting  Innisherkin; 
29th,  "on  the  mountain,  at  a  place  called  Recar- 
eneltaghe,  neare  unto  Kilcoa,  being  a  castel 
wherein  the  rebell  Conoghor,  eldest  sonne  to  Sir 
Finnin  O'Drischoll,  knight,  held  a  ward." 

Carew  spent  a  month  in  encampment  at  Dun- 
amark, by  the  end  of  which  time  the  fleet  arrived 
at  the  same  place,  or  in  the  bay  close  by,  having 
come  round  the  coast  from  Cork.  Meantime  his 
message  for  a  war-muster  against  O'Sullivan  had 
spread  throughout  Munster.  On  the  other  hand, 
such  effort  as  was  possible  in  their  hapless  plight 
was  made  by  the  few  patriot  leaders  in  the  prov- 
ince ;  all  perceiving  that  upon  Dunboy  now  hung 
the  fate  of  the  Irish  cause,  and  seeing  clearly 
enough  that  if  they  could  not  keep  off  from 
O'Sullivan  the  tremendous  force  ordered  against 
him,  it  must  inevitably  overwhelm  him.  Accord- 
ingly, spreading  themselves  eastward  around  the 
base  of  the  Bear  promontory,  and  placing  them- 
selves on  all  the  lines  leading  thereto,  thej'  desper- 
ately disputed  the  ground  with  the  concentrating 
English  contingents,  beating  them  back  or  ob- 
structing them  as  best  they  could.  Above  all,  the 
endeavor  was  to  keep  Wilmot's  Kerry  contingent 
from  coming  up.  Tyrrell  was  specially  charged 
to  watch  Wilmot — to  hold  him  in  check  at  Kil- 
larney,  and  at  all  hazards  and  any  cost  to  prevent 
his  junction  with  Carew  at  Bantry.  Tyrrell 
posted  his  force  so  advantageously  in  the  passes 
leading  southward  from  Killarney,  and  held  them 
so  firmly,  that  for  weeks  Wilmot's  most  vehe- 
ment efforts  to  force  or  flank  them  were  vain. 
At  length,  by  a  feat  which  merits  for  him,  as  a 
military  achievement,  everlasting  praise — a  night 
march  over  Mangerton  Mountain — Wilmot  evaded 
Tyrrell ;  pushed  on  through  a  mountain  district 


124 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


scarcely  passable  at  this  day  for  horsemen,  until 
he  reached  Inchigeela;  thence  he  marched 
though  Ceam-an-Eigh  Pass  (unaccountably  left 
unguarded),  and  so  on^Yard  till  he  reached 
Bantry.  By  this  junction  Carew's  force  was 
raised  to  nearly  four  thousand  men.  "While 
waiting  for  "Wilmot,  the  daily  occupation  of  the 
ai*mj-,  according  to  the  lord  president's  account, 
was  sheep-stealing  and  cow-stealing.*  At  Duna- 
mark  Carew  was  joined  by  the  sons  of  Sir  Owen 
Sullivan,  uncle  of  Donal  of  Dunboy;  and  to  the 
information  and  co-operation  given  his  enemies 
by  these  perfidious  cousins,  Donal  most  largely 
•owed  the  fate  that  subsequently  befell  him. 

On  the  lith  of  May  a  council  of  war  was  held 
in  the  English  camp  to  determine  their  course  to 
Bearhaven ;  whereat  it  was  decided  to  march  by 
the  southern  shore  of  the  bay,  called  Muinter- 
varia,  to  a  point  nearly  opposite  Bear  Island ; 
from  this  point,  by  means  of  the  fleet,  to  trans- 
port the  whole  army  across  the  bay  to  Bear 
Island ;  and  thence  across  to  the  mainland  close 
by  Dunboy ;  this  course  being  rendered  neces- 
sary by  the  fact  that  Donal 's  forces  defended  the 
passes  of  Glengarriffe,  through  which  alone  Bear- 


*  "  The  first  of  May,  Captaine  Taffe's  troop  of  Horse  with 
•certain  light  foote  were  sent  from  the  Camps,  who  returned 
with  three  hundred  Cowes,  many  Sheepe,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  Garrans  they  got  from  the  Rebels. 

"The  second  Captaine,  John  Barry,  brought  into  the 
Campe  five  hundred  Cowes,  three  hundred  Sheepe,  three 
■hundred  Garrans,  and  had  the  killing  of  five  Rebels  ;  and 
the  same  day  we  procured  skirmish  in  the  edge  of  the 
Fastnesse  with  the  rebels,  but  no  hurt  of  our  part. 

"The  third,  Owen  Osulevan  and  his  brothers,  sonnes  to 
■Sir  Owen  Osulevan  (who  stands  firme,  and  deserved  well 
■of  her  Majestic,  being  Competitours  with  Osulevan  Beare) 
brought  some  fiftie  Cowes  and  some  Sheepe  from  the  enemy 
into  the  Campe. 

"  The  Rebells,  receiving  also  notice  that  the  President 
was  marched  so  neere  to  the  C'ountrey  of  Beare,  withdrew 
themselves  out  of  Desmond  (as  before)  into  Glangarve, 
whereby  opportuiiitie  was  offered  to  the  Governour  of  per- 
forming some  good  service.  For  Donnell  Osulevan  More, 
a  malicious  Rebel!,  remained  with  great  store  of  cattell  and 
certain  Kerne  in  Iverah;  which  being  made  knowen  to  Sir 
Charles,  upon  the  fifth  of  May,  hee  secretly  dispatched  a 
partie  of  men,  which  burnt  and  spoyled  all  the  Countrey, 
and  returned  with  foure  thousand  Cowes,  besides  Sheepe  and 
Oa/rrans."  ^ 

"A  Sergeant  of  the  Earle  of  Thomond's  with  a  partie  of 
his  Company,  drew  to  Down-Manus,  whence  hee  brought 
■a  prey  of  three-score  and  size  Cowes,  with  a  great  many  of 
iScurrans." — "  Pacata  Hibernia." 


haven  could  be  reached  by  land  from  Bantry. 
On  the  31st  of  May,  accordingly,  Carew  marched 
from  Dunamark  to  "Kilnamenghe  on  the  sea 
side,  in  MountervarrJ^ ' '  The  two  next  following 
days  were  occupied  in  transporting  the  army  to 
Bear  Island,  upon  which,  eventually,  the  whole 
force  was  landed.  A  short  march  across  the 
island  brought  them  to  its  northern  shore,  in  full 
view  of  Dunboy,  barely  a  mile  distant  across  the 
narrow  entrance  to  Bearhaven  Harbor. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

THE  LAST   DATS   OF  DUNBOY  :   A  TALE   OF  HEROISM ! 

Well  might  consternation  fill  the  breasts  of 
the  Bear  clansmen  on  beholding  the  resources 
now  displayed  against  them ;  a  well-appointed 
army  of  nearly  four  thousand  men  on  the  shore, 
and  hostile  warships  encircling  them  by  sea! 
Within  the  castle  O 'Sullivan  had,  according  to 
the  English  accounts,  exactly  one  hundred  and 
forty-three  men;  there  being  besides  these  not 
more  than  five  or  six  hundred  of  his  clansmen 
available  at  the  moment  for  fighting  purposes. 
But  his  was  not  a  soul  to  be  shaken  by  fears  into 
abandonment  of  a  cause  which,  failing  or  gain- 
ing, was  sacred  and  holy  in  his  eyes — the  cause 
of  religion  and  country.  So  Donal,  who  knew 
that  a  word  of  submission  would  purchase  for 
him  not  only  safety  but  reward,  undisturbed  pos- 
session of  his  ancestral  rights,  and  English  titles 
to  wear  if  he  would,  quailed  not  in  this  nor  in 
still  darker  hours.  He  had  "nailed  his  colors  to 
the  mast,"  and  looked  fate  calmly  in  the  face. 

It  seems  to  have  been  a  maxim  with  the  lord 
president  never  to  risk  open  fight  until  he  had 
first  tried  to  effect  his  purpose  by  secret  treason. 
While  staying  at  Bantr3'  he  had  addressed  a  let- 
ter to  the  Spanish  gunners  in  Dunboy,  offering 
them  all  manner  of  inducements  to  betray  O'Sul- 
livan,  to  desert  the  castle,  first  taking  care,  as  he 
says,  "to  cloy  the  ordnance  or  mayme  their  car- 
riages, that  when  they  shall  have  need  of  them 
they  may  prove  useless;  for  the  which  I  will 
forthwith  liberally  recompense  you  answerable  to 
the  qualities  of  your  merit."  The  infamous 
proposition  was  scouted  by  the  men  to  whom  it 
was  addressed.  Carew,  unabashed,  now  resolved 
to  try  whether  he  could  not  corrupt  the  Consta- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


135 


lile  of  Dunboy,  O'Sullivan's  most  trusted  friend 
— a  man  whose  memory  is  to  this  day  held  in 
worship  by  the  people  of  Bear — Richard  Ma- 
Oeoghegan,  the  impersonation  of  chivalrous 
fidelity,  the  very  soul  of  truth,  honor,  and  brav- 
ery! Thomond  was  commissioned  to  invite  the 
Constable  of  Dunboy  to  a  parley.  Mac  Geoghe- 
gan  acceded  to  the  invitation,  came  across  to 
Bear  Island  (5th  of  June),  and  met  the  earl,  in 
presence  of,  but  apart  from,  their  respective 
guards,  on  the  shore.  Of  that  memorable  inter- 
view Carew  has  left  us  a  brief  but  characteristic 
■description.  "All  the  eloquence  and  artifice 
which  the  earle  could  use  avayled  nothing :  for 
Mac  Geoghegan  was  resolved  to  persevere  in  his 
wayes ;  and,  in  the  great  love  which  he  pretended 
to  beare  unto  the  earle  (Thomond),  he  advised 
him  not  to  hazard  his  life  in  landing  upon  the 
Maj'ne.  .  .  .  The  earle  disdayning  both  his 
obstinacie  and  his  vaine-glorious  advice,  broke 
off  his  speech,  telling  Mac  Geoghegan  that  ere 
many  days  passed  hee  would  repent  that  hee  had 
not  followed  his  (the  earl's)  counsel."* 

Carew  had  at  first  designed  to  cross  over  and 
land  on  the  main  at  what  seemed  to  be  the  only 
feasible  point,  a  smooth  strand  at  a  spot  now 
called  Caematrangan.  Within  a  few  perches  of 
this  spot  reaches  one  end  of  a  small  island 
("Deenish")  which  stretches  almost  completely 
across  the  mouth  of  the  inner  harbor  of  (modern) 
Castletown  Beare.  Carew  landed  a  portion  of  his 
army  on  this  small  island;  but  O 'Sullivan  had 
erected  a  battery  faced  with  gabions  at  Caema- 
trangan, and  had,  moreover',  his  small  force 
drawn  up  at  hand  to  meet  the  invaders  at  the 
shore.  "Whereupon  Carew,  while  making  a  feint 
as  if  about  to  attempt  the  passage  there,  di- 
rected the  remainder  of  his  force  quickly  to  pass 
to  the  other  (or  eastern)  extremity  of  Deenish, 
and  effect  a  landing  on  the  main  at  that  point. 
This  they  were  able  to  accomplish  unopposed, 
for  the  distance  thereto  from  O'Sullivan's  strand 
battery,  owing  to  the  sweep  of  the  shore  and  a 
narrow  arm  of  the  sea  intervening,  was  two  or 
three  miles,  whereas  directly  across,  by  water 
or  on  Deenish  Island,  was  a  reach  of  less  than 
half  a  mile.  Nevertheless,  O 'Sullivan,  discern- 
ing, though  all  too  late,  the  skillful  use  made  by 

■*  "  Pacata  Hibernia." 


Carew  of  the  natural  advantages  of  the  ground, 
hastened  with  all  speed  to  confront  the  invaders, 
and,  unawed  by  the  disparity  of  numbers  against 
him — thousands  against  hundreds — boldly  gave 
them  battle.  Carew  himself  seems  to  have  been 
quite  struck  with  the  daring  courage  or  "audac- 
ity" of  this  proceeding.  After  marveling  at 
such  foolhardiness,  as  he  thought  it,  he  owns 
"they  came  on  bravely,"  and  maintained  a  very 
determined  attack.  It  was  only  when  additional 
regiments  were  hurried  up,  and  utterly  over- 
whelmed them  by  numbers,  that  Donal's  little 
force  had  to  abandon  the  unequal  strife,  leaving 
their  dead  and  wounded  upon  the  field. 

That  night,  however,  there  reached  Dunboy 
news  well  calculated  to  compensate  for  the  gloons 
of  perils  so  great  and  so  near  at  hand.  A  Span^ 
ish  ship  had  arrived  at  O'Sullivan's  castle  oi 
Ardea  (in  Kenmare  Bay,  on  the  northern  shor<r 
of  the  Bear  promontory)  bringing  toDonal  letten 
and  envoys  from  King  Philip,  and  aid  for  the 
Munster  chiefs  in  money,  arms,  and  ammunition, 
committed  to  his  care  for  distribution.  More- 
over,  there  came  by  this  ship  the  cheering  intel 
ligence  that  an  expedition  of  some  fifteen  thou 
sand  men  was  being  organized  in  Spain  fa  ; 
Ireland  when  the  vessel  sailed !  Here  was  glori- 
ous hope  indeed!  It  was  instantly  decided  that 
the  chief  himself  should  proceed  with  all  promp- 
titude to  meet  the  envoys  landed  at  Ardea,*  and 
look  to  the  important  duties  required  of  him  by 
their  messages;  meanwhile  intrusting  the  de- 
fense of  Dunboy  to  Mac  Geoghegan  and  a  chosen 
garrison.  Next  morning  Doual,  with  all  his 
available  force,  exclusive  of  a  garrison  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  picked  men  left  in  the 
castle,  set  out  for  Ardea.  ,  The  farewell  cheers 
that  rang  out  from  the  ramparts  behind  him, 
gave  token  of  brave  resolve  to  do  or  die,  and 
doubtless  helped  to  lighten  the  chieftain's  heart 

*  These  were  the  Most  Rev.  Dr.  McEagen,  Bishop  of 
Ross,  and  Father  Nealon.  "They  brought,"  says  Carew, 
"letters  to  sundry  rebels  and  twelve  thousand  pounds. 
The  disposition  of  the  money  by  appointment  in  Spaine  was 
left  principally  to  Donnall  O'Sulevan  Beare,  Owen  Mc- 
Eggan,  James  Archer,  and  some  others."  This  same 
Bishop  McEgan  was  subsequently  killed  nearBandon  fight- 
ing gallantly,  with  his  sword  in  one  hand  and  his  beads  in 
the  other.  His  remains  were  buried  in  the  Abbey  of  Timo- 
league. — (See  the  "Pacata  Hibernia;"  also,  "Dunboy," 
by  T.  D.  Sullivan. 


THE  STORY 


OF  IRELAND. 


■with  ■whispers  of  hope.  But  alas!  Donal  had 
taken  his  last  farewell  of  Dunboy.  When  next 
he  gazed  upon  the  once  proud  home  of  his 
fathers,  it  was  a  smoking  and  blood-clotted  ruin! 

The  halls  where  mirth  and  minstrelsy 
Thau  Beara's  wind  rose  louder. 

Were  tiuug  in  masses  lonelily, 
And  black  with  English  powder! 

For  eleven  daj's  Mac  Geoghegan  fought  Dun- 
boy  against  Carew  and  his  surrounding  army  of 
four  thousand  men!  Eleven  days,  during  which 
the  thick  white  cloud  of  smoke  never  once  lifted 
from  battery  and  trench,  and  the  deafening  boom 
of  cannon  never  once  ceased  to  roll  across  the 
bay.  By  the  17th  of  June  the  castle  had  been 
knocked  into  a  ruinous  condition  by  an  incessant 
bombardment  from  the  well-appointed  English 
batteries.  The  lord  president  devotes  several 
pages  of  his  journal  to  minute  and  copious  de- 
scriptions of  each  day's  labor  in  a  siege  which 
he  declares  to  be  unparalleled  for  obstinacy  of 
defense ;  and  his  narrative  of  the  closing  scenes 
of  the  struggle  is  told  with  painful  particularity. 
Mr.  Haverty  condenses  the  tragic  story  very 
effectively  as  follows:  "The  garrison  consisted  of 
only  one  hundred  and  forty-three  chosen  fight- 
ing men,  who  had  but  a  few  small  cannon,  while 
the  comparatively  large  army  which  assailed 
them  were  well  supplied  with  artillery  and  all 
the  means  of  attack.  At  length,  on  the  17th  of 
June,  when  the  castle  had  been  nearly  shattered 
to  pieces,  the  garrison  offered  to  surrender  if  al- 
lowed to  depart  with  their  arms;  but  their  mes- 
senger was  immediately  hanged  and  the  order  for 
the  assault  was  given.  Although  the  proportion 
of  the  assailants  in  point  of  numbers  was  over- 
Avhelming,  the  storming  party  were  resisted  with 
the  most  desperate  bravery.  From  turret  to  tur- 
ret, and  in  every  part  of  the  crumbling  ruins, 
the  struggle  was  successively  maintained  through- 
out the  livelong  day ;  thirty  of  the  gallant  de- 
fenders attempted  to  escape  by  swimming,  but 
soldiers  had  been  posted  in  boats,  who  killed 
them  in  the  water;  and  at  length  the  surviving 
l)ortion  of  the  garrison  retreated  into  a  cellar, 
into  which  the  only  access  was  by  a  narrow, 
winding  flight  of  stone  steps.  Their  leader, 
Mac  Geoghegai ,  being  mortally  wounded,  the 


command  was  given  to  Thomas  Taylor,  the  son  of' 
an  Englishman,  and  the  intimate  friend  of  Cap- 
tain Tj-rrell,  to  whose  niece  he  was  married. 
Nine  barrels  of  gunpowder  were  stowed  away  in 
the  cellar,  and  with  these  Taylor  declared  that 
he  would  blow  up  all  that  remained  of  the  castle, 
burying  himself  and  his  companions  with  their 
enemies  in  the  ruins,  unless  they  received  a 
promise  of  life.  This  was  refused  by  the  savage 
Carew,  who,  placing  a  guard  upon  the  entrance 
to  the  cellar,  as  it  was  then  after  sunset,  re- 
turned to  the  work  of  slaughter  next  morning. 
Cannon  balls  were  discharged  among  the  Irish  in 
their  last  dark  retreat,  and  Taylor  was  forced  by 
his  companions  to  surrender  unconditionally ; 
but  when  some  of  the  English  officers  descended 
into  the  cellar,  they  found  the  wounded  Mac 
Geoghegan,  with  a  lighted  torch  in  his  hand, 
staggering  to  throw  it  into  the  giinpowder 
Captain  Power  thereupon  seized  him  by  the 
arms,  and  the  others  dispatched  him  with  their 
swords ;  but  the  work  of  death  was  not  yet  com- 
pleted. Fifty-eight  of  those  who  had  surren- 
dered were  hanged  that  day  in  the  English  camp, 
and  some  others  were  hanged  a  few  days  after ; 
so  that  not  one  of  the  one  hundred  and  forty- 
three  heroic  defenders  of  Dunboy  survived.  On 
the  22d  of  June  the  remains  of  the  castle  were 
blown  up  by  Carew  with  the  gunpowder  found 
therein. " 

Few  episodes  of  Irish  history  have  been  more 
warmly  eulogized  than  this  heroic  defense  of 
Dunboy ;  nor  would  it  be  easy  to  find  in  the  his- 
tory of  any  country  one  more  largely  calculated 
to  excite  sympathy  and  admiration.  Dr.  Robert 
Dwyer  Joyce,  in  his  published  volume  of  "Bal^ 
lads,  Romances,  and  Songs,"  contributes  a  truly 
graphic  poem  on  the  subject.  Subjoined  are  the 
concluding  stanzas : 

THE  SACK  OF  DUNBUI. 

Nearer  yet  they  crowd  and  come. 
With  taunting  and  yelling  and  thundering  drum. 
With  taunting  and  yelling  the  hold  they  environ. 
And  swear  that  its  towers  and  defenders  must 
fall, 

While  the  cannon  are  set,  and  their  death-hail  of 
iron 

Crash  wildly  on  bastion  and  tuTet  and  wall; 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


127 


And  the  ramparts  are  torn  from  their  base  to 
their  brow ; 

Ho!  will  they  not  j-ield  to  the  murderers  now? 
No!  its  huge  towers  shall  float  over  Cleena's 
bright  sea, 

Ere  the  Gael  prove  a  craven  in  lonely  Dunbui. 

Like  the  fierce  god  of  battle,  Mac  Geoghegan 

goes 

From  rampart  to  wall,  in  the  face  of  his  foes ; 
Now  his  voice  rises  high  o'er  the  cannon's 
fierce  din. 

Whilst  the  taunt  of  the  Saxon  is  loud  as  before, 
But  a  yell  thunders  up   from   his  warriors 
within, 

And  they  dash  through  the  gateway,  down,  down 

to  the  shore, 
With  their  chief  rushing  on.    Like  a  storm  in  its 

wrath, 

They  sweep  the  cowed  Saxon  to  death  in  their 
path ; 

Ah!  dearly  he'll  purchase  the  fall  of  the  free, 
Of  the  lion-souled  warriors  of  lonely  Dunbui ! 

Leaving  terror  behind  them,  and  death  in  their 
train. 

Now  they  stand  on  their  walls  'mid  the  dying 
and  slain. 

And  the  night  is  around  them — the  battle  is 
still- 
That  lone  summer  midnight,  ah !  short  is  its 
reign ; 

For  the  morn  springeth  upward,  and  valley 
and  hill 

Fling  back  the  fierce  echoes  of  conflict  again. 
And  see !  how  the  foe  rushes  up  to  the  breach. 
Toward  the  green  waving  banner  he  yet  may  not 
reach. 

For  look  how  the  Gael  flings  him  back  to  the  sea. 
From  the  blood-reeking  ramparts  of  lonely  Dun- 
bui! 

Night  cometh  again,  and  the  white  stars  look 
down. 

From  the  hold  to  the  beach,  where  the  batteries 
frown. 

Night  Cometh  again,  but  affrighted  she  flies. 
Like  a  black  Indian  queen  from  the  fierce  pan- 
ther's roar. 

And  morning  leaps  up  in  the  wide-spreading 
skies, 


To  his  welcome  of  thunder  and  flame  evermore; 
For  the  guns  of  the  Saxon  crush  fearfully  there. 
Till  the  walls  and  the  towers  and  ramparts  are 
bare. 

And  the  foe  make  their  last  mighty  swoop  on  the 
free. 

The  brave-hearted  warriors  of  lonely  Dunbui  I 

Within  the  red  breach  see  Mac  Geoghegan  stand. 
With  the  blood  of  the  foe  on  his  arm  and  his 
brand. 

And  he  turns  to  his  warriors,  and  "fight  we," 
says  he, 

"For  country,  for  freedom,  religion,  and  all: 
Better  sink  into  death,  and  for  ever  be  free. 
Than  yield  to  the  false   Saxon's   mercy  and- 
thrall!" 

And  they  answer  with  brandish  of  sparth  and  of 
glaive : 

"Let  them  come:  we  will  give  them  a  welcome 
and  grave ; 

Let  them  come :  from  their  swords  could  we 

flinch,  could  we  flee. 
When  we  fight  for  our  country,  our  God,  and 
Dunbui?" 

They  came,  and  the  Gael  met  their  merciless 
shock — 

Flung  them  backward  like  spray  from  the  lone 
Skellig  rock ; 
But  they  rally,  as  wolves  springing  up  to  the 
death 

Of  their  brother  of  famine,  the  bear  of  the  snow — 
He  hurls  them  adown  to  the  ice-fields  beneath. 
Rushing  back  to  his  dark  norland  cave  from  the 
foe — 

So  up  to  the  breaches  they  savagely  bound. 
Thousands  still  thronging  beneath  and  around. 
Till  the  firm  Gael  is  driven — till  the  brave  Gael 
must  flee 

In,  into  the  chambers  of  lonely  Dunbui ! 

In  chamber,  in  cellar,  on  stairway  and  tower. 
Evermore  they  resisted  the  false  Saxon's  power  j 
Through  the  noon,  through  the  eve,  and  the 
darkness  of  night 
The  clangor  of  battle  rolls  fearfully  there. 

Till  the  morning  leaps  upward  in  glory  and 
light. 

Then,  where  are  the  true-hearted   warriors  of. 
Beare? 


128 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


They  have  found  them  a  refuge  from  torment  and 
cliaiu, 

Tliey  Lave  died  yviih  their  chief,  -saTe  the  few 
■who  remain, 

And  that  few — oh,  fair  Heaven!  on  the  high  gal- 
lows tree, 

They  swing  by  the  ruins  of  lonely  Dunbui! 

Long,  long  in  the  hearts  of  the  brave  and  the  free 
Live  the  warriors  who  died  in  the  lonely  Dun- 
bui! 

Down  time's  silent  river  their  fair  names  shall 
go, 

A  light  to  our  race  toward  the  long  coming  day ; 
Till  the  billows  of  time  shall  be  checked  in 
their  flow 

Can  we  find  names  so  sweet  for  remembrance  as 
they! 

And  we  will  hold  their  memories  for  ever  and  ay, 
A  halo,  a  glory  that  ne'er  shall  decay, 
We'll  set  them  as  stars  o'er  eternity's  sea. 
The  names  of  the  heroes  who  fell  at  Dunbui ! 

Dui'ing  the  progress  of  the  siege  at  Dunboy, 
Carew  had  dispatched  a  force  to  Dursey  Island, 
which,  landing  in  the  night,  succeeded  in  over- 
powering the  small  and  indeed  unwary  garrison 
left  there;  "so  that, "  as  a  historian  remarks, 
"no  roof  now  remained  to  the  Lord  of  Bear- 
haven."  Donal,  collecting  his  people,  one  and 
all,  men,  women,  and  children,  as  well  as  all  the 
herds  and  removable  property  of  the  clan,  now 
retired  eastward  upon  his  great  natural  strong- 
hold of  Glengarriffe.  Here  he  defied  and  de- 
feated  every  attempt  to  dislodge  him.*  For 

*  On  one  occasion  a  fierce  and  protracted  battle  ensued  be- 
tween liim  and  the  combined  forces  of  Wilmot,  Selsby,  and 
Slingsby  :  "A  bitter  figlit,"  saysCarew,  "  maintained  with- 
out intermission  for  si xe  bowers  ;  the  Enemy  not  leaving 
their  pursuit  untill  they  came  in  sight  of  the  campe ;  for 
whose  reliefe  two  regiments  were  drawne  forth  to  gieve 
countenance,  and  Downings  was  sent  with  one  hundred 
and  twenty  choisse  men  to  the  succour  of  Barry  and  Selby, 
who  in  the  reare  were  so  hotly  charged  by  the  Rebels  that 
they  came  to  the  Sword  and  Pike ;  and  the  skirmish  con- 
tinued <jW  night  parted  them."  Notwithstanding  their  im- 
mense superiority  in  numbers,  night  was  a  welcome  relief 
to  the  English  ;  for  it  rvot  only  saved  them  from  a  perilous 
position,  but  enabled  them  to  get  off  an  immense  spoil  of 
cattle,  which  early  in  the  day  they  had  taken  from  the 
Irish.  Brilliant  as  was  the  victory  for  O'SulIivan  in  other 
respt-ctb,  the  loss  thus  sustained  must  have  been  most  se- 
vere— two  thousand  cows,  four  thousand  sheep,  and  one 


three  months  he  awaited  with  increasing  anxiety 
and  suspense  the  daily-expected  news  from  Spain. 
Alas!  In  the  words  of  one  of  our  historians, 
"the  ill-news  from  Spain  in  September  threw  a 
gloom  over  those  mountains  deeper  than  was 
ever  cast  by  equinoctial  storm."  But  here  we 
must  pause  for  awhile  to  trace  the  movements  of 
O'Donuell  and  O'Neill  after  the  parting  at  In- 
nishannon. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

HOW  THE  FALL  OF  DDNBOY  CAUSED  KING  PHILIP  TO 
CHANGE  ALL  HIS  PLANS,  AND  RECALL  THE  EXPEDI- 
TION FOR  IRELAND  ;  AND  HOW  THE  REVERSE  BROKE 

THE  BRAVE  HEART  OF  RED  HUGH  HOW  THE  "lION 

OF  THE  north"  STOOD  AT  BAY,  AND  MADE  HIS  FOES 
TREMBLE  TO  THE  LAST. 

Three  days  after  the  defeat  at  Kinsale,  O'Don- 
nell — having  deputed  his  brother  Ruari  to  com- 
mand the  clan  in  his  absence — accompanied  by 
his  confessor,  his  secretary,  and  some  military 
attaches  or  aids-de-camp,  sailed  from  Castlehaven 
for  Corunna,  where  he  arrived  on  the  14th  of 
January.  "He  was  received  with  high  distinc- 
tion by  the  Marquis  of  Caracena  and  other 
nobles,  'who  evermore  gave  O'Donnell  the  right 
hand;  which,  within  his  government,'  says 
Carew,  'he  would  not  have  done  to  the  greatest 
duke  in  Spain.'  He  traveled  through  Gallicia, 
and  at  Santiago  de  Compostella  was  royally  en- 
tertained by  the  archbishop  and  citizens;  but  in 
bull-fighting  on  the  stately  Alameda  he  had  small 
pleasure.  With  teeth  set  and  heart  on  fire,  the 
chieftain  hurried  on,  traversed  the  mountains  of 
Gallicia  and  Leon,  and  drew  not  bridle  until  he 
reached  Zamora,  where  King  Philip  was  then 
holding  his  court.  With  passionate  zeal  he 
pleaded  his  country's  cause;  entreated  that  a 
greater  fleet  and  a  stronger  army  might  be  sent 
to  Ireland  without  delay,  unless  his  Catholic 
majesty  desired  to  see  his  ancient  Milesian  kins- 
men and  allies  utterly  destroyed  and  trodden  into 
earth  by  the  tyrant  Elizabeth ;  and  above  all, 
whatever  was  to  be  done  he  prayed  it  might  be 

thousand  horses,  according  to  Carew  ;  a  store  of  sheep  and 
kine  which  even  in  these  days  of  "cattle  shows"  and 
"agricultural  societies,"  it  would  be  difficult  to  collect  in 
the  same  locality. 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


129 


done  instantly,  while  O'Neill  still  held  his  army 
on  foot  and  his  banner  flying ;  while  it  was  not 
yet  too  late  to  rescue  poor  Erin  from  the  deadly 
fangs  of  those  dogs  of  England.  The  king  re- 
ceived him  affectionately,  treated  him  with  high 
consideration,  and  actually  gave  orders  for  a 
powerful  force  to  be  drawn  together  at  Corunna 
for  another  descent  upon  Ireland.* 

"He  returned  to  that  port,  from  ■^^  aich  he 
could  every  day  look  out  across  the  western 
waves  that  lay  between  him  and  home,  and  where 
he  could  be  kept  constantly  informed  of  what 
was  passing  in  Ireland.  Spring  was  over  and 
gone,  and  summer  too  had  passed  away,  but  still 
the  exigencies  of  Spanish  policy  delayed  the 
promised  expedition,  "f  "That  armament  never 
sailed;  and  poor  O'Donnell  never  saw  Ireland 
more ;  for  news  arrived  in  Spain,  a  few  months 
after,  that  Dun-baoi  Castle,  the  last  stronghold  in 
Munster  that  held  out  for  King  Philip,  was 
taken ;  and  Beare-Haven,  the  last  harbor  in  the 
south  that  was  open  to  his  ships,  effectually 
guarded  by  the  English.  The  Spanish  prepara- 
tions were  countermanded,  and  Eed  Hugh  was 
once  more  on  his  journey  to  the  court,  to  renew 
his  almost  hopeless  suit,  and  had  arrived  at 
Simancas,  two  leagues  from  Valladolid,  when  he 
suddenly  fell  sick ;  his  gallant  heart  was  broken, 
and  he  died  there  on  September  10,  1602.  He 
was  buried  by  order  of  the  king  with  royal 
honors,  as  befitted  a  prince  of  the  Kinel-Conal ; 
and  the  chapter  of  the  cathedral  of  St.  Francis, 
in  the  stately  city  of  Valladolid,  holds  the  bones 
of  as  noble  a  chief  and  as  stout  a  warrior  as  ever 
bore  the  wand  of  chieftaincy  or  led  a  clan  to 
battle.  "J 

"Thus,"  says  another  writer,  "closed  the 
career  of  one  of  the  brightest  and  noblest  char- 
acters in  any  history.  His  youth,  his  early  cap- 
tivity, his  princely  generosity,  his  daring  cour- 
age, his  sincere  piety,  won  the  hearts  of  all  who 
came  in  contact  with  him.  He  was  the  sword, 
as  O'Neill  was  the  brain,  of  the  Ulster  confeder- 
acy :  the  Ulysses  and  Achilles  of  the  war,  they 
fought  side  by  side  without  jealousy  or  envy,  for 
almost  as  long  a  period  as  their  prototypes  had 
spent  in  besieging  Troy." 

One  cannot  peruse  unmoved  the  quaint  and 


*Mitcbel.  t^'Gee.  tMitcliel. 


singular  recital  of  O'Donnell's  characteristic 
merits  and  virtues  given  by  the  Four  Masters. 
Of  him  it  can  with  scrupulous  truth  be  said  that 
— unlike  not  a  few  others,  famed  as  soldiers,  or 
rulers,  or  statesmen — his  character,  in  every 
phase,  was  pure  and  noble ;  and  that  his  private 
life  as  well  as  his  public  career  was  worthy  of 
admiration,  without  stain  and  without  reproach. 

Meanwhile  O'Neill  had  set  out  homeward  at 
the  head  of  the  shattered  Ulster  contingent;  and 
now  the  lord  deputy  felt  that  the  moment  had 
come  for  a  supreme  effort  to  pour  down  upon  and 
overwhelm  him.  The  "Lion  of  the  North"  was 
struck,  and,  badly  wounded,  was  retreating  to 
his  lair.  This  was  surely  the  time  for  pressing 
him  to  the  death — for  surrounding,  capturing, 
or  slaying  the  once  dreaded  foe.  So  throughout 
Leinster,  Connaught,  and  Ulster,  the  cry  was 
spread  for  the  English  garrisons,  and  all  natives 
who  would  mark  themselves  for  favor  and  con- 
sideration to  rise  simultaneously  and  burst  in 
upon  the  territories  of  the  confederate  chiefs; 
while  the  deputy  swiftly  assembled  troops  to  in- 
tercept, capture,  or  destroy  them  on  their  home- 
ward way  from  the  south.  The  Irish  cause  was 
down — disastrously  and  hopelessly.  Now,  there- 
fore, was  the  time  for  all  who  "bow  the  knee  and 
worship  the  rising  sun"  to  show  their  zeal  on  the 
winning  side.  Tyrconnell  and  Tyrowen,  as  well 
as  the  territories  of  O'Rorke  and  Maguire,  were 
inundated  by  converging  streams  of  regular 
troops  and  volunteer  raiders;  while  O'Neill,  like 
a  "lion,"  indeed,  who  finds  that  the  hunter  is 
rifling  his  home,  made  the  earth  tremble  in  his 
path  to  the  rescue !  With  the  concentrated  pas- 
sion of  desperation  he  tore  through  every  ob- 
stacle, routed  every  opposing  army,  and  marched 
— strode — to  the  succor  of  his  people,  as  if  a 
thunderbolt  cleared  the  way.  Soon  his  enemies 
were  made  to  understand  that  the  "Lion  of  the 
North"  was  still  alive  and  unsubdued.  But  it 
was,  in  sooth,  a  desperate  cause  that  now  taxed 
to  its  uttermost  the  genius  of  Hugh.  The  lord 
deputy,  Mountjoy,  proceeded  to  the  north  to  take 
command  in  person  against  him  ;  while  "Dowcra, 
marching  out  of  Derry,  pressed  O'Neill  from  the 
north  and  northeast."  Mountjoy  advanced  on 
Hugh's  family  seat,  Dungannon ;  but  O'Neill 
could  even  better  bear  to  see  his  ancestral  home 
in  ashes  than  to  have  it  become  the  shelter  of  his 


130  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


foes.  The  lord  deputy  "discovered  it  in  the  dis- 
tance, as  Norreys  had  once  before  done,  in  flames 
kindled  by  the  hand  of  its  straitened  proprietor. " 
AVith  vigor  and  skill  undiminished  and  spirit  un- 
daunted, Hugh  rapidly  planned  and  carried  out 
Lis  measures  of  defensive  operations.  In  fine,  it 
•was  in  this  moment  of  apparent  wreck  and  ruin 
and  despair  that  O'Neill's  character  rose  into 
positive  grandeur  and  sublimity,  and  that  his 
glorious  talents  shone  forth  in  their  greatest 
splendor.  "Never,"  says  one  of  our  historians, 
"did  the  genius  of  Hugh  O'Neill  shine  out 
brighter  than  in  these  last  defensive  operations. 
In  July,  Mountjoy  writes  apologetically  to  the 
council  that,  'notwithstanding  her  majesty's 
gi-eat  forces  O 'Neil  doth  still  live.'  He  bitterly 
complains  of  his  consummate  caution,  his  'pesti- 
lent judgment  to  spread  and  to  nourish  his  own 
infection,'  and  of  the  reverence  entertained  for 
his  person  by  the  native  population.  Early  in 
August,  Mountjoy  had  arranged  what  he  hoped 
might  prove  the  finishing  stroke  in  the  struggle; 
Dowcra  from  Perry,  Chichester  from  Carrickfer- 
gus,  Danvers  from  Armagh,  and  all  who  could 
be  spared  from  Mountjoy,  Charlemont,  and 
Mountnorris,  were  gathered  under  his  command, 
to  the  number  of  eight  thousand  men,  for  a  foray 
into  the  interior  of  Tyrone.  Inisloghlin,  on  the 
borders  of  Down  and  Antrim,  which  contained  a 
great  quantity  of  valuables  belonging  to  O'Neill, 
was  captured,  Magherlowney  and  Tulloghoge 
were  next  taken.  At  the  latter  place  stood  the 
ancient  stone  chair  on  which  the  O'Neills  were 
inaugurated,  time  out  of  mind;  it  was  now 
broken  into  atoms  by  Mountjoy 's  orders.  But 
the  most  efifective  warfare  was  made  on  the  grow- 
ing crops.  The  eight  thousand  men  spread 
themselves  over  the  fertile  fields,  along  the  val- 
leys of  the  Bann  and  the  Roe,  destroying  the 
standing  grain  with  fire,  where  it  would  burn,  or 
•with  the  praca,  a  peculiar  kind  of  harrow,  tear- 
ing it  up  by  the  roots.  The  horsemen  trampled 
crops  into  the  earth  which  had  generously  nour- 
ished them ;  the  infantry  shore  them  down  with 
their  sabers;  and  the  sword,  though  in  a  very 
different  sense  from  that  of  Holy  Scripture,  was, 
indeed,  converted  ipto  a  sickle.  The  harvest 
moon  never  shone  upon  such  fields  in  any  Chris- 
tian land.  In  September,  Mountjoy  reported  to 
Cecil,  'that  between  TuUaghoge  and  Toome  there 


lay  unburied  a  thousand  dead, '  and  that  since 
his  arrival  on  the  Blackwater — a  period  of  a 
couple  of  months — there  were  three  thousand 
starved  in  Tyrone.  In  O 'Cane's  country  the 
misery  of  his  clansmen  drove  the  chief  to  sur- 
render to  Dowcra,  and  the  news  of  Hugh  Roe's 
death  having  reached  Donegal,  his  brother  re- 
paired to  Athlone,  and  made  his  submission  to 
Mountj  y.  Earlj'  in  December,  O'Neill,  unable 
to  mail  tain  himself  on  the  river  Roe,  retired 
with  sii  hundred' foot  and  sixty  horse  to  Glen- 
cancean,  near  Lough  Neagh,  the  most  secure  of 
his  fastnesses.  His  brother  Cormac,  McMahon, 
and  Art  O'Neill,  of  Clandeboy,  shared  with  him 
the  wintry  hardships  of  that  asylum,  while 
Tyrone,  Clandeboy,  and  Monaghan,  were  given 
up  to  horrors,  surpassing  any  that  had  been 
known  or  dreamt  of  in  former  wars." 

By  this  time  O 'Sullivan  had  bravely  held  his 
position  in  Glengarriffe  for  full  six  months 
against  all  the  efforts  of  the  Munster  army. 
That  picturesque  glen,  whose  beauty  is  of  world- 
wide fame,  was  for  Donal  a  camp  formed  by 
nature,  within  which  the  old  and  helpless,  the 
women  and  children  of  his  clan,  with  their  kine 
and  sheep,  were  safely  placed,  while  the  fighting 
force,  which,  with  Tyrrell's  contingent,  did  not 
exceed  eight  hundred  men,  guarded  the  few 
passes  through  which  alone  the  alpine  barriers  of 
the  glen  could  be  penetrated.  Here  the  little 
community,  as  we  might  call  them,  housed  in 
tents  of  evergreen  boughs,  lived  throughout  the 
summer  and  autumn  months,  "waiting  for  the 
news  from  Spain."  They  fished  the  "fishful 
river"  that  winds  through  that  elysian  vale,  and 
the  myriad  confluent  streams  that  pour  down 
from  the  "hundred  lakes"of  Caha.  They  hunted 
the  deer  that  in  those  daj's,  as  in  our  own,  roamed 
wild  and  free  through  the  densely  wooded  craggy 
dells.  Each  morning  the  guards  were  told  off 
for  the  mountain  watches;  and  each  evening  the 
bugles  of  the  chief,  returning  from  his  daily  in- 
spection, or  the  joyous  shouts  of  victory  that 
proclaimed  some  new  assault  of  the  enemy  re- 
pulsed, woke  the  echoes  of  the  hills.  And  per- 
haps in  the  calm  summer  twilight,  the  laugh  and 
the  song  went  round ;  the  minstrels  touched 
their  harps,  and  the  clansmen  improvised  their 
simple  rustic  sports,  while  the  chief  and  Lady 
Aileen  moved  through  the  groups  with  a  gracious 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


131 


ismile  for  all !  For  they  nothing  doubted  that 
soon  would  come  the  glad  tidings  that  King 
Philip's  ships  were  in  the  bay;  and  then!— Bear 
would  be  swept  of  the  hated  foe,  and  their  loved 
-Dunboy 

 again  would  rise 

And  mock  the  English  rover! 

Alas!  this  happy  dream  was  to  fade  in  sorrow, 
-and  die  out  in  bitterest  reality  of  despair!  News 
came  indeed  from  Spain  at  length ;  but  it  was 
news  that  sounded  the  knell  of  all  their  hopes  to 
O'Sullivan  and  his  people!  O'Donnellwas  dead, 
-and  on  hearing  of  the  fall  of  Dnnboy  the  Spanish 
government  had  countermanded  the  expedition 
assembled  and  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Ireland! 
This  was  heart-crushing  intelligence  for  Donal 
and  his  confederates.  Nevertheless  they  held 
■out  still.  There  remained  one  faint  glimmer  in 
the  north ;  and  while  there  was  a  sword  un- 

■  sheathed  anywhere  in  the  sacred  cause  of  father- 
land, they  would  not  put  up  theirs.  They  gave 
Carew's  captains  hot  work  throughout  Desmond 
for  the  remainder  of  the  autumn,  capturing  sev- 
-eral  strong  positions,  and  driving  in  his  outlying 
garrisons  in  Muskerry  and  the  Carberies.  But 

■  soon  even  the  northern  ray  went  out,  and  the 
skies  all  around  were  wrapt  in  Cimmerian  gloom. 
There  was  room  for  hope  no  more! 

"What  was  now  Donal's  position  ?  It  is  diflScult 
adequately  to  realize  it!  Winter  was  upon  him; 
the  mountains  were  deep  in  snow ;  his  resources 
were  exhausted;  he  was  cooped  up  in  a  remote 
glen,  with  a  crowd  of  helpless  people,  the  aged 
and  infirm,  women  and  children,  and  with  barely 
a  few  hundred  fighting  men  to  guard  them.  He 
was  environed  by  foes  on  all  hands.  The  nearest 
point  where  an  ally  could  be  reached  was  in  Uls- 
ter, at  the  other  extremity  of  Ireland- — -two  or 
three  hundred  miles  away — and  the  country  be- 
tween him  and  any  such  friendly  ground  was  all 
in  the  hands  of  the  English,  and  swarmed  with 
their  garrisons  and  scouring  parties. 

The  resolution  taken  by  O'Sullivan  under 
these  circumstances  was  one  which  has  ever  since 
■excited  among  historical  writers  and  military 
critics  the  liveliest  sentiments  of  astonishment 
and  admiration.  It  was  to  pierce  through  his 
•■surrounding  foes,  and  fight  his  way  northward 
-inch  by  inch  to  Ulster ;  convoying  meantime  the 


women  and  children,  the  aged,  sick,  and 
wounded  of  his  clan — in  fine,  all  who  might  elect 
to  claim  his  protection  and  share  his  retreat 
rather  than  trust  the  perils  of  remaining.  It 
was  this  latter  feature  which  pre-eminently 
stamped  the  enterprise  as  almost  without  prece- 
dent. For  four  hundred  men,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, to  cut  their  way  from  Glengarriffe  to 
Leitrim,  even  if  divested  of  every  other  charge 
or  duty  save  the  clearing  of  their  own  path, 
would  be  sufficiently  daring  to  form  an  episode 
of  romance ;  and  had  Donal  more  regard  for  his 
own  safety  than  for  his  "poor  people,"  this 
would  have  been  the  utmost  attempted  by  him. 
But  he  was  resolved,  let  what  might  befall,  not 
to  abandon  even  the  humblest  or  the  weakest 
among  them.  While  he  had  a  sword  to  draw,  he 
would  defend  them ;  and  he  would  seek  no  safety 
or  protection  for  himself  that  was  not  shared  by 
them.  His  own  wife  and,  at  least,  the  youngest 
of  his  children,  he  left  behind  in  charge  of  his 
devoted  foster-brother,  Mac  Swiney,  who  success- 
fully concealed  them  until  the  chief's  return, 
nearly  eight  months  subsequently,  in  an  almost 
inaccessible  spot  at  the  foot  of  an  immense  prec- 
ipice in  the  Glengarriffe  mountains,  now  known 
as  the  Eagle's  Nest.  Many  other  families  also 
elected  to  try  the  chance  of  escape  from  Carew's 
scouring  parties,  and  remained  behind,  hiddeu 
in  the  fastnesses  of  that  wild  region. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE     RETREAT     TO    LEITRIM;     "tHE    MOST  ROMANTIO 
AND   GALLANT   ACHIEVEMENT  OF  THE  AGE." 

On  the  last  day  of  December,  1602,  was  com- 
menced this  memorable  retreat,  which  every 
writer  or  commentator,  whether  of  that  period  or 
of  our  own,  civil  or  military,  English  or  Irish, 
has  concurred  in  characterizing  as  scarcely  to 
be  paralleled  in  history.*    Tyrrell  and  other  of 


*  "  We  read  of  nothing  more  like  to  tbe  expedition  of 
Young  Cyrus  and  tbe  Ten  Thousand  Greeks  than  this 
retreat  of  O'Sullivan  Beare." — Abbe  Mac  Geoghegan. 

"One  of  tbe  most  extraordinary  retreats  recorded  in  his- 
tory."— Ha  verty. 

"A  retreat  almost  unparalleled." — M'Gee. 

"  Tbe  most  romantic  and  gallant  achievement  of  tha 
age." — Davis. 


132 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  confederates  bad  drawn  off  some  time  previ- 
ousb^  when  sauve  qui peitt  evidently  became  the 
maxim  with  the  despair-stricken  band;  so  that 
O 'Sullivan's  force  when  setting  out  from  Glen- 
garriffe  consisted  exactlj'  of  four  hundred  fight- 
ing men,  and  about  six  hundred  non-combatants, 
women,  children,  aged  and  infirm  people,  and 
servants.*  Even  in  our  own  day,  and  in  time  of 
peace,  with  full  facilities  of  transport  and  supply, 
the  commissariat  arrangements  necessary  to  be 
made  beforehand  along  the  route  of  such  a  body 
— a  thousand  souls — would  require  some  skill 
and  organization.  But  O'Sullivan  could  on  no 
day  tell  where  or  how  his  people  were  to  find 
sustenance  for  the  morrow.  He  had  money 
enough, f  it  is  true,  to  purchase  supplies;  but  no 
one  durst  sell  them  to  him,  or  permit  him  to  take 
them.  Word  was  sent  through  the  country  by 
the  lord  president  for  all,  on  peril  of  being 
treated  as  O'SuUivan's  covert  or  open  abettors, 
to  fall  upon  him,  to  cross  his  road,  to  bar  his 
way,  to  watch  him  at  the  fords,  to  come  upon 
him  by  night;  and,  above  all,  to  drive  off  or  de- 
stroj'  all  cattle  or  other  possible  means  of  sus- 
tenance, so  that  of  sheer  necessity'  his  party  must 
perish  on  the  way.  Whose  lands  soever  O'Sul- 
livan would  be  found  to  have  passed  through 
unresisted,  or  whereupon  he  was  allowed  to  find 
food  of  any  kind,  the  government  would  consider 
forfeited.  Such  were  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  Lord  of  Bear  and  his  immortal  four 
hundred  set  out  on  their  midwinter  retreat  on 
December  .31,  1G02. 

That  evening,  Don  Philip  tells  us,  they  reached 
and  encamped  at  "a  place  on  the  borders  of  Mus- 
kerry,  called  by  the  natives  Acharis.  "J  Next 

*"Historiae  CatLolicae  Hiberniae,"  Haverty,  M'Gee,  Mac 
Geogbegan. 

f  Even  on  ihe  last  day  of  this  terrible  retreat,  we  find 
him  able  to  pay  a  guide  very  liberally  in  gold  pieces. 

1 1  am  not  aware  that  any  one  bitberto  has  identified  tbis 
spot;  but  it  is,  nevertbeless,  plainly  to  be  found.  Tbe 
place  is  tbe  junction  of  some  mountain  roads,  in  a  truly 
wild  and  solitary  locality,  about  a  mile  nortb  of  the  present 
village  of  Bealnageary,  wbicb  is  between  Gougane  Barra 
and  Macroom.  In  a  little  grove  tbe  ruined  cburcb  of 
Agharit  (marked  on  tbe  Ordnance  maps)  identifies  for  us 
tbe  locality  of  "Acbaris."  It  is  on  tbe  road  to  Ballyvour- 
ney  by  O'SuUivan's  route,  wbicb  was  from  Glengarriffe 
eastward  by  bis  castle  of  tbe  Fawn's  Rock  ("  Carrick-an 
Asa"),  wbere  be  left  a  ward;  tbence  tbrougb  tbe  Pass  of 
the  Deer  ("  CVam-an  eib  ")  northward  to  Agbaris. 


day,  January  1,  1603,  they  reached  "before 
noon,"  "Balebrunia"  (Ballyvourney),  famed  aa 
the  retreat  of  St.  Gubeneta,  whose  ruined  church 
and  penitential  stations  are  still  frequented  by 
pious  pilgrims.  Here  O'Sullivan  and  his  entire 
force  halted,  that  they  might  begin  their  journey 
by  offering  all  their  sufferings  to  God,  and  sup- 
plicating the  powerful  prayers  of  His  saint. 
Donal  and  several  members  of  his  family  made 
gifts  to  the  altar,  and  the  little  army,  having 
prayed  for  some  time,  resumed  their  weary 
march.  The  ordeal  commenced  for  them  soon. 
They  were  assailed  and  harassed  all  the  way  "by 
the  sons  of  Thadeus  Mac  Carth3',"  several  being^ 
wounded  on  both  sides.  They  cleared  their  road, 
however,  and  that  night  encamped  in  "O'Kim- 
bhi"  (O'Keefe's  country:  Duhallow)  "but, "  saya 
Philip,  "they  had  little  rest  at  night  after  such  a 
toilsome  day,  for  they  were  constantly  molested 
by  the  people  of  that  place,  and  suifered  most, 
painfully  from  hunger.  For  they  had  been  able 
to  bring  with  them  but  one  day 's  jirovisions,  and 
these  they  had  consumed  on  the  first  day's- 
march."  Next  morning  they  pushed  forward 
toward  the  confines  of  Limerick,  designing  to 
reach  that  ancient  refuge  of  the  oppressed  and 
vanquished,  the  historic  Glen  of  Aherlow,  where 
at  least  they  hoped  for  rest  in  safety  during  a 
few  days'  halt,  but  their  path  now  lay  through 
the  midst  of  their  foes — right  between  the  gar- 
I'isons  of  Charleville  and  Buttevant,  and  they 
scarcely  hoped  to  cross  the  river  in  their  front 
without  a  heavy  penalty.  And  truly  enough,  as. 
the  faint  and  weary  cavalcade  reached  the  bank, 
a  strong  force  under  the  brother  of  Viscount 
Barry  encountered  them  at  Bellaghy  Ford.  The 
women  and  children  were  at  once  put  to  the  rear, 
and  the  hunger-wasted  company,  nevertheless  all 
unflinching,  came  up  to  the  conflict  like  heroes. 
It  was  a  bitter  fight,  but  despair  gave  energy  to. 
that  desperate  fugitive  band.  They  literally 
swept  their  foes  before  them,  and  would  not  have- 
suffered  a  man  to  escape  them  had  not  hunger 
and  terrible  privation  told  upon  them  too  severely 
to  allow  of  a  pursuit.  Dr.  Joyce  chronicles  this 
combat  for  us  in  one  of  his  ballads : 
"We  stood  so  steady, 
•  All  under  fire. 

We  stood  so  steady, 

Our  long  spears  ready 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


13a 


To  vent  our  ire — 
To  dash  on  the  Saxon, 
Our  mortal  foe, 
And  lay  him  low 

In  the  bloody  mire! 

*"T  was  hy  Blackwater, 
When  snows  were  white, 

'T  was  by  Blackwater, 

Our  foes  for  the  slaughter 
Stood  full  in  sight; 

But  we  were  ready 

"With  our  long  spears; 

And  we  had  no  fears 
But  we'd  win  the  fight. 

"Their  bullets  came  whistling 

Upon  our  rank. 
Their  bullets  came  whistling, 
Their  bay 'nets  were  bristling 

On  th'  other  bank. 
Yet  we  stood  steady. 
And  each  good  blade 
Ere  the  morn  did  fade 

At  their  life-blood  drank. 

*'  'Hurra!  for  Freedom!' 

Came  from  our  van  ; 
'Hurra!  for  Freedom! 
Our  swords — we'll  feed  'em 

As  but  we  can — 
With  vengeance  we'll  feed  'em!' 
Then  down  we  crashed. 
Through  the  wild  ford  dashed. 

And  the  fray  began ! 

"Horses  to  horses 

And  man  to  man — • 
O'er  dying  horses 
And  blood  and  corses 

O'Sullivan, 
Our  general,  thundered; 
And  we  were  not  slack 
To  slay  at  his  back 

Till  the  flight  began. 

"Oh!  how  we  scattered 

The  foemen  then — 
Slaughtered  and  scattered 
And  chased  and  shattered. 

By  shore  and  glen. — 


To  the  wall  of  Moyallo, 
Few  fled  that  day — 
Will  they  bar  our  way 
When  we  come  again? 

"Our  dead  freres  we  buried — 

They  were  but  few — 
Our  dead  freres  we  buried 
Where  the  dark  waves  hurried 

And  flashed  and  flew  : 
Oh !  sweet  be  their  slumber 
Who  thus  have  died 
In  the  battle's  tide, 

Innisfail,  for  you!" 

Pushing  on  for  Aherlow — the  unwounded  of 
the  soldiers  carrying  between  them  the  wounded 
of  the  past  three  days'  conflict — after  a  march  of 
thirty  miles  they  reached  at  length  that  "vast 
solitude,"  as  Don  Philip  calls  it.  They  were  so. 
worn  out  by  travel  and  hunger,  toil  and  suffer- 
ing, that  the  night  sentinels  posted  around  the 
little  camp  could  scarcely  perform  their  duty.* 
The  prospect  of  recruiting  ,  strength  by  a  few 
daj's'  repose  here  had  to  be  abandoned,  lest  the- 
foes  now  gathering  around  them  might  bar  all 
way  to  the  Shannon.  So  next  morning,  at  dawn, 
having  refreshed  themselves  with  the  only  food 
available,  herbs  and  water,f  they  set  out  north- 
ward. On  this  day  one  of  their  severest  battles, 
had  to  be  fought — a  conflict  of  eight  hours'  dura- 
tion. O'Sullivan  says  that,  though  the  enemy 
exceeded  greatly  in  numbers,  they  were  deficient, 
in  military  skill,  otherwise  the  men  of  Bear  must 
have  been  overpowered.  From  this  forward  the 
march  grew  every  day  more  painful.  Nature  it- 
self could  not  continue  to  endure  such  suffering. 
The  fugitives  dropped  on  the  road  from  utter  ex~ 
haustion,  or  strayed  away  in  the  wild,  delirioua 
search  for  food.  In  many  instances  the  sentries, 
at  night  died  at  their  posts  from  sheer  privation. 
Arriving  at  Dunnohill,  the  starving  soldiery  at. 
once  occupied  the  place.  The  first  who  arrived 
ravenously  devoured  all  the  food;  those  who- 
came  next  greedily  ate  everything  in  the  way  of 
corn,  etc.  On  by  Ballynakill,  Sleive  Felim,  and 
Lateragh ;  each  day  a  prolonged  strife  with  foes, 
on  all  sides.  "It  was  not  only,"  says  Don 
Philip,  "that  they  had  to  fight  against  superior 

*''Histor!«e  Catholicae  Iberniae."        f  Ibid. 


134 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


numbers;  but  everj'  day  O'SuUivau  bad  fresb 
enemies,  while  bis  soldiers  wei'e  being  worn  out 
by  cold,  hunger,  and  incessant  fighting. "  Still 
they  guarded  faithfully  the  women  and  children, 
and  such  of  the  aged  as  could  walk  without  as- 
sistance; and  maintained,  though  only  by  the 
utmost  exertion,  that  strict  discipline  and  pre  ■ 
caution  to  which  0' Sullivan  largely  owed  his 
safety  on  this  march.  A  vanguard  of  forty  men 
always  went  in  front;  next  came  the  sick  and 
wounded,  the  women  and  children ;  next,  the 
baggage  and  the  ammunition;  and,  last  of  all, 
protecting  the  rear,  Donal  himself  with  the  bulk 
of  his  little  force.  On  the  6th  of  January,  they 
reached  the  wood  of  Brosna  (now  Portland,  in 
the  parish  of  Lorha) ;  and  here  Donal  orders  the 
little  force  to  intrench  themselves.  Their  great- 
est peril  is  now  at  hand.  The  "lordly  Shannon," 
wide  and  deep,  is  in  their  front ;  they  have  no 
boats;  and  the  foe  is  crowding  behind  and 
around  them.  Donal 's  resort  in  this  extremity 
was  one  worthy  of  his  reputation  as  a  skillful  cap- 
tain. Of  the  few  horses  now  remaining  in  his 
cavalcade,  he  directed  eleven  to  be  killed.  The 
skins  he  strained  upon  a  firmly  bound  boat-frame 
which  he  had  his  soldiers  to  construct  in  the 
wood  close  by ;  the  flesh  was  cooked  as  a  luxury 
for  the  sick  and  wounded.  In  this  boat,  on  the 
morning  of  the  8th  of  January,  he  commenced  to 
transpoit  his  little  force  across  the  Shannon, 
from  Redwood.  As  he  was  in  the  act  of  so  do- 
ing, there  arrived  on  the  southern  bank,  where 
the  women  and  children,  and  only  a  portion  of 
the  rearguard  remained,  the  queen's  sheriff  of 
Tipperary  and  a  strong  force,  who  instantly 
"began  to  plunder  the  baggage,  slaughter  the 
camp  followers,  and  throw  the  women  and  chil- 
dren into  the  river."*  One  of  O'Sullivan's  lieu- 
tenants, in  charge  of  the  small  guard  which, 
however,  yet  remained,  fell  upon  them  with  such 
vehemence,  that  they  retired,  and  the  last  of  the 
fugitives  crossed  to  the  Connaught  shore. 

But  there  was  still  no  rest  for  that  hapless 
company.  "The  soldiers  pressed  by  hunger 
divide  themseves  into  two  bands,  and  alternately 
sustain  the  attacks  of  the  enemy,  and  collect  pro- 
visions."  Arriving  at  Aughrim-Hy-Maine  a 
powerful  and  well  ordered  army  under  Sir 
Thomas  Burke,  Lord  Clanricarde's  brother,  and 

*  "Historiae  Catbolicae." 


Colonel  Henry  Malby,  lay  across  their  route. 
Even  Carew  himself  informs  us  that  the  English 
force  vastly  exceeded  the  gaunt  and  famished 
baud  of  O'Sullivan;  though  he  does  not  venture 
into  particulars.  In  truth  Donal  found  himself 
compelled  to  face  a  pitched  battle  against  a  force 
of  some  eight  hundred  men  with  his  wasted 
party,  now  reduced  to  less  than  three  hundred. 
Carew  briefly  tells  the  story,  so  bitter  for  him  to 
tell.  "Nevertheless,  when  they  saw  that  either 
they  must  make  their  v/ay  hy  the  sword  or  perish, 
they  gave  a  brave  charge  upon  our  men,  in  which 
Capain  Malby  was  slaine;  upon  whose  fall  Sir 
Thomas  and  his  troops  fainting,  with  the  loss  of 
many  men,  studied  their  safety  by  flight.  "*  The 
quaint  record  in  the  "Annals  of  the  Four  Masters" 
is  as  follows:  "O'Sullivan,  O 'Conor-Kerry,  and 
William  Burke,  with  their  email  party,  were 
obliged  to  remain  at  Aughrim-Hj'-Many  to 
engage,  fight,  and  sustain  a  battlefield,  and  test 
their  true  valor  against  the  many  hundreds  op- 
pressing and  pursuing  them.  O'Sullivan,  with 
rage,  heroism,  fury,  and  ferocity,  rushed  to  the 
place  where  he  saw  the  English,  for  it  was  against 
them  that  he  cherished  most  animosity  and 
hatred ;  and  made  no  delay  until  he  reached  the 
spot  where  he  saw  their  chief;  so  that  he  quickly 
and  dexterously  beheaded  that  noble  English- 
man, the  son  of  Captain  Malby.  The  forces  there 
collected  were  then  routed  and  a  countless  num- 
ber of  them  slain,  "f  Beside  Malby  and  Burke 
there  were  left  on  the  field  hy  the  English  "three 
standard  bearers  and  several  officers. "  It  was  a 
decisive  victory  for  the  Prince  of  Bear ;  but  it 
only  purchased  for  him  a  day's  respite.  That 
night,  for  the  first  time — terrible  affliction — he 
had  to  march  forward,  unable  to  bring  with  him 
his  sick  or  wounded !  Next  day  the  English  (who 
could  not  win  the  fight)  came  up  and  butchered 
these  helpless  ones  in  cold  blood!  I  summarize 
from  the  "Historise  Catholicte"  the  following 
narrative  of  the  last  days  of  this  memorable 
retreat : 

*  "  Pacata  Hibernia."  In  tbe  next  following  sentence 
Carew  gives  with  borrid  candor  and  equanimity,  a  picture, 
hardly  to  be  paralleled  in  tbe  records  of  savagery  :  "Next 
morning  Sir  Charles  (Wiluiot)  coming  to  seeke  the  enemy 
in  their  canipe,  hee  entered  into  their  quarter  without  re- 
sistance, where  he  found  notldng  hut  hurt  and  sick  men, 
whose  pains  and  lives  hy  the  soldiers  were  both  determined,'' 
'     f  "  Aunals  of  the  Four  Masters,"  page  2319. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


135 


"Next  day  at  dawn  he  crossed  Slieve  Muire 
'(Mount  Mary)  and  came  down  on  some  villages 
"where  he  hoped  to  procure  provisions.  But 
he  found  all  the  cattle  and  provisions  carried 
-away,  and  the  people  of  the  district  arraj-ed 
against  him,  under  the  command  of  Mac  David, 
the  lord  of  the  place.  He  withdrew  at  dusk  to 
some  thick  woods  at  Sliebh  Iphlinn.  But  in  the 
night  he  received  information  that  the  people 
intended  to  surround  him  and  cut  him  off. 
Large  fires  were  lighted  to  deceive  his  enemies, 
and  he  at  once  set  off  on  a  night  march.  The 
soldiers  suffered  exceedingly.  They  fell  into 
deep  snowdrifts,  whence  they  dragged  each  other 
out  with  great  difficulty. 

"Next  day  they  were  overtaken  by  Mac  David. 
But  their  determined  attitude  made  their  foes 
retire;  and  so  they  were  allowed  to  betake 
themselves  to  another  wood  called  Diamhbhrach, 
or  the  Solitude.  Upon  entering  this  refuge,  the 
men,  overpowered  with  fatigue,  lay  down  and  fell 
asleep.  When  O'Sullivan  halted,  finding  only 
twelve  companions  with  himself,  he  ordered  fires 
to  be  lighted,  in  order  that  his  scattered  follow- 
ers might  know  whither  to  turn  upon  waking. 

"At  dawn  of  next  day  numbers  of  the  inhabi- 
tants flocked  to  O'Sullivan's  bivouac,  attracted 
by  the  unprecedented  spectacle  of  so  many  fires 
in  such  a  lonely  solitude.  They  furnished  him 
gratuitously  with  food,  and  subsequently  in- 
formed Oliver  Lombard,  the  governor  of  Con- 
naught,  that  the  fires  had  been  kindled  by  the 
herdsmen.  Many  of  the  Catholics  were  found  to 
suffer  very  much  in  their  feet,  by  reason  of  the 
severity  of  the  weather  and  the  length  of  the 
march.  O'Connor,  especially,  suffered  griev- 
ously. To  give  as  long  a  rest  as  possible,  they 
remained  all  this  day  in  the  wood ;  but  a  night 
march  was  necessary  for  all.  This  was  especially 
severe  on  O'Connor,  as  it  was  not  possible  that 
he  could  proceed  on  horseback.  For,  since  the 
■enemy  occupied  all  the  public  routes  and  the 
paths  practicable  for  a  horse,  they  were  obliged 
to  creep  along  by  out-of-the-way  paths,  and  fre- 
quently to  help  each  other  in  places  where  alone 
they  could  not  move. 

"A  guide  was  wanted;  but  God  provided  one. 
A  stranger  presented  himself,  clad  in  a  linen 
garment,  with  bare  feet,  having  his  head  bound 
with  a  white  cloth,  and  bearing  a  long  pole  shod 


with  iron,  and  presenting  an  appearance  well 
calculated  to  strike  terror  into  the  beholders. 
Having  saluted  O'Sullivan  and  the  others,  he 
thus  addressed  them  :  'I  know  that  you  Catholics 
have  been  overwhelmed  by  various  calamities, 
that  you  are  fleeing  from  the  tyranny  of  heretics, 
that  at  the  hill  of  Aughrim  you  routed  the 
queen's  troops,  and  that  you  are  now  going  to 
O'Ruarke,  who  is  only  fifteen  miles  off;  but  you 
want  a  guide.  Therefore,  a  strong  desire  has 
come  upon  me  of  leading  you  thither. '  After 
some  hesitation  O'Sullivan  accepted  his  offer, 
and  ordered  him  to  receive  two  hundred  gold 
pieces.  These  he  took,  'not  as  a  reward,  but  as 
a  mark  of  our  mutually  grateful  feelings  for  each 
other. '  The  darkness  of  the  night,  their  igno- 
rance of  the  country,  and  their  unavoidable  sus- 
picion of  their  guide  multiplied  their  fears.  The 
slippery  condition  of  the  rocks  over  which  they 
had  to  climb,  the  snow  piled  up  by  the  wind, 
their  fatigue  and  weakness,  the  swelling  of  their 
feet,  tormented  the  unfortunate  walkers.  But 
O'Connor  suffered  most  of  all.  His  feet  and  legs 
were  inflamed,  and  rapidly  broke  into  ulcers. 
He  suffered  excruciating  pain ;  but  he  bore  it 
patiently  for  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  dead  of  the 
night  they  reached  a  hamlet.  Knock  Vicar  (Mons 
Vicarii),  where  they  refreshed  themselves  with 
fire  and  food.  But  when  thej'  were  again  about 
to  proceed,  O'Connor  could  not  stand,  much  less 
walk.  Then  his  fellow  soldiers  carried  him  in 
their  arms  in  alternate  batches  of  four,  until 
they  found  a  wretched  horse,  upon  the  back  of 
which  they  placed  him.  At  length,  when  they 
had  passed  Cor  Sliebh,  the  sun  having  risen, 
their  guide  pointed  out  O'Euarke's  castle  in  the 
distance,  and  having  assured  them  that  all  danger 
was  now  passed,  he  bade  them  farewell." 

Not  unlike  the  survivors  of  the  Greek  Ten 
Thousand,  to  whom  they  have  been  so  often  com- 
pared, who,  when  they  first  described  the  sea, 
broke  from  the  ranks  and  rushed  forward  wildly 
shouting  "Thalatta!  Thalatta!"  that  group  of 
mangled  and  bleeding  fugitives — for  now,  alas! 
they  were  no  more — when  they  saw  through  the 
ti-ees  in  the  distance  the  towers  of  Leitrim  Castle, 
sank  upon  the  earth,  and  for  the  first  time  since 
they  had  quitted  Bear,  gave  way  to  passionate 
weeping,  overpowered  bj'  strange  paroxj^sms  of 
joy,  grief,  suffering,  and  exultation.    At  last — at 


136 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


last ! — they  were  safe !  No  more  days  of  bloody 
combat,  and  uigbts  of  terror  and  unrest!  No 
more  of  hunger's  maddening  pangs!  No  more 
of  flight  for  life,  with  bleeding  feet,  over  rugged 
roads,  with  murderous  foes  behind!  Relief  is  at 
hand!  Thej'  can  sleep— they  can  rest.  They 
ai'e  saved — they  are  saved!  Then,  kneeling  on 
the  sward,  from  their  bursting  hearts  thej^  cried 
aloud  to  the  God  of  ^their  fathers,  who  through 
an  ordeal  so  awful  had  brought  them,  few  as  they 
were,  at  last  to  a  haven  of  refuge! 

They  pushed  forward,  and  about  eleven  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon  reached  O'Rorke's  castle.  Here 
they  were  gazed  upon  as  if  they  were  objects  of 
miraculous  wonder.  All  that  generous  kindness 
and  tender  sympathy  could  devise,  was  quickly 
called  to  their  aid.  Their  wounds  and  bruises 
were  tended  by  a  hundred  eager  hands.  Their 
everj'  want  was  anticipated.  Alas!  how  few  of 
them  now  remained  to  claim  these  kindly  offices. 
Of  the  thousand  souls  who  had  set  out  from 
Glengarriffe,  not  one  hundred  entered  the 
friendly  portals  of  Brefny  Hall.  Only  thirtj^-five 
came  in  with  O 'Sullivan  that  morning.  Of 
these,  but  one  was  a  woman — the  aged  mother  of 
Don  Philip,  the  historian  ;  eighteen  were  attend- 
ants or  camp-followers,  and  only  sixteen  were 
armed  men !  About  fifty  more  came  in  next  day, 
in  twos  and  threes,  or  were  found  by  searching 
parties  sent  out  by  O'Rorke.  All  the  rest,  ex- 
cept some  three  hundi'ed  in  all,  who  had  strayed, 
perished  on  the  way,  by  the  sword,  or  by  the  ter- 
rible privations  of  the  journey.  This  retreat 
was  the  last  military  achievement  of  DonalO'Sul- 
livan.  Some  of  the  greatest  commanders  in  his- 
tory might  be  proud  to  claim  an  enterprise  so 
heroic  as  their  best  title  to  the  immortality  of 
fame. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

HOW  THE  GOVERNMENT  AND  HUGH  MADE  A  TREATY  OF 

PEACE  HOW  ENGLAND  CAME  UNDER  THE  SCOTTISH 

monarchy;  AND  HOW  IRELAND  HOPEFULLY  HAILED 
THE  GAELIC  SOVEREIGN. 

The  succeeding  year  (1G03)  opened  upon  a 
state  of  gloom  and  incertitude  on  all  hands  in 
Ireland.  Like  a  strong  man  overpowered, 
wounded,  and  cast  down,  after  a  protracted  and 
exhausting  struggle,  yet  still  unsubmitting  and 


not  totally  reft  of  strength,  the  hapless  Irish 
nation  lay  prostrate — fallen  but  unsubdued — un- 
willing to  yield,  but  too  weak  to  rise.  The  Eng- 
lish power,  on  the  other  hand,  was  not  without 
its  sense  of  exhaustion  also.  It  had  passed 
through  an  awful  crisis;  and  had  come  out  of 
the  ordeal  victorious,  it  is  true,  but  greatly  by 
happy  chance,  and  at  best  only  by  purchasing 
victory  most  dearly.  O'Neill  was  still  uncon- 
quered;  and  though  the  vast  majority  of  the 
lesser  chiefs  confederated  with  him  in  the  recent 
struggle  had  been  compelled  to  submit  and  sue 
for  pardon,  O'Donnell,  O'Rorke,  Maguire,  and 
O'Sullivan  remained  to  him;*  and,  on  the 
whole,  he  was  still  master  of  elements  capable  of 
being  organized  into  a  formidable  power,  per- 
haps to  renew  the  conflict  at  some  future  favor- 
able opportunity.  Elizabeth  and  her  ministers, 
were  too  wise  and  prudent  to  allow  exultation 
over  their  success  to  blind  them  to  the  fact  that 
so  much  of  it  had  been  due  to  fortuitous  circum- 
stances, and  that  'twere  decidedly  better,  if  pos- 
sible, to  avoid  having  the  combat  tried  over  again. 
Mountjoy  was  instructed  to" sound"  the  defeated, 
but  unsubdued  and  still  dangerous  Tyrone  as  to 
terms  of  peace  and  submission,  lest,  being  hope- 
less of  "pardon"  (as  they  put  it),  he  might  con- 
tinue to  stand  out.  Negotiations  were  accord- 
ingly opened  with  O'Neill.  "Sir  William  Go- 
dolphin  and  Sir  Garrett  Moore  were  sent  as 
commissioners  to  arrange  with  him  the  terms  of 
peace,"  the  latter  (ancestor  of  the  present  Mar- 
quis of  Drogheda)  being  a  warm  personal  friend 
of  O'Neill's.  "They  found  him, "  we  are  told, 
"in  his  retreat  near  Lough  Neagh,  early  ia 
March,  and  obtained  his  promise  to  give  the 
deputy  an  early  meeting  at  Mellifont. "  "The 
negotiations,"  according  to  another  writer, 
"were  hurried  on  the  deputy's  part  by  private 
information  which  he  had  received  of  the  queen's 
death;  and  fearing  that  O'Neill's  views  might  be 
altered  by  that  circumstance,  he  immediately 
desired  the  commissioners  to  close  the  agree- 
ment, and  invite  O'Neill  under  safe  conduct  to 
Drogheda  to  have  it  ratified  without  delay.  "  On 
March  30,  1G03,  Hugh  met  Mountjoy  by  appoint- 
ment -at  Mellifont  Abbej^  where  the  terms  of 

*  "All  that  are  out  doe  seeke  for  mercy  excepting  O'Rorke 
and  O'Sullivan,  who  is  now  with  O'Rorke." — Lord  Deputy 
Mountjoy  to  the  Privy  Council,  Feb.  26,  1603. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


137 


peace  were  duly  ratified  on  each  side,  O'Neill 
Laving  on  bis  part  gone  through  the  necessary 
forms  and  declarations  of  submission.  The 
siugularlj^  favorable  conditions  conceded  to 
O'Neill  show  conclusively  the  estimate  held  by 
the  English  council  of  their  victory  over  him, 
and  of  his  still  formidable  influence.  He  was  to 
have  comiilete  amnesty  for  the  past;  he  was  to  be 
restored  in  blood,  notwithstanding  his  attainder 
and  outlawry ;  he  Avas  to  be  reinstated  in  his 
dignity  of  Earl  of  Tyrone;  he  and  his  people 
were  to  enjoy  full  and  free  exercise  of  their  relig- 
ion ;  new  "letters-patent"  were  to  issue,  regraut- 
iug  to  him  and  other  northern  chiefs  very  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  lands  occupied  by  their  respec- 
tive clans.  On  the  other  hand,  Hugh  was  to 
renounce  once  and  forever  the  title  of  "The 
O'Neill,"  should  accept  the  English  title  of 
"earl,"  and  should  allow  English  law  to  run 
through  his  territories.*  Truly  liberal  terms — 
generous,  indeed,  they  might  under  all  circum- 
stances be  called — if  meant  to  be  faithfully  kept! 
It  is  hard  to  think  O'Neill  believed  in  the  good 
faith  of  men  whose  subtle  policy  he  knew  so  well. 
It  may  be  that  he  doubted  it  thoroughly,  but 
was  powerless  to  accomplish  more  than  to  obtain 
such  terms,  whatever  their  worth  for  the  present, 
trusting  to  the  future  for  the  rest. 

Yet  it  seemed  as  if,  for  the  first  time,  a  real 
and  lasting  peace  was  at  hand.  James  the  Sixth 
of  Scotland,  son  of  the  beautiful  and  ill-fated 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  succeeded  Elizabeth  on  the 
English  throne ;  and  even  before  his  express  dec- 
laration of  a  conciliatoi-y  policy  was  put  forth, 
there  ran  through  Ireland,  as  if  intuitively,  a 
belief  in  his  friendly  dispositions.  And,  in 
truth,  never  before  did  such  a  happy  oppor- 
tunity oflfer  for  adjusting,  at  last  and  forever, 
peacefully  and  amicably,  the  questions  at  issue 
between  Ireland  and  England.  In  James  the 
Irish — always  so  peculiarly  swayed  by  considera- 
tions of  race  or  kinship — beheld  a  Gaelic  prince, 
a  king  of  the  sister  kingdom,  Scotland,  to  whom 
had  reverted  the  kingdom  and  crown  of  England. 
Kings  of  England  of  the  now  extinct  line  had 
done  them  grievous  wrong;  but  no  king  of 
friendly  Scotland  had  broken  the  traditional 
kindly  relations  between  Hibernia  and  Caledonia. 


*  MitcLel. 


Taking  King  James  the  Gael  for  a  sovereign  was 
not  like  bowing  the  neck  to  the  yoke  of  the  in- 
vading Normans  or  Tudors.  As  the  son  of  his 
persecuted  mother,  he  was  peculiarly  recom- 
mended to  the  friendlj-  feelings  of  the  Irish  peo- 
ple. Mary  of  Scotland  had  much  to  entitle  her 
to  Irish  sj-mpathy.  She  was  a  princess  of  the 
royal  line  of  Malcolm,  ti-aciug  direct  descent 
from  the  Milesian  princes  of  Dalariada.  She  was 
the  representative  of  many  a  Scottish  sovereign 
who  had  aided  Ireland  against  the  Normans. 
Moreover,  she  had  just  fallen  a  victim  to  the 
tigress  Elizabeth  of  England,  the  same  who  had 
so  deeply  reddened  with  blood  the  soil  of  Ire- 
land. She  had  suffered  for  the  Catholic  faith 
too ;  and  if  aught  else  were  required  to  touch  the 
Gaels  of  Ireland  with  compassion  and  sympathy, 
it  was  to  be  found  in  her  youth  and  beauty, 
qualities  which,  when  allied  with  innocence  and 
misfortune,  never  fail  to  win  the  Irish  heart.  It 
was  to  the  son  of  such  a  woman — the  martyred 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots — that  the  English  crown 
and  kingdom  had  lapsed,  and  with  these,  such 
claim  as  England  might  be  held  to  have  upon  the 
Irish  kingdom.  What  wonder  if  among  the 
Irish  the  idea  prevailed  that  now  at  last  they 
could  heartily  offer  loyalty  to  the  sovereign  on 
the  English  throne,  and  feel  that  he  was  neither 
a  stranger  nor  a  subjugator? 

It  was  indeed  a  great  opportunity,  apparently 
— the  first  that  had  ever  offered — for  uniting  the 
three  kingdoms  under  one  crown,  without  en- 
forcing between  any  of  them  the  humiliating 
relations  of  conqueror  and  conquered.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  whatever,  that,  had  James  and 
his  government  appreciated  the  peculiar  oppor- 
tunitj',  and  availed  of  it  in  a  humane,  wise,  and 
generous  spirit, 

"  an  end  was  made,  and  nobly, 

Of  the  old  centennial  feud." 

The  Irish  nation,  there  is  every  ground  for  con- 
cluding, would  cheerfully  and  happily  have  come 
in  to  the  arrangement ;  and  the  simplest  measure 
of  justice  from  the  government,  a  reasonable  con- 
sideration for  the  national  feelings,  rights,  and 
interests,  might  have  realized  that  dream  of  a 
union  between  the  kingdoms  which  the  compul- 
sion of  conquest  could  never — can  never — acsom- 
plisb. 


138 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


But  that  accursed  greed  of  plunder — that 
unholy  passion  for  Irish  spoil — which  from  the 
first  characterized  the  English  adventurers  in  Ire- 
land, and  which,  unhappily,  ever  proved  poten- 
tial to  mar  any  comparatively  humane  designs  of 
the  king,  whenever,  if  ever,  such  designs  were 
entertained,  was  now  at  hand  to  demand  that 
Ireland  should  be  given  up  to  "settlers,"  by  fair 
means  or  by  foul,  as  a  stranded  ship  might  be 
abandoned  to  wreckers,  or  as  a  captured  town 
might  be  given  up  to  sack  and  pillage  by  the  as- 
saulting soldierj'.  There  is,  however,  slight  rea- 
son, if  any,  for  thinking  that  the  most  unworthy 
and  unnatural  son  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots — the 
pedantic  and  pompous  James — entertained  any 
statesmanlike  generosity  or  justice  of  design  in 
reference  to  Ireland.  The  Irish  expectations 
about  him  were  doomed  to  be  woefully  disap- 
Xwinted.  He  became  the  mere  creature  of  Eng- 
lish policy;  and  the  Anglo-Irish  adventurers  and 
"settlers"  yelling  for  plunder,  were  able  to  force 
that  policy  in  their  own  direction.  They  grum- 
bled outright  at  the  favorable  terms  of  Mount- 
joy's  treaty  with  O'Neill.  It  yielded  not  one  acre 
of  plunder;  whereas,  the  teeth  of  thousands  of 
those  worthies  had  been  set  on  edge  by  the  an- 
ticipation of  the  rich  spoils  of  the  "confiscated" 
north,  which  they  made  sure  would  follow  upon 
O'Neill's  subjection.  "It  now  seemed  as  if  [the 
entire  object  of  that  tremendous  war  had  been, 
on  the  part  of  England,  to  force  a  coronet  upon 
the  unwilling  brows  of  an  Irish  chieftain,  and 
oblige  him  in  his  own  despite  to  accept  'letters 
patent'  and  broad  lands  'in  fee.'  Surely,  if  this 
were  to  be  the 'conquest  of  Ulster, '  if  the  rich 
valleys  of  the  north,  with  all  their  woods  and 
w^aters,  mills  and  fishings,  were  to  be  given  up  to 
these  O'Neills  and  O'Donnells,  on  whose  heads  a 
price  had  so  lately  been  set  for  ti'aitors ;  if, 
worse  than  all,  their  very  religion  was  to  be  tol- 
erated, and  Ulster,  with  its  verdant  abbey-lands, 
and  livings,  and  termon-lands,  were  still  to  set 
'Reformation'  at  defiance;  surely,  in  this  case, 
the  crowd  of  esurient  undertakers,  lay  and  cler- 
ical, had  ground  of  complaint.  It  was  not  for 
this  they  left  their  homes,  and  felled  forests,  and 
camped  on  the  mountains,  and  plucked  down  the 
Red  Hand  from  many  a  castle  wall.  Not  for  this 
they  '  preached  before  the  State  in  Christ  Church, ' 
and  censured  the  backsliding  of  the  times,  and 


pointed  out  the  mortal  sin  of  a  compromise  with 
Jezebel !" 

Notwithstanding  that  for  a  year  or  two  subse- 
quent to  James'  accession,  the  terms  of  the  treaty 
of  Mellifont  were  in  most  part  observed  by  the- 
government,  O'Neill  noted  well  the  gathering 
storm  of  discontent,  to  which  he  saw  but  too 
clearly  the  government  would  succumb  at  an 
early  opportunity.  By  degrees  the  skies  began 
to  lonr,  and  unerring  indications  foretold  that  a 
pretext  was  being  sought  for  his  immolation. 


CHAPTER  Ln. 

"the  flight  of    the  EAELs"  HOW  THE  PRINCES  OP 

IRELAND  WENT  INTO  EXILE,  MENACED  BY  DESTRUC- 
TION AT  HOME. 

It  was  not  long  wanting.  An  anonymous  let- 
ter was  found,  or  was  pretended  to  have  been 
found,  at  the  door  of  the  council  chamber  in 
Dublin  Castle,  purporting  to  disclose  with  great 
circumstantiality  a  conspiracy,  of  which  O'Neill 
was  the  head,  to  seize  the  castle,  to  murder  the. 
lord  deputy,  and  raise  a  general  revolt.*  Tha 
most  artful  means  were  resorted  to  by  all  whose- 
interest  it  was  to  procure  the  ruin  of  the  north- 
ern chiefs,  to  get  up  a  wild  panic  of  real  or 
affected  terror  on  this  most  opportune  discovery ! 
O'Neill  well  knew  the  nature  of  the  transaction, 
and  the  design  behind  it.  The  vultures  must 
have  prey — his  ruin  had  become  a  state  neces- 
sitj'.  In  the  mouth  of  Maj',  he  and  the  other 
northern  chiefs  were  cited  to  answer  the  capital 
charge  thus  preferred  against  them.  This  they 
were  ready  to  do ;  but  the  government  plotters 
were  not  just  yet  ready  to  carry  out  their  own 
schemes,  so  the  investigation  was  on  some  slight 

*  There  seems  to  have  been  a  plot  of  some  kind  ;  but  it 
was  cue  got  up  by  tlie  secretary  of  state,  Cecil  bimself  ; 
Lord  Howtb,  bis  agent  in  tbis  sbocking  business,  inveig- 
ling O'Neill  and  O'Donnell  into  attendance  at  some  of  the 
meetings.  "Artful  Cecil,"  says  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  a 
Protestant  divine,  in  bis  "  Koyal  Genealogies,"  a  work 
printed  in  London  in  1736,  "  employed  one  St.  Lawrence 
to  entrap  the  Earls  Tyrone  and  Tyrconnell,  tbe  Lord  of 
Di-lvin,  and  otber  Irish  chiefs,  into  a  sbam  plot  which  bad 
no  evidence  but  bis.  But  these  chiefs  being  informed  that 
witnesses  were  to  be  beard  against  them,  foolishly  fled 
from  Dublin  ;  and  so  taking  their  guilt  upon  them,  they 
were  declared  rebels,  and  six  entire  counties  in  Ulster  were 
at  once  forfeiied  to  the  erown,  which  wasichat  their  enemies , 
wanted." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND, 


pretext  postponed,  and  O'Neill  and  O'Donnell 
•were  ordered  to  appear  in  London  on  their  de- 
fense at  Michaelmas.  There  is  little  doubt  that 
hereupon,  or  about  this  time,  O'Neill  formed  and 
communicated  to  his  northern  kinsmen  and  fel- 
low-victims the  'resolution  of  going  into  exile, 
and  seeking  on  some  friendly  shore  that  safety 
which  it  "was  plain  he  could  hope  for  in  Ireland 
no  longer.  They  at  once  determined  to  share 
his  fortunes,  and  to  take  with  them  into  exile 
their  wives,  children,  relatives,  and  household 
attendants ;  in  fine,  to  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to 
the  "fair  hills  of  holy  Ireland."  The  sad  sequel 
forms  the  subject  of  that  remarkable  work — 
"The  Flight  of  the  Eaj-ls;  or  the  Fate  and  For- 
tunes of  Tyrone  and  Tyrconnell, "  by  the  Rev. 
C.  P.  Meehan,  of  Dublin  ;  a  work  full  of  deep 
and  sorrowful  interest  to  every  student  of  Irish 
history.  I  can  but  briefly  summarize  here,  as 
closely  as  possible  from  various  authorities,  that 
mournful  chapter  in  our  national  annals.  "In  the 
beginning  of  September  1607,  nearly  four  months 
after  the  pretended  discovery  of  St.  Lawrence's 
plot,  O'Neill  was  at  Slane  with  the  lord  deputy, 
Sir  Arthur  Chichester ;  and  they  conferred  rela- 
tive to  a  journey,  which  the  former  was  to  make 
to  London  before  Michaelmas,  in  compliance 
with  a  summons  from  the  king.  "While  here  a 
letter  was  delivered  to  O'Neill  from  one  John 
Bath,  informing  him  thatMaguire  had  arrived  in 
a  French  ship  in  Lough  Swilly."  Sir  John 
Davis,  the  attorney-general  of  that  day,  says : 
"He,  O'Neill,  took  leave  of  the  lord  deputy,  in  a 
more  sad  and  passionate  manner  than  was  usual 
with  him.  From  thence  he  went  to  Mellifont, 
and  Sir  Garrett  Moore's  house,  where  he  wept 
abundantly  when  he  took  his  leave,  giving  a 
solemn  farewell  to  every  child  and  every  servant 
in  the  house,  which  made  them  all  marvel,  be- 
cause in  general  it  was  not  his  manner  to  use 
such  compliments."  On  his  way  northward, 
we  are  told,  he  remained  two  days  at  his  own 
residence  in  Dungannon — it  was  hard  to  quit  the 
old  rooftree  forever!  Thence  he  proceeded 
hastily  (traveling  all  night)  to  Rathmullen,  on 
the  shore  of  Lough  Swilly,  where  he  found 
O'Donnell  and  several  of  his  friends  waiting, 
and  laying  up  stores  in  the  French  ship.  Amid 
a  scene  of  bitter  anguish  the  illustrious  partj' 
soon  embarked;  numbering  fifty  persons  in  all. 


including  attendants  and  domestics.  With 
O'Neill,  in  that  sorrowful  company,  we  are  told, 
went — his  last  countess,  Catherina,  daughter  of 
Maginnis;  his  three  sons,  Hugh,  Baron  of  Dun- 
gannon, John,  and  Brian;  Art  Oge,  the  son  of 
his  brother  Cormac,  and  others  of  his  relatives; 
Ruari,  or  Roderic  O'Donnell,  Earl  of  Tyrconnell; 
Caffa  or  Cathbar,  his  brother,  and  his  sister 
Nuala,  who  was  married  to  Niall  Garve  O'Don- 
nell, but  who  abandoned  her  husband  when  he 
became  a  traitor  to  his  country;  Hugh  O'Don- 
nell, the  earl's  son,  and  other  members  of  his 
family ;  Cuconnaught  Maguire,  and  Owen  Roe 
Mac  Ward,  chief  bard  of  Tyrconnell."  "It  is 
certain,"  say  the  'Four  Masters,'  "that  the  sea 
has  not  borne,  and  the  wind  has  not  wafted  in 
modern  times,  a  number  of  persons  in  one  ship, 
more  eminent,  illustrious,  or  noble  in  point  of 
genealogy,  heroic  deeds,  valor,  feats  of  arms,  and 
brave  achievements,  than  they.  Would  that  God 
had  but  permitted  them,"  continued  the  old 
aniialists,  "to  remain  in  their  patrimonial  inheri- 
tance until  the  children  should  arrive  at  the  age 
of  manhood!  Woe  to  the  heart  that  meditated — 
woe  to  the  mind  that  conceived — woe  to  the 
council  that  recommended  the  project  of  this  ex- 
pedition, without  knowing  whether  they  should 
to  the  end  of  their  lives  be  able  to  return  to  their 
ancient  principalities  and  patrimonies."  "With 
gloomy  looks  and  sad  forebodings,  the  clansmen 
of  Tyrconnell  gazed  upon  that  fated  ship,  'built 
in  th'  eclipse  and  rigged  with  curses  dark,'  as 
she  dropped  down  Lough  Swilly,  and  was  hidden 
behind  the  cliffs  of  Fanad  land.  They  never  saw 
their  chieftains  more."* 

They  sailed  direct  to  Normandy.  On  their  ar- 
rival in  France  the  English  minister  demanded 
their  surrender  as  "rebels;"  but  Henrj'  the 
Fourth  would  not  give  them  up.  Passing  from 
France  through  the  Netherlands,  they  were  re-- 
ceived  with  marked  honors  by  the  Archduke 
Albert.  In  all  the  courts  of  Europe,  as  they 
passed  on  their  way  to  the  Eternal  City,  they 
were  objects  of  attention,  respect,  and  honor 
from  the  various  princes  and  potentates.  But  it 
was  in  that  Rome  to  which  from  the  earliest  date 
their  hearts  fondly  turned — "the  common  asylum 
of  all  Catholics, "  as  it  is  called  in  the  epitaph  on, 


*  Mitcliel. 


uo 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


^•oung  HughO'NeiU's  tomb — that  the  illustrious 
fugitives  were  received  with  truest,  warmest,  and 
teuderest  welcome.  Everj'  mark  of  affection, 
every  honorable  distinction,  was  conferred  upon 
them  by  the  venerable  pope,  Pius  the  Fifth,  who, 
in  common  with  all  the  prelates  and  princes  of 
Christendom,  regarded  them  as  confessors  of  the 
faith.  In  conjunction  with  the  King  of  Spain, 
the  holy  father  assigned  to  each  of  them  a  liberal 
annual  pension  for  their  support  in  a  manner  be- 
fitting their  royal  birth  and  princely'  state  in 
their  lost  country.  Through  many  a  year,  to 
them,  or  to  other  distinguished  Irish  exiles,  the 
papal  treasury  afforded  a  generous  and  princely 
bount3'. 

But  those  illustrious  exiles  drooped  in  the  for- 
•eign  climes,  and  soon,  one  by  one,  were  laid  in 
foreign  graves.  Ruari,  Earl  of  Tyrconnell,  died 
July  28,  1608.-  His  brother,  Caffar,  died  on  the 
17th  of  the  following  September.  Maguire  died 
at  Genoa  on  his  way  to  Spain,  on  the  12th  of  the 
previous  month^ — August,  1G08.  Young  Hugh 
O'Neill,  Baron  of  Dungaunon  (son  of  O'Neill), 
died  about  a  year  afterward,  on  September  23, 
1G09,  in  the  twenty -fourth  year  of  his  age. 
Thus,  in  the  short  space  of  two  years  after  the 
flight  from  Ireland,  the  aged  Prince  of  Ulster 
found  himself  almost  the  last  of  that  illustrious 
company  now  left  on  earth.  Bowed  down  with 
years  and  sorrows,  his  soul  wrung  with  anguish 
as  each  day's  tidings  from  distant  Ireland 
brought  news  of  the  unparalleled  miseries  and 
oppressions  scourging  his  faithful  people,  he 
wandered  from  court  to  court,  "eating  his 
heart,  "for  eight  5'ears.*  "Who  can  imagine  or 
describe  with  what  earnest  passion  he  pleaded 
Avith  prelates  and  princes,  and  besought  them  to 
think  upon  the  wrongs  of  Ireland.  "Ha!"  (ex- 
claims one  of  the  writers  from  whom  I  have  been 

*  Of  all  his  sons,  but  two  now  survived,  Conn  and  Henry. 
The  latter  was  page  to  tlie  Archduke  Albert  in  the  Low 
Countries,  and,  like  his  father,  was  beset  by  English  spies. 
When  the  old  chieftain  died  at  Rome  it  was  quickly  per- 
ceived the  removal  of  Henry  would  greatly  free  England 
from  her  nightmare  apprehensions  about  the  O'Neills.  So 
the  youthful  prince  was  one  morning  found  strangled  in 
his  bed  at  Brussels.  The  murder  was  enveloped  in  the 
profoundest  mystery  ;  1)ut  uo  one  was  at  a  loss  to  divine  its 
cause  and  design.  Henry  had  already,  by  his  singular 
ability,  and  by  certain  movements  duly  reported  by  the 
spies,  given  but  too  much  ground  for  concluding  that  if  he 
lived  he  would  yet  be  dangerous  in  Ireland. 


summarizing),  "if  he  had  sped  in  that  mission  of 
vengeance — if  he  had  persuaded  Paul  or  Philip 
to  give  him  some  ten  thousand  Italians  or  Span- 
iards, how  it  would  have  fluttered  those  English 
in  their  dovecotes  to  behold  his  ships  standing 
up  Lough  Fojde  with  the  Bl£)ody  Hand  dis- 
played.* But  not  so  was  it  written  in  the  Book. 
No  potentate  in  Europe  was  willing  to  risk  such 
a  force  as  was  needed."  To  deepen  the  gloom 
that  shrouded  the  evening  of  his  life,  he  lost  his 
sight,  became  totally  blind  and,  like  another 
Belisarius,  tottered  mournfully  to  the  grave;  the 
world  on  this  side  of  which  was  now  in  every 
sense  all  dark  to  him.  On  July  20,  1616,  the 
aged  and  heart-crushed  prince  passed  from  this 
earthly  scene  to  realms — 

"  where  souls  are  free; 

Where  tyrants  taint  not  nature's  bliss." 

It  was  at  Rome  he  died,  and  the  holy  father 
ordered  him  a  public  funeral ;  directing  arrange- 
ments to  be  forthwith  made  for  celebrating  his 
obsequies  on  a  scale  of  grandeur  such  as  is  ac- 
corded only  to  royal  princes  and  kings.  The 
world  that  bows  in  worship  before  the  altar  of 
Success  turns  from  the  falling  and  the  fallen ; 
but  Rome,  the  friend  of  the  weak  and  the  unfor- 
tunate, never  measured  its  honors  to  nations  or 
princes  by  the  standard  of  their  worldly  fortunes. 
So  the  English,  who  would  fain  have  stricken 
those  illustrious  fugitives  of  Ireland  from  fame 
and  memory,  as  they  had  driven  them  from  home 
and  country,  gnashed  their  teeth  in  rage  as  they 
saw  all  Christendom  assigning  to  the  fallen  Irish 
princes  an  exalted  place  among  the  martyi-- 
heroes  of  Christian  patriotism!  On  the  hill  of 
the  Janiculum,  in  the  Franciscan  church  of  San 
Pietro  di  Montorio,  they  laid  the  Prince  of  Ul- 
ster in  the  grave  which,  a  few  years  before,  had 
been  opened  for  his  son,  beside  the  last  resting- 
place  of  the  Tyrconnell  chiefs.  Side  by  side 
they  had  fought  through  life ;  side  by  side  they 

*  In  all  his  movements  on  the  continent  he  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  crowd  of  English  spies,  whose  letters  and  re- 
ports, now  in  the  State  Paper  Office,  give  minute  and  sin- 
gularly interesting  information  respecting  his  manners, 
habits,  conversations,  etc.  One  of  them  mentions  that  in 
the  evenings,  after  dining,  if  the  aged  prince  were  "  warm 
with  wine,"  he  had  but  one  topic  ;  his  face  would  glow, 
and  .striking  the  table,  he  would  assert  that  they  would 
"have  a  good  day  yet  in  Ireland."    Alas  1 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


141 


now  sleep  in  death.  Above  the  grave  where  rest 
the  ashes  of  those  heroes  many  an  Irish  pilgrim 
has  knelt,  and  prayed,  and  wept.  In  the  calm 
evening,  when  the  sunbeams  slant  upon  the 
stones  below,  the  fathers  of  St.  Francis  often  see 
some  figure  prostrate  upon  the  tomb,  which  as 
often  they  find  wetted  by  the  tears  of  the 
mourner.  Then  they  know  that  some  exiled 
■child  of  Ireland  has  sought  and  found  the  spot 
made  sacred  and  holy  for  him  and  all  his  nation 
by  ten  thousand  memories  of  mingled  grief  and 
glory.  * 

There  is  not  perhaps  in  the  elegiac  poetrj''  of 
•any  language  anj^thiug  worthy  of  comparison 
with  the  "Lament  for  the  Princess  of  Tyrone  and 
Tyrconnell, "  composed  by  the  aged  and  venerable 
bard  of  O'Donnell,  Owen  Roe  Mac  Ward.  In  this 
noble  burst  of  sorrow,  rich  in  plaintive  eloquence 
and  in  all  the  beauty  of  true  poesy,  the  bard  ad- 
dresses himself  to  Lady  Nuala  O'Donnell  and  her 
•attendant  mourners  at  the  grave  of  the  princes. 
Happily,  of  this  peerless  poem  we  possess  a  trans- 
lation into  English,  of  which  it  is  not  too  much 
to  say  that  it  is  in  every  sense  worthy  of  the 
•original,  to  which  it  adheres  with  great  fidelity, 
while  preserving  all  the  spirit  and  tenderness  of 
the  Gaelic  idiom.  I  allude  to  Mangan's  admi- 
rable translation,  from  which  I  take  the  following 
passages : 


*  Some  eigLteeu  years  ago  a  liorrible  desecration  well- 
nigh  destroyed  forever  all  identification  of  the  grave  so 
dear  to  Irishmen.  The  Eternal  City — the  sanctuary  of 
Christendom — was  sacrilegiously  violated  by  invaders  as 
lawless  and  abhorrent  as  Alaric  and  his  followers — the  Car- 
bonari of  modern  Europe;  led  by  Mazzini  and  Garibaldi. 
The  churches  were  profaned,  the  tombs  were  rifled,  and 
the  church  of  San  Pietro  di  Montorio  was  convertedhy  Oari- 
•haldi  into  cavalry  stables!  The  trampling  of  the  horses  de- 
stroyed or  effaced  many  of  the  tombstones,  and  the  Irish  in 
the  city  gave  up  all  hope  of  safety  for  the  one  so  sacred  in 
their  eyes.  Happily,  however,  when  Rome  had  been  res- 
cued by  France  on  behalf  of  the  Christian  world,  and  when 
the  filth  and  litter  had  been  cleared  away  from  the  dese- 
crated church,  the  tomb  of  the  Irish  princes  was  found  to 
Lave  escaped  with  very  little  permanent  injury.  Some 
there  are,  who,  perhaps,  do  not  understand  the  sentiment 
— the  principle — which  claims  Rome  as  belonging  to  Chris- 
tendom— not  to  "Italy,"  or  France,  or  Austria,  or  Naples. 
But  in  truth  and  fact,  Rome  represents  not  only  "  God's 
acre"  of  the  world,  but  is  the  repository  of  priceless  treas- 
ures, gifts,  and  relics,  which  belong  in  common  to  all 
■Christian  peoples,  and  which  they  are  bound  to 
;guard. 


"O  woman  of  the  piercing  wail! 

"Who  mournest  o'er  yon  mound  of  clay 
With  sigh  and  groan, 
Would  God  thou  wert  among  the  Gael! 
Thou  wouldst  not  then  from  day  to  day 
Weep  thus  alone. 
'Twere  long  before,  around  a  grave 
In  green  Tyrconnell,  one  would  find 
This  loneliness; 
Near  where  Beann-Boirche's  banners  wave, 
Such  grief  as  thine  could  ne'er  have  pined 
Companionless. 

"Beside  the  wave,  in  Donegal, 

In  Antrim's  glens,  or  fair  Dromore, 
Or  Killilee, 
Or  where  the  sunny  waters  fall 
At  Assaroe,  near  Erna's  shore, 
This  could  not  be. 
On  Derry's  plains — in  rich  Drumclieff — 
Throughout  Armagh  the  Great,  renowned 
In  olden  years. 
No  day  could  pass,  but  woman's  grief 
Would  rain  upon  the  burial-ground 
Fresh  floods  of  tears ! 

"O  no! — from  Shannon,  Boyne,  and  Suir, 
From  high  Dunluce's  castle  walls. 
From  Lissadill, 
Would  flock  alike  both  rich  and  poor. 

One  wail  would  rise  from  Cruachan's  halls 
To  Tara's  hill; 
And  some  would  come  from  Barrow  side, 
And  many  a  maid  would  leave  her  home 
On  Leitrim's  plains. 
And  by  melodious  Banna's  tide. 

And  by  the  Mourne  and  Erne,  to  come 
And  swell  thj'  strains! 

"Two  princes  of  the  line  of  Conn 
Sleep  in  their  cells  of  clay  beside 
O'Donnell  Roe ; 
Three  royal  youths,  alas!  are  gone. 
Who  lived  for  Erin's  weal,  but  died 
For  Erin's  woe! 
Ah !  could  the  men  of  Ireland  read 

The  names  these  noteless  burial  stones 
Display  to  view, 
Their  wounded  hearts  afresh  would  bleed. 
Their  tears  gush  forth  again,  their  groans 
Resound  anew ! 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


'And  vrho  can  marvel  o'er  thy  grief. 
Or  who  can  blame  thy  flowing  tears. 
That  knows  their  source? 
O'Donnell,  Danuasava's  chief. 
Cut  off  amid  his  vernal  years. 
Lies  here  a  corse, 
Beside  his  brother  Cathbar,  whom 
Tyrconnell  of  the  Helmets  mourns 
In  deep  despair — 
For  valor,  truth,  and  comely  bloom, 
For  all  that  greatens  and  adorns, 
A  peerless  pair. 

'  When  high  the  shout  of  battle  rose 

On  fields  where  Freedom's  torch  still  burned 
Through  Erinu's  gloom, 
If  one — if  barely  one — of  those 

Were  slain,  all  Ulster  would  have  mourned 
The  hero's  doom! 
If  at  Athboy,  where  hosts  of  brave 
Ulidian  horsemen  sank  beneath 
The  shock  of  spears. 
Young  Hugh  O'Neill  had  found  a  grave. 
Long  must  the  North  have  wept  his  death 
With  heart-wrung  tears! 

'What  do  I  say?    Ah,  woe  is  me! 
Already  we  bewail  in  vain 
Their  fatal  fall ! 
And  Erinn,  once  the  Great  and  Free, 
Now  vainly  mourns  her  breakless  chain 
And  iron  thrall! 
Then,  daughter  of  O'Donnell,  dry 
Thine  overflowing  eyes,  and  turn 
Thy  heart  aside. 
For  Adam's  race  is  born  to  die. 
And  sternly  the  sepulchral  urn. 
Mocks  human  pride ! 

'Look  not,  nor  sigh,  for  earthly  throne. 
Nor  place  thy  trust  in  arm  of  clay ; 
But  on  thy  knees 
Uplift  thy  soul  to  God  alone. 

For  all  things  go  their  destined  way 
As  He  decrees. 
Embrace  the  faithful  crucifix, 

And  seek  the  path  of  pain  and  prayer 
Thy  Savior  trod ; 
Nor  let  thy  spirit  intermix 

With  earthly  hope  and  worldly  care 
Its  groans  to  God! 


"And  Thou,  O  mighty  Lord!  whose  ways 
Are  far  above  our  feeble  minds 
To  understand; 
Sustain  us  in  those  doleful  days. 

And  render  light  the  chain  that  binds 
Our  fallen  land ! 
Look  down  upon  our  dreary  state. 
And  through  the  ages  that  may  still 
Boll  sadly  on. 
Watch  Thou  o'er  hapless  Erinn 's  fate. 
And  shield  at  last  from  darker  ill 
The  blood  of  Conn!" 

There  remains  now  but  to  trace  the  fortunes; 
of  O 'Sullivan,  the  last  of  O'Neill's  illustrious, 
companions  in  arms.  The  special  vengeance  of 
England  marked  Donal  for  a  fatal  distinction, 
among  his  fellow  chiefs  of  the  ruined  confeder- 
acy. He  was  not  included  in  the  amnesty  set- 
tled by  the  treaty  of  Mellifont.  We  may  be  sur& 
it  was  a  sore  thought  for  O'Neill  that  he  could 
not  obtain  for  a  friend  so  true  and  tried  as  O 'Sul- 
livan, participation  in  the  terms  granted  to  him- 
self and  other  of  the  Northern  chieftains.  But 
the  government  was  inexorable.  The  Northerns 
had  yet  some  power  left;  from  the  Southern 
chiefs  there  now  was  nought  to  fear.  So,  we  are- 
told,  "there  was  no  pardon  for  O'Sullivan." 
Donal  accompanied  O'Neill  to  London  the  year- 
succeeding  James'  accession ;  but  he  could  obtain 
no  relaxation  of  the  policy  decreed  against  him. 
He  returned  to  Ireland  only  to  bid  it  an  eternal 
farewell!  Assembling  all  that  now  remained  to- 
him  of  family  and  kindred,  he  sailed  for  Spain 
A.D.  1604.  He  was  received  with  all  honor  by 
King  Philip,  who  forthwith  created  him-  a 
grandee  of  Spain,  knight  of  the  military  order  of 
St.  lago,  and  subsequently  Earl  of  Bearhaven. 
The  king,  moreover,  assigned  to  him  a  pension 
of  "three  hundred  pieces  of  gold  monthly." 
The  end  of  this  illustrious  exile  was  truly  tragic. 
His  young  son,  Donal,  had  a  quarrel  with  an: 
ungrateful  Anglo-Irishman  named  Bath,  to  whom 
the  old  chief  had  been  a  kind  benefactor.  Young- 
Donal 's  cousin,  Philip — the  author  of  the  "His- 
torite  CatholiccS  Iberniae" — interfered  with  medi- 
ative  intentions,  when  Bath  drew  his  sword, 
uttering  some  grossly  insulting  observations 
against  the  O'Sullivans.  Philip  and  he  at  once 
attacked  each  other,  but  the  former  soon  over- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


143 


powered  Bath,  and  would  have  slain  him  but  for 
the  interposition  of  friends ;  for  all  this  had  oc- 
curred at  a  royal  monastei'y  in  the  suburbs  of 
Madrid,  within  the  precincts  of  which  it  was  a 
capital  offense  to  engage  in  such  a  combat.  The 
parties  were  separated.  Bath  was  drawn  off, 
wounded  in  the  face,  when  he  espied  not  far  olf 
the  old  chieftain,  O'Sullivan  Beare,  returning 
from  mass,  at  which  that  morning,  as  was  his 
wont,  he  had  received  holy  communion.  He 
was  pacing  slowly  along,  unaware  of  what  had 
happened.  His  head  was  bent  upon  his  breast, 
he  held  in  his  hands  his  gloves  and  his  rosary 
beads,  and  appeared  to  be  engaged  in  mental 
prayer.  Bath,  filled  with  fury,  rushed  suddenly 
behind  the  aged  lord  of  Bear,  and  ran  him 
through  the  body.  O'Sullivan  fell  to  earth; 
they  raised  him  up — he  was  dead.  Thus  mourn- 
fully perished,  in  the  fifty-seventh  year  of  his 
age,  Donal,  the  "Last  Lord  of  Beare,"  as  he  is 
most  frequently  styled,  a  man  whose  personal 
virtues  and  public  worth  won  for  him  the  esteem 
and  affection  of  all  his  contemporaries. 

His  nephew  Philip  became  an  officer  in  the 
Spanish  navy,  and  is  known  to  literarj'  fame  as 
the  author  of  the  standard  work  of  history  which 
bears  his  name,  as  well  as  of  several  publications 
of  lesser  note.  Young  Donal,  son  of  the  mur- 
dered chieftain,  entered  the  army  and  fell  at  Bel- 
grade, fighting  against  the  Turks.  The  father  of 
Philip  the  historian  (Dermod,  brother  of  Donal, 
Prince  of  Bear)  died  at  Corunna,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  a  hundred  years,  and  was  followed 
to  the  grave  soon  after  by  his  long-wedded  wife : 

"Two  pillars  of  a  ruined  aisle — two  old  trees  of 
the  land ; 

Two  voyagers  on  a  sea  of  grief ;  long  suff'rers 
hand  in  hand. " 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

▲  MEMORABLE  EPOCH  HOW  MILESIAN  IRELAND  FINALLY 

DISAPPEARED    FROM    HISTORY;  AND    HOW    A  NEW 

IRELAND  IRELAND   IN   EXILE  APPEARED  FOR  THE 

FIRST  TIME  HOW  "PLANTATIONS"  OF  FOREIGNERS 

WERE  DESIGNED  FOR  THE  "COLONIZATION"  OF 
IRELAND,  AND  THE  EXTIRPATION  OF  THE  NATIVE 
RACE. 

I  HAVE  narrated  at  very  considerable  length  the 
events  of  that  period  of  Irish  history  with  which 


the  name  of  Hugh  O'Neill  is  identified.  I  have 
done  so,  because  that  era  was  one  of  most 
peculiar  importance  to  Ireland ;  and  it  is  greatly 
necessarj'  for  Irishmen  to  »fully  understand 
and  appreciate  the  momentous  meaning  of  its 
results.  The  war  of  1599-1602  was  the  last 
struggle  of  the  ancient  native  rule  to  sustain 
itself  against  the  conquerors  and  the  jurisdiction 
of  their  civil  and  religious  code.  Thenceforth — ■ 
at  least  for  two  hundred  years  subsequently — the 
wars  in  Ireland  which  eventuated  in  completing 
the  spoliation,  ruin,  and  extinction  of  the  native 
nobility,  were  wars  in  behalf  of  the  English  sov- 
ereign as  the  rightful  sovereign  of  Ireland  also. 
Never  more  in  Irish  history  do  we  find  the 
authority  of  the  ancient  native  dynasties  set  up, 
recognized,  and  obeyed.  Never  more  do  we  find 
the  ancient  laws  and  judicature  undisturbedly 
prevailing  in  any  portion  of  the  land.  With  the 
flight  of  the  Northern  chieftains  all  claims  of 
ancient  native  dynasties  to  sovereignty  of  power, 
rights,  or  privileges,  disappeared,  never  once  to 
reappear;  and  the  ancient  laws  and  constitution 
of  Ireland,  the  venerable  code  that  had  come 
down  inviolate  through  the  space  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred years,  vanished  totally  and  forever!  Taking 
leave,  therefore,  of  the  chapter  of  history  to 
which  I  have  devoted  so  much  space,  we  bid 
farewell  to  Milesian  Ireland — Ireland  claiming  to 
be  ruled  by  its  own  native  princes,  and  hence- 
forth have  to  deal  with  Ireland  as  a  kingdom 
subject  to  the  Scotto-English  sovereign. 

The  date  at  which  we  have  arrived  is  one  most 
remarkable  in  our  history  in  other  respects  also. 
If  it  witnessed  the  disappearance  of  Milesian  Ire- 
land, it  witnessed  the  first  appearance  in  history 
of  that  other  Ireland,  which  from  that  day  to  the 
present  has  been  in  so  great  a  degree  the  hope 
and  the  glorj'  of  the  parent  nation — a  rainbow 
set  in  the  tearful  sky  of  its  captivity — Ireland  in 
exile!  In  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury "the  Irish  abroad"  are  first  heard  of  as  a 
distinct  political  element.  The  new  power  thus 
born  into  the  world  was  fated  to  perform  a  great 
and  marvelous  part  in  the  designs  of  Providence. 
It  has  endured  through  the  shock  of  centuries — 
has  outlived  the  rise  and  fall  of  dynasties  and 
states — has  grown  into  gigantic  size  and  shape; 
and  in  the  influence  it  exercises  at  this  moment 
on  the  course  anu  policy  of  England,  affords,  I'er- 


U4  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


haps,  the  most  remarkable  illusti'ation  recorded 
outside  Holy  Writ,  of  the  iuevitability  of  retribu- 
tive justice.  To  expel  tlie  people  of  Ireland  from 
their  own  country,  to  thrust  them  out  as  outcast 
wanderers  and  exiles  all  over  the  world — to  seize 
their  homes  and  possess  their  heritage,  will  be 
found  to  have  been  for  centuries  the  policy,  the 
aim,  and  untiring  endeavor  of  the  English  gov- 
ernment. The  scheme  which  we  are  about  to  see 
King  James  prosecuting  (Munster  witnessed  its 
inauguration  in  the  previous  reign)  has  ever 
since  haunted  the  English  mind;  namely,  the 
expulsion  of  the  native  Irish  race,  and  the 
"planting"  or  "colonizing"  of  their  country  by 
English  settlers.  The  history  of  the  world  has 
no  parallel  for  such  a  design,  pursued  so  relent- 
lessly through  such  a  great  space  of  time.  But 
God  did  not  more  signally  preserve  His  chosen 
people  of  the  Old  Law  than  He  has  preserved  the 
Irish  nation  in  captivity  and  in  exile.  They 
have  not  melted  away,  as  the  calculations  of  their 
evictors  anticipated.  They  have  not  become 
fused  or  transformed  by  time  or  change.  They 
have  not  perished  where  all  ordinary  probabili- 
ties threatened  to  the  human  race  impossibility  of 
existence.  Prosperity  and  adversity  in  their 
new  homes  have  alike  failed  to  kill  in  their 
hearts  the  sentiment  of  nationality,  the  holy 
love  of  Ireland,  the  resolution  of  fulfilling  their 
destiny  as  the  Heraclidse  of  modern  history. 
They  preserve  to-day,  all  over  the  world,  their 
individuality  as  markedly  as  the  children  of  Israel 
did  theirs  in  Babylon  or  in  Egypt. 

The  flight  of  the  earls  threw  all  the  hungry  ad- 
venturers into  ecstacies!  Now,  at  least,  there 
would  be  plunder.  The  vultures  flapped  their 
wings  and  whetted  their  beaks.  Prey  in  abun- 
dance was  about  to  be  flung  them  by  the  royal 
hand.  To  help  still  further  the  schemes  of  con- 
fiscation now  being  matured  in  Dublin  Castle, 
Sir  Cahir  O'Doherty— who  had  been  a  queen's 
man  most  dutifully  so  far — was  skillfully  pushed 
into  a  revolt  which  afforded  the  necessary  pretext 
for  adding  the  entire  peninsula  of  Innishowen  to 
the  area  of  "plantation."  Ulster  was  now  par- 
celled out  into  lots,  and  divided  among  court 
favorites  and  clamoring  "undertakers;"  the 
ownei's  and  occupiers,  the  native  inhabitants,  be- 
ing as  little  regarded  as  the  wild  grouse  on  the 


hills!  The  guilds,  or  trade  companies  of  Lon- 
don, got  a  vast  share  of  plunder;  something  like 
one  hundred  and  ten  thousand  acres  of  the  rich- 
est lauds  of  the  O'Neills  and  O'Donnells — lands 
Avhich  the  said  London  companies  hold  to  this  day. 
To  encourage  and  maintain  these  "plantations," 
various  privileges  were  conferred  upon  or  offered 
to  the  "colonists;"  the  conditions  required  of 
them  on  the  other  hand  being  simply  to  exclude 
or  kill  off  the  owners,  to  hunt  down  the  native 
population  as  they  would  any  other  wild  game ; 
and,  above  all,  to  banish  and  keep  out  "popery. " 
In  fine,  they  and  their  "heirs,  executors,  admin- 
istrators, and  assigns,"  were  to  garrison  the 
country — to  consider  themselves  a  standing  army 
of  occupation  in  the  English  Protestant  interest. 

For  two  hundred  years  of  history  we  shall  find 
that  "colonized"  province,  and  the  "colonists" 
generally,  endowed,  nursed,  petted,  protected, 
privileged — the  especial  care  of  the  English  gov- 
ernment— while  the  hapless  native  population 
were,  during  the  same  period,  proscribed,  "dead 
in  law, ' '  forbidden  to  trade,  forbidden  to  edu- 
cate, forbidden  to  own  property ;  for  each  which 
prohibition,  and  many  besides  to  a  like  intent, 
acts  of  parliament,  with  "day  and  date,  word 
and  letter, ' "  may  be  cited. 

So  great  was  the  excitement  created  among  the 
needy  and  greedy  of  all  classes  in  England  by 
the  profuse  dispensations  of  splendid  estates, 
rich,  fertile,  and  almost  at  their  own  doors,  that 
the  millions  of  acres  in  Ulster  were  soon  all  gone ; 
and  still  there  were  crowds  of  hungry  adventur- 
ers yelling  for  "more,  more!"  James  soon  found 
a  way  for  providing  "more."  He  constituted  a 
roving  commission  of  inquiry  into  "defective 
titles, "  as  he  was  pleased  to  phrase  it — a  per- 
ipatetic inquisition  on  the  hunt  for  spoil.  The 
commissioners  soon  reported  three  hundred  and 
eighty -five  thousand  acres  in  Leinster  as  "dis- 
covered," inasmuch  as  the  "titles"  were  not  such 
as  ought  (in  their  judgment)  to  stand  in  the  way 
of  his  majesty's  designs.  The  working  of  this 
commission  need  scarcely  be  described.  Even 
the  historian,  Leland,  who  would  have  been  its 
apologist  if  he  could,  tells  us  there  were  not 
wantin'g  "proofs  of  the  most  iniquitous  practices, 
of  hardened  cruelty,  of  vile  perjury,  and  scanda- 
lous subornation,  employed  to  despoil  the  unfor- 
tunate proprietor  of  his  inheritance."    Old  and 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


U5 


obsolete  claims,  we  are  told,  some  of  them  dating 
as  far  back  as  Henry  the  Second,  were  revived, 
and  advantage  was  taken  of  the  most  trivial  flaws 
and  minute  informalities.  In  the  midst  of  his 
plundering  and  colonizing  James  died,  March  27, 
1G25,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Charles. 
Bitterly  as  the  Irish  Catholics  had  been  unde- 
ceived as  to  James'  friendly  dispositions,  they 
gave  themselves  up  more  warmly  than  ever  to 
the  belief  that  the  young  prince  now  just  come  to 
the  throne  would  afford  them  justice,  tolerance, 
and  protection.  And  here  we  have  to  trace  a 
chapter  of  cruelest  deceit,  fraud,  and  betrayal  of 
a  too  confiding  people.  The  king  and  his  favor- 
ite ministers  secretly  encouraged  these  expecta- 
tions. Charles  needed  money  sorely,  and  his 
Irish  representative,  Lord  Faulkland,  told  the 
Catholic  lords  that  if  they  would  present  to  his 
majesty,  as  a  voluntary  subsidy,  a  good  round 
sum  of  money,  he  would  grant  them  certain  pro- 
tections or  immunities,  called  "royal  graces"  in 
the  records  of  the  time.  "The  more  important 
were  those  which  provided 'that  recusants  should 
be  allowed  to  practice  in  the  courts  of  law,  and 
to  cue  out  the  livery  of  their  lands  on  taking  an 
oath  of  civil  allegiance  in  lieu  of  the  oath  of 
supremacy ;  that  the  undertakers  in  the  several 
plantations  should  have  time  allowed  them  to  ful- 
fill the  condition  of  their  tenures;  that  the 
claims  of  the  crown  should  be  limited  to  the  last 
sixty  years;  and  that  the  inhabitants  of  Con- 
naught  should  be  permitted  to  make  a  new  enrol- 
ment of  their  estates. '  The  contract  was  duly 
ratified  by  a  royal  proclamation,  in  which  the 
concessions  were  accompanied  by  a  promise  that 
a©  parliament  should  be  held  to  confirm  them. 
The  first  instalment  of  the  monej'  was  paid,  and 
the  Irish  agents  returned  home,  but  only  to  learn 
that  an  order  had  been  issued  against 'the  popish 
regular  clergy, '  and  that  the  royal  promise  was 
to  be  evaded  in  the  most  shameful  manner. 
When  the  Catholics  pressed  for  the  fulfillment  of 
the  compact,  the  essential  formalities  for  calling 
an  Irish  parliament  were  found  to  have  been 
omitted  by  the  officials,  and  thus  the  matter  fell 
to  the  ground  for  the  present."* 

In  other  words,  the  Irish  Catholics  were  royally 
swindled.    The  miserable  Charles  pocketed  the 


•  M'Gee. 


money,  and  then  pleaded  that  certain  of  the 
"graces"  were  very  "unreasonable."  He  found 
that  already  the  mere  suspicion  of  an  inclination 
on  his  part  to  arrest  the  progress  of  persecution 
and  plunder  was  arousing  and  inflaming  against 
him  the  fanatical  Calvinistic  section  of  English 
Protestantism,  while  his  high-handed  assertions 
of  royal  prerogative  were  daily  bringing  him 
into  more  dangerous  conflict  with  his  English 
parliament.  To  complete  the  complications  sur- 
rounding him,  the  attempts  to  force  Episcopalian 
Protestantism  on  the  Calvinistic  Scots  led  to 
open  revolt.  A  Scottish  rebel  army*  took  the 
field,  demanding  that  the  attempt  to  extend 
Episcopacy  into  Scotland  should  be  given  up, 
and  that  Calvinistic  Presbyterianism  should  be 
acknowledged  as  the  established  religion  of  that 
kingdom.  Charles  marshaled  an  army  to  march 
against  them.  The  parliament  would  not  vote 
him  supplies — indeed  the  now  dominant  party  in 
parliament  sympathized  with  and  encouraged  the 
rebels;  but  Charles,  raising  money  as  best  he 
could,  proceeded  northward.  Nevertheless,  he 
appears  to  have  recoiled  from  the  idea  of  spilling 
the  blood  of  his  countrymen  for  a  consideration 
of  spiritual  supremacy.  He  came  to  an  arrange- 
ment with  the  rebel  "Covenanters"  granting  to 
them  the  liberty  of  conscience — nay,  religious 
supremacy — which  they  demanded,  and  even 
paying  their  army  for  a  portion  of  the  time  it 
was  under  service  in  the  rebellion. 

All  this  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  deepest  at- 
tention of  the  Irish  Catholic  nobility  and  gentry, 
who  found  themselves  in  far  worse  plight  than 
that  which  had  moved  the  Calvinistic  Scots  to 
successful  rebellion.  Much  less  indeed  than  had 
been  conceded  to  the  rebel  Covenanters  would 
satisfy  them.  They  did  not  demand  that  the 
Catholic  religion  should  be  set  up  as  the  estab- 
lished creed  in  Ireland;  they  merely  asked  that 
the  sword  of  persecution  should  not  be  bared 
against  it;  and  for  themselves  they  sought  noth- 
ing beyond  protection  as  good  citizens  in  person 
and  property,  and  simple  equality  of  civil  rights. 
Wentworth,  Charles'  representative  in  Ireland, 
had  been  pursuing  against  them  a  course  of  the 
most  scandalous  and  heartless  robbery,  pushing 

*  Often  called  "Covenanters,"  from  tlieir  demands  or 
articles  of  confederation  in  tlie  rebellion  being  called  their, 
"solemn  league  and  covenant." 


146 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


on  the  operations  of  the  commission  of  inquiry 
into  defective  titles.  "He  commenced  the  work 
of  plunder  with  Roscommon,  and  as  a  prelimi- 
nary step,  directed  the  sheriff  to  select  such 
jurors  as  might  be  made  amenable,  'in  case 
they  should  prevaricate;'  or,  in  other  words, 
thej"  might  be  ruined  by  enormous  fines,  if  they 
refused  to  find  a  verdict  for  the  king.  The 
jurors  were  told  that  the  object  of  the  commis- 
sion was  tc  find  'a  clear  and  undoubted  title  in 
the  crown  to  the  province  of  Connaught, '  and  to 
make  them  'a  civil  and  rich  people'  by  means  of 
a  plantation;  for  which  purpose  his  majesty 
should,  of  course,  have  the  lands  in  his  own 
hands  to  distribute  to  fit  and  proper  persons. 
Under  threats  which  could  not  be  misunder- 
stood, the  jury  found  for  the  king,  whereupon 
Wentworth  commended  the  foreman.  Sir  Lucas 
Dillon,  to  his  majesty,  that  'he  might  be  remem- 
bered upon  the  dividing  of  the  lands, '  and  also 
obtained  a  competent  reward  for  the  judges. 

"Similar  means  had  a  like  success  in  Mayo 
and  Sligo ;  but  when  it  came  to  the  turn  of  the 
more  wealthy  and  populous  county  of  Galway, 
the  jury  refused  to  sanction  the  nefarious  robbery 
by  their  verdict.  Wentworth  was  furious  at  this 
rebuff,  and  the  unhappy  jurors  were  punished 
without  mercy  for  their  'contumacy.'  They 
"were  compelled  to  appear  in  the  castle  chamber, 
where  each  of  them  was  fined  four  thousand 
pounds,  and  their  estates  were  seized  and  they 
themselves  imprisoned  until  these  fines  should  be 
paid,  while  the  sheriff  was  fined  four  thousand 
pounds,  and  being  unable  to  pay  that  sum  died 
in  prison.  "Wentworth  proposed  to  seize  the 
lands,  not  only  of  the  jurors,  but  of  all  the  gentry 
who  neglected  'to  lay  hold  on  his  majesty's 
grace;'  he  called  for  an  increase  of  the  army 
'until  the  intended  plantation  should  be  settled,' 
and  recommended  that  the  counsel  who  argued 
the  cases  against  the  king  before  the  commis- 
sioners should  be  silenced  until  they  took  the 
oath  of  supremacy,  which  was  accordingly  done. 
'The  gentlemen  of  Connaught,'  says  Carte  ("Life 
of  Ormond, "  vol.  i.),  'labored  under  a  particular 
hardship  on  this  occasion ;  for  their  not  having 
enrolled  their  patents  and  surrenders  of  the  13th 
Jacobi  (which  was  what  alone  rendered  their 
titles  defective)  was  not  their  fault,  but  the 
.neglect  of  a  clerk  intrusted  by  them.    For  they 


had  paid  near  three  thousand  pounds  to  the 
officers  in  Dublin  for  the  enrolment  of  these  sur- 
renders and  patents,  which  was  never  made.'  "* 

Meanwhile,  as  I  have  already  described,  the 
Scots,  whose  "grievances"  were  in  nowise  to  be 
compared  with  these,  had  obtained  full  redress 
by  an  armed  demonstration.  It  was  not  to  be 
expected  in  the  nature  of  things  that  events  so 
suggestive  would  be  thrown  away  on  the  spoli- 
ated Catholic  nobles  and  gentry  of  Ireland.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  find  them  about  this  period  con- 
ferring, confederating,  or  conspiring,  on  the 
basis  of  an  Irish  and  Catholic  "solemn  league 
and  covenant" — of  much  more  modest  preten- 
sions, however,  than  the  Scottish  Calvinistic 
original.  Their  movement,  too,  was  still  more 
notably  distinguished  from  that  demonstration 
by  the  most  emphatic  and  explicit  loyalty  to  the 
king,  whom  indeed  they  still  credited  with  just 
and  tolerant  dispositions,  if  freed  from  the  re- 
straint of  the  persecuting  Puritan  faction.  They 
saw,  too,  that  the  king  and  the  parliament  were  at 
utter  issue,  and  judged  that  by  a  bold  com/;  they 
might  secure  for  themselves  royal  recognition 
and  support,  and  turn  the  scale  against  their 
bitter  foes  and  the  king's. 

Moreover,  by  this  time  the  "other  Irish  na- 
tion"— "the  Irish  abroad,"  had  grown  to  be  a 
power.  Already  the  exiles  on  the  continent  pos- 
sessed ready  to  hand  a  considerable  military 
force,  and  a  goodly  store  of  money,  arms,  and 
ammunition.  For  they  had  "not  forgotten  Jeru- 
salem," and  wherever  they  served  or  fought, 
they  never  gave  up  that  hope  of  "a  good  day  yet 
in  Ireland."  The  English  State  Paper  Office 
holds  several  of  the  letters  or  reports  of  the  spies 
retained  by  the  government  at  this  time  to  watch 
their  movements;  and,  singularly  enough,  these 
documents  describe  to  us  a  state  of  things  not 
unlike  that  existing  at  this  day,  toward  the  close 
of  the  nineteenth  century! — the  Irish  in  exile, 
organized  in  the  design  of  returning  and  liberat- 
ing their  native  land,  assessing  themselves  out  of 
their  scanty  pay  for  contributions  to  the  general 
fundlf    The  Irish  abroad  had  moreover,  what 

*  Haverty. 

f  Mr.  Haverty,  the  historian,  quotes  one  of  these  "re- 
ports" which,  as  he  says,  was  first  brought  to  light  in  the 
Nation  newspaper  of  5t!i  of  February,  1859,  having  been 
copied  from  the  original  in  the  State  Paper  Office.    It  is  a 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


147 


•greatly  enhanced  their  military  influence — pres- 
tige.    Already,    they   had   become  honorably 

list  or  return  of  the  names  of  the  "  dangerous  "  Irish  abroad, 
supplied  by  one  of  the  English  spies.  "The  list  begins 
with  Don  Richardo  Burke,  '  a  man  much  experienced  in 
martial  affairs,' and  '  a  good  inginiere.'  He  served  many 
years  under  the  Spaniards  in  Naples  and  the  West  Indies, 
and  was  the  governor  of  Leghorn  for  the  Duke  of  Florence. 
Next  '  Phellomy  O'Neill,  nephew  unto  old  Tyrone,  liveth 
in  great  respect  (in  Milan),  and  is  a  captain  of  a  troop  of 
horse.'  Then  come  James  Rowthe  or  Rothe,  an  al faros  or 
standard-bearer  in  the  Spanish  army,  and  his  brother,  Cap- 
tain John  Rothe,  'a  pensioner  in  Naples,  who  carried  Ty- 
rone out  of  Ireland.'  One  Captain  Solomon  Mac  Da,  a  Ger- 
aldine,  resided  at  Florence,  and  Sir  Thomas  Talbot,  a  knight 
of  Malta,  and  'a  resolute  and  well-beloved  man,'  lived  at 
Naples,  in  which  latter  city  '  there  were  some  other  Irish 
captains  and  officers.'  The  list  then  proceeds.  '  In  Spain, 
Captain  Phellomy  Cavanagh,  son  in-law  to  Donell  Spaniagh, 
serveth  under  the  king  by  sea  ;  Captain  Somlevayne  (O'Sul- 
livan),  a  man  of  noted  courage.  These  live  commonly  at 
Lisbonne,  and  are  sea-captains.  Besides  others  of  the  Irish, 
■Captain  Driscoll,  the  younger,  sonne  to  old  Captain  Dris- 
coll  ;  both  men  reckoned  valourous.  In  the  court  of  Spaine 
liveth  the  sonne  of  Richard  Burke,  which  was  nephew 
untoe  William,  who  died  at  Valladolid  .  .  .  he  is  in  high 
favour  with  the  king,  and  (as  it  is  reported)  is  to  be  made 
a  marquis;  Captain  Toby  Bourke,  a  pensioner  in  the  court 
of  Spain,  another  nephew  of  the  said  William  deceased  ; 
Ca|)tain  John  Bourke  M'Shane,  who  served  long  time  in 
Flanders,  and  now  liveth  on  his  pension  assigned  on  the 
tlroyne.  Captain  Daniell,  a  pensioner  at  Antwerp.  In  the 
Low  Countries,  under  the  Archduke,  John  O'Neill,  sonne 
t)f  the  arch-traitor  Tyrone,  colonel  of  the  Irish  regiment. 
Young  O'Donnell,  sonne  of  the  late  traitorous  Earl  of  Tir- 
xjonnell.  Owen  O'Neill  (Owen  Roe),  serjeant-major  (equiv- 
alent to  the  present  lieutenant-colonel)  of  the  Irish  regi- 
ment. Captain  Art  O'Neill,  Captain  Cormac  O'Neill,  Cap- 
tain Donel  O'Donel,  Captain  Thady  O'Sullivane,  Captain 
Preston,  Captain  Fitz  Gerrott ;  old  Captain  Fitz  Gerrott 
continues  serjeant-major,  now  a  pensioner;  Captain  Ed- 
luond  O'Mor,  Captain  Bryan  O'Kelly,  Captain  Stanihurst, 
Captain  Gorton,  Captain  Daniell,  Captain  Walshe.  There 
are  diver.se  other  captaines  and  officers  of  the  Irish  under 
the  Archduchess  (Isabella),  some  of  whose  companies  are 
cast,  and  they  made  pensioners.  Of  these  serving  under 
the  Archduchess,  there  are  about  one  hundred  able  to  com- 
mand companies,  and  twenty  fit  to  be  colonels.  Many  of 
them  are  descended  of  gentlemen's  families  and  some  of 
noblemen.  These  Irish  soldiers  and  pensioners  doe  stay 
their  resolutions  until  they  see  whether  England  makes 
peace  or  war  with  Spaine.  If  peace,  they  have  practised 
already  with  other  soveraine  princes,  from  whom  they 
have  received  hopes  of  assistance  ;  if  war  doe  ensue,  they 
are  confident  of  greater  ayde.  They  have  been  long  pro- 
viding of  arms  for  any  attempt  against  Ireland,  and  had 
in  readiness  five  or  six  thousand  arms  laid  up  in  Antwerp 
for  that  purpose,  bought  out  of  the  deduction  of  their 
monthly  pay,  as  will  be  proved,  and  it  is  thought  they 
have  doubled  that  proportion  by  these  means.'" 


known  as  "bravest  of  the  brave"  on  the  battle- 
fields of  Spain,  France,  and  the  Netherlands. 

Communications  were  at  once  opened  between 
the  exiles  and  the  confederates  at  home,  the  chief 
agent  or  promoter  of  the  movement  being  a  pri- 
vate gentleman,  Mr.  Roger  O'More,  or  O'Moore, 
a  member  of  the  ancient  family  of  that  name, 
chiefs  of  Leix.  With  him  there  soon  became  as- 
sociated Lord  Maguire,  an  Irish  nobleman,  who 
retained  a  small  fragment  of  the  ancient  patri- 
mony of  his  family  in  Fermanagh;  his  brother 
Roger  Maguire,  Sir  Felim  O'Neill  of  Kinnard, 
Sir  Con  Magennis,  Colonel  Hugh  Oge  Mac  Mahon, 
Very  Rev.  Heber  Mac  Mahon,  Vicar-General  of 
Clogher,  and  a  number  of  others. 

About  May,  Nial  O'Neill  arrived  in  Ireland 
from  the  titular  Earl  of  Tyrone  (John,  son  of 
Hugh  O'Neill),  in  Spain,  to  inform  his  friends 
that  he  had  obtained  from  Cardinal  Richelieu  a 
promise  of  arms,  ammunition,  and  money  for  Ire- 
land when  required,  and  desiring  them  to  hold 
themselves  in  readiness.  The  confederates  sent 
back  the  messenger  with  information  as  to  their 
proceedings,  and  to  announce  that  they  would  be 
prepared  to  rise  a  few  days  before  or  after  All- 
Hallowtide,  according  as  opportunity  answered. 
But  scarcely  was  the  messenger  dispatched  when 
news  was  received  that  the  Earl  of  Tyrone  was 
killed,  and  another  messenger  was  sent  with  all 
speed  into  the  Low  Countries  to  (his  cousin)  Col- 
onel Owen  (Roe)  O'Neill,  who  was  the  next  en- 
titled to  be  their  leader.  "In  the  course  of  Sep- 
tember their  plans  were  matured;  and,  after 
some  changes  as  to  the  day,  the  23d  of  October 
was  finally  fixed  upon  for  the  rising."* 

The  plan  agreed  upon  by  the  confederates  in- 
cluded four  main  features  :  I.  A  rising  after  the 
harvest  was  gathered  in,  and  a  campaign  during 
the  winter  months.  II.  A  simultaneous  attack 
on  one  and  the  same  day  or  night  on  all  the  for- 
tresses within  reach  of  their  friends.  III.  To 
surprise  the  Castle  of  Dublin,  which  was  said  to 
contain  arms  for  twelve  thousand  men.  "All  the 
details  of  this  project  were  carried  successfully 
into  effect,  except  the  seizure  of  Dublin  Castle — ■ 
the  most  difficult,  as  it  would  have  been  the  most 
decisive  blow  to  strike,  "f  The  government, 
which  at  this  time  had  a  cloud  of  spies  on  the 
Continent  watching  the  exiles,  seems  to  have 

*  Haverty.  f  M'Qee. 


148  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


been  in  utter  ignorance  of  this  vast  conspiracy  at 
home,  wrapping  nearly  the  entire  of  three  prov- 
inces, and  which  perfected  all  its  arrangements 
throughout  several  months  of  preparation,  to  the 
knowledge  of  thousands  of  the  population,  with- 
out one  traitorous  Irishman  being  found,  up  to 
the  night  fixed  for  the  simultaneous  movement, 
to  disclose  the  fact  of  its  existence. 

On  the  night  appointed  withoiit  failure  or  mis- 
carriage at  any  point,  save  one,  out  of  all  at 
which  simultaneousness  of  action  was  designed, 
the  confederate  rising  was  accomplished.  In 
one  night  the  people  had  swept  out  of  sight,  if 
not  from  existence,  almost  every  vestige  of  Eng- 
lish rule  throughout  three  provinces.  The  forts 
of  Charlemont  and  Mountjoy,  and  the  town  of 
Dungannon,  were  seized  on  the  night  of  the  22d 
by  Phelim  O'Neill  or  his  lieutenants.  On  the 
next  day.  Sir  Connor  Magenuis  took  the  town  of 
Newrj' ;  the  M'Mahons  possessed  themselves  of 
Carrickmaci;oss  and  Castleblaynej- ;  the  O'Han- 
lous,  Tandragee;  while  Philip  O'Reilly  and 
Roger  Maguire  raised  Cavan  and  Fermanagh.  A 
proclamation  of  the  northern  leaders  appeared 
the  same  day,  dated  from  Dungannon,  setting 
forth  their  "true  intent  and  meaning"  to  be, 
"not  hostility  to  his  majesty  the  king,  nor  to 
any  of  his  subjects,  neither  English  nor  Scotch; 
— but  only  for  the  defense  and  liberty  of  our- 
selves and  the  Irish  natives  of  this  kingdom." 
"A  more  elaborate  manifesto  appeared  shortly 
afterward  from  the  pen  of  O'Moore,  in  which  the 
oppressions  of  the  Catholics  for  conscience'  sake 
were  detailed,  the  king's  intended  graces  ac- 
knowledged, and  their  frustration  by  the  malice 
of  the  Puritan  party  exhibited :  it  also  endeav- 
ored to  show  that  a  common  danger  threatened 
the  Protestants  of  the  Episcopal  Church  with 
Roman  Catholics,  and  asserted  in  the  strongest 
terms  the  devotion  of  the  Catholics  to  the  crown. 
In  the  same  politic  and  tolerant  spirit.  Sir  Con- 
nor Magennis  wrote  from  Newry  on  the  25th  to 
the  officers  commanding  at  Down.  'We  are,'  he 
wrote,  'for  our  lives  and  liberties.  We  desire 
no  blood  to  be  shed ;  but  if  you  mean  to  shed  our 
blood,  be  sure  we  shall  be  as  ready  as  you  for 
that  purpose.'  This  threat  of  retaliation,  so 
customary  in  all  wars,  was  made  on  the  third  day 
of  the  rising,  and  refers  wholly  to  future  con- 
tingencies; the  monstrous  fictions  which  were 


afterwaid  circulated  of  a  wholesale  massacre^ 
committed  on  the  23d,  were  not  as  yet  invented, 
nor  does  any  public  document  or  private  letter 
written  in  Ireland  in  the  last  week  of  October, 
or  during  the  first  days  of  November,  so  much 
as  allude  to  those  tales  of  blood  and  horror  after- 
ward so  industriously  circulated  and  so  greedily 
swallowed. '  '* 

The  one  point  at  which  miscarriage  occurred 
was,  unfortunately  for  the  conspirators,  the  chief 
one  in  their  scheme — Dublin;  and  here  the 
escape  of  the  government  was  narrow  and  close 
indeed.  On  the  night  fixed  for  the  rising,  Octo- 
ber, 23d  one  of  the  Irish  leaders  Colonel  Hugh 
Mac  Mahon,  confided  the  design  to  one  Owen 
Connolly,  whom  he  though  to  be  worthy  of  trust, 
but  who,  however,  happened  to  be  a  follower  of 
Sir  John  Clotworthy,  one  of  the  most  rabid  of 
the  Puritanical  party.  Connolly,  who,  by  the 
way,  was  drunk  at  the  time,  instantly  hurried  to 
the  private  residence  of  one  of  the  lords  justices, 
and  excitedly  proclaimed  to  him  that  that  night 
the  castle  was  to  be  seized,  as  part  of  a  vast  sim- 
ultaneous movement  all  over  the  country.  Sir- 
W.  Parsons,  the  lord  justice,  judging  the  story 
to  be  merely  the  raving  of  a  half -drunken  man, 
was  on  the  point  of  turning  Connolly  out  of 
doors,  when,  fortunately  for  him,  he  thought  it 
better  to  test  the  matter.  He  hurriedly  con- 
sulted his  colleague.  Sir  John  Borlase ;  they  de- 
cided to  double  the  guards,  shut  the  city  gates, 
and  search  the  houses  whe'rein,  according  to  Con- 
nolly's story  the  leaders  of  the  conspiracy  were 
at  that  moment  awaiting  the  hour  of  action. 
Colonel  Mac  Mahon  was  seized  at  his  lodgings, 
near  the  King's  Inns;  Lord  Maguire  was  cap- 
tured next  morning  in  a  house  in  Cooke  Street; 
but  O'Moore,  Plunkett,  and  Byrne,  succeeded  in 
making  good  their  escape  out  of  the  city.  Mac 
Mahon,  on  being  put  to  question  before  the  lords 
justices  in  the  castle,  boldly  avowed  his  part  in 
the  national  movement;  nay,  proudly  gloried  in 
it,  telling  his  questioners  that  let  them  do  what, 
they  might,  their  best  or  their  worst,  with  him, 
"the  rising  was  now  beyond  all  human  power  to 
arrest."  While  the  lords  justices  looked  as- 
tounded, haggard,  and  aghast,  Mac  Mahon,  his. 
face  radiant  with  exultation,  his  form  appearing 


*M'Oee. 


COPYRIGHT,  1898. 


REV.  THEOBALD  MATHEW: 


MDRPHV  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


to  dilate  with  proud  defiance  of  the  bloody  fate 
he  knew  to  be  inevitable  for  himself,  told  them 
to  bear  him  as  soon  as  they  pleased  to  the  block, 
but  that  already  Ireland  had  burst  her  chains! 
Next  day,  they  found  to  their  dismay  that  this 
was  no  empty  vaunt.  Before  forty-eight  hours 
the  whole  structure  of  British  "colonization"  in 
the  North  was  a  wreck.  The  "plantation"  system 
vanished  "like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision;" 
and  while  the  ship  was  bearing  away  to  England 
the  gallant  Mac  Mahon  and  his  hapless  colleague. 
Lord  Maguire  —  that  an  impotent  vengeance 
might  glut  itself  with  their  blood  upon  the  scaf- 
fold— from  all  the  towers  and  steeples  in  the 
north,  joy  bells  were  ringing  merry  peals,  and 
bonfires  blazed,  proclaiming  that  the  spoliators' 
had  been  swept  away,  and  that  the  rightful  own- 
ers enjoyed  their  own  again!  The  people,  with 
the  characteristic  exuberance  of  their  nature, 
gave  themselves  up  to  the  most  demonstrative  joy 
and  exultation.  No  words  can  better  enable  us 
to  realize  the  popular  feeling  at  this  moment 
than  Mr.  Gavan  Duffy's  celebrated  poem,  "The 
Muster  of  the  North:" 

"Joy!  joy!  the  day  is  come  at  last,  the  day  of 

hope  and  pride. 
And,  see!   our   crackling  bonfires   light  old 

Bann's  rejoicing  tide! 
And    gladsome   bell    and   bugle-horn,  from 

Newry's  captured  tow'rs. 
Hark !  how  they  tell  the  Saxon  swine,  this  land 

is  ours — is  oursl 

"Glory  to  God!  my  eyes  have  seen  the  ransomed 

fields  of  Down, 
My  ears  have  drunk  the  joyful  news,  'Stout 

Phelim  hath  his  own. ' 
Oh!  may  they  see  and  hear  no  more,  oh!  may 

they  rot  to  clay. 
When  they  forget  to  triumph  in  the  conquest  of 

to-day. 

"Now,  now,  we'll  teach  the  shameless  Scot  to 
purge  his  thievish  maw ; 

Now,  now,  the  courts  may  fall  to  pray,  for  Jus- 
tice is  the  Law ; 

Now  shall  the  undertaker  square  for  once  his 
loose  accounts. 

We'll  strike,  brave  boys,  a  fair  result  from  all 
his  false  amounts. 


"Come,  trample  down  their  robber  rule,  and 

smite  its  venal  spawn. 
Their  foreign  laws,  their  foreign  church,  their 

ermine  and  their  lawn. 
With  all  the  specious  fry  of  fraud  that  robbed 

us  of  our  own. 
And  plant  our  ancient  laws  again  beneath  our 

lineal  throne. 

"Down  from  the  sacred  hills  whereon  a  saint 

commun'd  with  God, 
Up  from  the  vale  where  Bagnal's  blood  manured 

the  reeking  sod. 
Out  from  the  stately  woods  of  Truagh,  M'Ken- 

na's  plundei'ed  home. 
Like  Malin's  waves,  as  fierce  and  fast,  our 

faithful  clansmen  come. 

"Then,    brethren,    on! — O'Neill's   dear  shade 

would  frown  to  see  you  pause — 
Our  banished  Hugh,  our  martyred  Hugh,  is. 

watching  o'er  your  cause — 
His  generous  error  lost  the  land — he  deemed 

the  Norman  true. 
Oh!  forward,  friends!  it  must  not  lose  the  land 

again  in  you. " 


CHAPTER  LIV. 

HOW  THE  LORDS  JUSTICES  GOT  UP  THE  NEEDFUL  BLOODY 
FUBY  IN    ENGLAND    BY  A  "DREADFUL  MASSACRE" 

STORY  HOW    THE    CONFEDERATION    OF  KILKENNY 

CAME  ABOUT. 

The  Puritanical  party,  which  ever  since  Went- 
worth's  execution  had  the  government  of  Ireland 
in  their  hands,  began  to  consider  that  this  des- 
perate condition  of  their  affairs  rendered  some 
extraordinary  resort  necessary,  if  the  island  was 
not  to  slip  totally  and  forever  from  their  grasp. 
The  situation  was  evidently  one  full  of  peculiar 
difficulty  and  embarrassment  for  them.  The  na- 
tional confederacy,  which  by  this  time  had  most 
of  the  kingdom  in  its  hands,  declared  utmost 
loyalty  to  the  king,  and  in  truth,  as  time  subse- 
quently showed,  meant  him  more  honest  and 
loyal  service  than  those  who  now  surrounded  him. 
as  ministers  and  ofiicials. 

Hence  it  was  more  than  likely  to  be  extremely 
difficult  to  arouse  against  the  Irish  movement 
that  strong  and  general  effusion  of  public  feeling 


350 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


in  England  -whicli  would  result  in  vigorous  action 
against  it.  For  obviously  enough  (so  reasoned 
the  Puritanical  executive  in  Dublin  Castle)  that 
section  of  the  English  nation  which  supports  the 
king  -will  be  inclined  to  side  with  this  Irish 
movement;  they  will  call  it  far  more  justifiable 
and  far  more  loyal  than  that  of  the  rebel  Scotch 
Covenanters;  they  will  counsel  negotiation  with 
its  leaders,  perhaps  the  concession  of  their  de- 
mands; in  any  event  they  will  reprehend  and 
prevent  any  extreme  measures  against  them.  In 
which  case,  of  course,  the  result  must  be  fatal  to 
the  pious  project  of  robbing  the  native  Irish, 
and  "planting"  the  country  with  "colonies"  of 
saintly  plunderers. 

In  this  extremitj'  it  was  discerned  that  there 
was  barely  one  way  of  averting  all  these  dangers 
and  disasters — just  one  way  of  preventing  any 
favorable  opinion  of  the  Irish  movement  taking 
root  in  England — one  sure  way  for  arousing 
against  it  such  a  cry  as  must  render  it  impossi- 
ble for  even  the  king  himself  to  resist  or  refrain 
from  joining  in  the  demand  for  its  suppression 
at  all  hazards.  This  happy  idea  was  to  start  the 
story  of  an  "awful,  bloody,  and  altogether  tre- 
mendous massacre  of  Protestants." 

To  be  sure  they  knew  there  had  been  no  mas- 
sacre— quite  the  contrary ;  but  this  made  little 
matter.  With  proper  vehemence  of  assertion, 
and  sufficient  construction  of  circumstantial 
stories  to  that  effect,  no  difficulty  was  appre- 
hended on  this  score.  But  the  real  embarrass- 
ment lay  in  the  fact  that  it  was  rather  late  to 
start  the  thing.  Several  days  or  weeks  had 
elapsed,  and  several  accounts  of  the  rising  had 
been  transmitted  without  any  mention  of  such  a 
proceeding  as  a  "wholesale  massacre,"  which 
ordinarily  should  have  been  the  first  thing  pro- 
claimed with  all  hori'or.  The  lords  justices  and 
their  advisers,  who  were  all  most  pious  men, 
long  and  with  grave  trouble  of  mind  considered 
this  stumbling-block ;  for  it  was  truly  distressing 
that  such  a  promising  project  should  be  thwarted. 
Eventually  they  decided  to  chance  the  story 
anyway,  and  trust  to  extra  zeal  in  the  use  of 
horror  narratives,  to  get  up  such  a  bloody  fury 
in  England  as  would  render  close  scrutiny  of  the 
facts  out  of  the  question.* 

*  Several  of  our  recent  historians  Lave  gone  to  great  pains 
citing  original  documents,  state  papers,  and  letters  of  Prot- 


So — albeit  long  after  date — suddenly  a  terrific 
outcry  arose  about  the  awful  "massacre"  in  Ire- 
land ;  the  great  wholesale  and  simultaneous  mas- 
sacre of  Protestants.  Horrors  were  piled  on 
horrors,  as  each  succeeding  mail  brought  from 


estant  witnesses,  to  expose  tlie  baseness  and  wickedness  of 
tbis  massacre  story  ;  but  at  tins  time  of  day  one  migbt  as 
well  occupy  himself  in  gravely  demonstrating  the  villainy 
of  Titus  Gates'  "informations."  The  great  Popish  Mas- 
sacre story  has  had  its  day,  but  it  is  now  dead  and  gone. 
The  fact  that  there  were  excesses  committed  by  the  insur- 
gents in  a  few  cases — instantly  denounced  and  punished  as 
violations  of  the  emphatic  orders  of  their  leaders  promul- 
gated to  the  contrary — has  nothing- to  say  to  this  question 
of  massacre.  Let  it  always  be  said  that  even  one  case  of 
lawless  violence  or  life- taking — even  one  excess  of  the  laws 
•of  honorable  warfare — is  a  thing  to  abominate  and  deplore  ; 
as  the  Irish  confederate  leaders  denounced  and  deplored  the 
cases  reported  to  them  of  excesses  by  some  of  Sir  Pbelim 
O'Neill's  armed  bands.  Not  only  did  the  Irish  leaders  ve- 
hemently inculcate  moderation,  but  the  Protestant  chroniclers 
of  the  time  abundantly  testify  that  those  leaders  and  the 
Catholic  clergy  went  about  putting  those  instructions  into 
practice.  Leland,  the  Protestant  historian,  declares  that 
the  Catholic  priests  "labored  zealously  to  moderate  the 
excesses  of  war,"  and  frequently  protected  the  English 
where  danger  threatened  them,  by  concealing  them  in  their 
places  of  worship  and  even  under  their  altars !  The  Prot- 
estant Bishop  Burnet,  in  his  life  of  Dr.  Bedel,  who  was 
titular  Protestant  Bishop  of  Dromore  at  the  time,  tells  us 
that  Dr.  Bedel,  with  the  tumultuous  sea  of  the  "rising" 
foaming  around  him  on  all  sides  in  Cavan,  enjoyed,  both 
himself  and  all  who  sought  the  shelter  of  bis  house,  "  to  a 
miracle  perfect  quiet,"  though  he  had  neither  guard  nor 
defense,  save  the  respect  and  forbearance  of  the  "insur- 
gents." One  fact  alone,  recorded  by  the  Protestant  histo- 
rians themselves,  affords  eloquent  teftimony  on  this  point. 
Tbis  Bishop  Bedel  died  while  the  "rising"  was  in  full 
rush  around  him.  He  was  very  ardent  as  a  Protestant ;  but 
be  refused  to  join  in,  and,  indeed,  reprobated  the  scanda- 
lous robberies  and  persecutions  pursued  against  the  Catho- 
lic Irish.  The  natives — the  insurgents — the  Catholic  nobles 
and  peasants — en  masse,  attended  Lis  funeral,  and  one  of 
Sir  Pbelim  O'Neill's  regiments,  with  reversed  arms,  fol- 
lowed the  bier.  When  the  grave  was  closed  (says  the 
Protestant  historian  whom  I  am  quoting),  they  fired  a  fare- 
well volley  over  it,  the  leaders  crying  out  :  "liequiescat  in 
pace,  ultiimts  Anglorum  /"  ("  Re.st  in  peace,  last  of  the 
English.")  For  they  had  often  said  that,  as  he  was  the 
best  man  of  the  English  religion,  he  ou^ht  to  be  the  lastl 
Such  was  the  conduct  of  the  Irish  insurgents.  In  no  coun- 
try, unfortunately,  are  popular  risings  unaccompanied  by 
excesses  ;  never  in  any  country,  probably,  did  a  people  ris- 
ing against  diabolical  oppression,  sweep  away  their  plun- 
derers with  so  few  excesses  as  did  the  Irish  in  1641.  But 
all  tbis,  in  any  event,  has  nought  to  say  to  such  a  proceed- 
ing as  a  massacre.  That  was  an  afterthought  of  the  lords 
justices,  as  has  already  been  shown. 


THE  STORY 

the  government  officials  in  Dublin  "further  par- 
ticulars" of  the  dreadful  massacre  which  had, 
iihey  declared,  taken  place  all  over  Ulster  on  the 
night  of  the  rising.  Several  of  the  ministers  in 
London  were  in  the  secret  of  this  massacre  story ; 
but  there  is  no  doubt  it  was  sincerely  credited 
by  the  bulk  of  the  English  people  at  the  time; 
and,  as  might  be  expected,  a  sort  of  frenzy  seized 
the  populace.  A  cry  arose  against  the  bloody 
Irish  popish  rebels.  Everywhere  the  shout  was 
to  "stamp  them  out."  The  wisdom  and  sagacity 
■of  the  venerable  lords  justices — the  pre-eminent 
merits  of  their  device — were  triumphantly 
attested! 

For  a  time  there  was  a  danger  that  the  whole 
scheme  might  be  spoiled — shaken  in  public 
credulity — by  the  injudicious  zeal  of  some  of  the 
furnishers  of  "further  particulars,"  by  whom 
the  thing  was  a  little  overdone.  Some  thought 
twenty  thousand  would  suffice  for  the  number  of 
massacred  Protestants;  others  would  go  for  a 
iundred  thousand;  while  the  more  bold  and 
energetic  still  stood  out  for  putting  it  at  two  or 
three  hundred  thousand,  though  there  were  not 
that  number  of  Protestants  in  all  Ireland  at  the 
time.  As  a  consequence,  there  wei'e  some  most 
awkward  contradictions  and  inconsistencies ;  but 
so  great  was  the  fury  aroused  in  England,  that 
happily  these  little  dangers  passed  away  smoothly, 
And  King  Charles  himself  joined  in  the  shout 
against  the  horrid  popish  rebellion !  The  Eng- 
lish soldiers  in  Ireland  were  exhorted  to  slay  and 
spare  not;  additional  regiments  were  quickly 
^sent  over- — the  men  maddened  by  the  massacre 
stories — to  join  in  the  work  of  "revenge."  And, 
just  as  might  be  expected,  then  indeed  massacre 
in  earnest  appeared  upon  the  scene.  The  Irish 
had  in  the  very  first  hour  of  their  movement — in 
the  very  flush  of  victory — humanely  and  gener- 
ously proclaimed  that  they  would  seek  righteous 
ends  by  righteous  means;  that  they  would  fight 
their  cause,  if  fight  they  must,  by  fair  and 
honorable  warfare.  They  had,  with  exceptions 
so  rare  as  truly  to  "prove  the  rule,"  exhibited 
marvelous  forbearance  and  magnanimity.  But 
now  the  English  Puritan  soldiery,  infuriated  to 
the  fiercest  pitch,  were  set  upon  them,  and  atroci- 
ties that  sicken  the  heart  to  contemplate  made 
the  land  reek  from  shore  to  shore.  The  Cov- 
•enanters  of  Scotland  also,  who  had  just  previously 


OF  IRELAND.  "  151 

secured  by  rebellion  all  they  demanded  for  them- 
selves, were  filled  with  a  holy  desire  to  bear  a 
part  in  the  i>ious  work  of  stamping  out  the  Irish 
popish  rebellion.  King  Charles,  who  was  at  the 
time  in  Edinburgh  endeavoring  to  conciliate  the 
Scottish  parliament,  was  quite  ready  to  gratify 
them ;  and  accordingly  a  force  of  some  two  thou- 
sand Scots  were  dispatched  across  the  channel, 
landing  at  Antrim,  where  they  were  reinforced 
by  a  recruitment  fx'om  the  remnant  of  the  "colo- 
nies" planted  by  James  the  First.  It  was  this 
force  which  inaugurated  what  may  be  called 
"massacres."  Before  their  arrival  the  Puritan 
commanders  in  the  south  had,  it  is  true,  left  no 
atrocity  untried ;  but  the  Scots  went  at  the  work 
wholesale.  They  drove  all  the  native  population 
of  one  vast  district — (or  rather  all  the  aged  and 
infirm,  the  women  and  children ;  for  the  adult 
males  were  away  serving  in  the  confederate 
armies) — into  a  promontory,  almost  an  island, 
on  the  coast,  called  Island  Magee.  Here,  when 
the  helpless  crowd  were  hemmed  in,  the  Scots 
fell  upon  them  sword  in  hand,  and  drove  them 
over  the  cliffs  into  the  sea,  or  butchered  them  to 
the  last,  irrespective  of  age  or  sex.  "From  this 
day  forward  until  the  accession  of  Owen  Koe 
O'Neil  to  the  command,  the  northern  war 
assumed  a  ferocity  of  character  foreign  to  the 
nature  of  O 'Moore,  O 'Kelly,  and  Magennis. " 
Horrors  and  barbarities  on  each  side  made 
humanity  shudder.  The  confederate  leaders 
had  proposed,  hoped  for,  and  on  their  parts  had 
done  everything  to  insure  the  conducting  of  the 
war  according  to  the  usages  of  fair  and  honorable 
warfare.  The  government,  on  the  other  hand, 
so  far  from  reciprocating  this  spirit,  in  all  their 
proclamations  breathed  savage  and  merciless  fury 
against  the  Irish ;  and  every  exhortation  of  their 
commanders  (in  strange  contrast  with  the  humane 
and  honorable  manifestoes  of  the  confederates) 
called  upon  the  soldiery  to  glut  their  swords 
and  spare  neither  young  nor  old,  child  nor  woman. 

The  conduct  of  the  government  armies  soon 
widened  the  area  of  revolt.  So  far  the  native 
Irish  alone,  or  almost  exclusively,  had  partici- 
pated in  it,  the  Anglo-Irish  Catholic  Lords  and 
Pale  gentry  holding  aloof.  But  these  latter 
could  not  fail  to  see  that  the  Puritan  faction, 
which  now  constituted  the  local  government, 
were  resolved  not  to  spare  Catholics  whether  of 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAAU. 


Celtic  or  Anglo-Irish  race,  and  were  moreover 
bent  on  strengthening  their  own  hands  to  league 
■with  the  English  parliamentarians  against  the 
king.  Loyalty  to  the  king,  and  considerations 
for  their  own  safety,  alike  counseled  them  to 
take  some  decisive  step.  Everything  rendered 
hesitation  more  perilous.  Although  they  had  in 
no  -way  encouraged,  or,  so  far,  sj-mpathized  with, 
the  northern  rising,  their  possessions  were 
ravaged  by  the  Puritan  armies.  Fingal,  Santry, 
and  Swords — districts  in  profound  peace — were 
the  scenes  of  bloody  excesses  on  the  part  of  the 
government  soldiery.  The  Anglo-Irish  Catholic 
nobility  and  gentry  of  these  districts  in  vain 
remonstrated.  They  drew  up  a  memorial  to  the 
throne,  and  forwarded  it  by  one  of  their  number. 
Sir  John  Read.  He  was  instantly  seized,  im- 
prisoned, and  put  to  the  rack  in  Dublin  Castle; 
"one  of  the  questions  which  he  was  pressed  to 
answer  being  whether  the  king  and  queen  were 
privy  to  the  Irish  rebellion."  In  fine  the  Eng- 
lish or  Anglo-Irish  Catholic  families  of  the  Pale 
for  the  first  time  in  history  began  to  feel  that 
,  with  the  native  Irish,  between  whom  and  them 
hitherto  so  wide  a  gulf  had  yawned,  their  side 
must  be  taken.  After  some  negotiation  between 
I  them  and  the  Irish  leaders,  "on  the  invitation  of 
.  Lord  Gormanstown  a  meeting  of  Catholic  noble- 
men and  gentry  was  held  on  the  Hill  of  Crofty, 
in  Meath.  Among  those  who  attended  were  the 
Earl  of  Fingal,  Lords  Gormanstown,  Slane, 
Louth,  Dunsany,  Trimleston,  and  Netterville; 
Sir  Patrick  Barnwell,  Sir  Christopher  Bellew, 
Patrick  Barnwell  of  Kilbrew,  Nicholas  Darcy  of 
Flatten,  James  Bath,  Gerald  Aylmer,  Cusack  of 
Gormanstown,  Malone  of  Lismullen,  Segrave  of 
Kileglan,  etc.  After  being  there  a  few  hours  a 
party  of  armed  men  on  horseback,  with  a  guard 
of  musketeers,  were  seen  to  approach.  The 
former  were  the  insurgent  leaders,  Roger  O'More, 
Philij)  O'Reilly,  MacMahon,  captains  Byrne  and 
Fox,  etc.  The  lords  and  gentry  rode  toward 
them,  and  Lord  Gormanstown  as  spokesman  de- 
manded, 'for  what  reason  they  came  armed  into 
the  Pale?'  O'More  answered  that  'the  ground 
of  their  coming  thither  and  taking  up  arms,  was 
for  the  freedom  and  liberty  of  their  consciences, 
the  maintenance  of  his  majesty's  prerogative,  in 
which  they  understood  he  was  abridged,  and  the 
making  the  subjects  of  this  kingdom  as  free  as 


those  of  England.'  "*  The  leaders  then  embraced 
amid  the  acclamations  of  their  followers,  and  the 
general  conditions  of  their  union  having  been 
unanimously  agreed  upon,  a  warrant  was  drawn 
out  authorizing  the  Sheriff  of  Meath  to  summon 
the  gentry  of  the  county  to  a  final  meeting  at 
the  Hill  of  Tara  on  the  24:th  of  December."! 

From  this  meeting  sprang  the  Irish  Confedera- 
tion of  1G42,  formally  and  solemnly  inaugurated 
three  months  subsequently  at  Kilkenny. 


CHAPTER  LV. 

SOMETHING  ABOUT  THE  CONFLICTING  ELEMENTS  OF  THE 

CIVIL  WAR  IN    lCi2-9  HOW    THE  CONFEDERATE 

CATHOLICS  MADE  GOOD  THEIR  POSITION,  AND  ESTAB- 
LISHED A  NATIONAL  GOVERNMENT  IN  IRELAND. 

Few  chapters  of  Irish  history  are  more  impor- 
tant, none  have  been  more  momentous  in  their 
results,  than  that  which  chronicles  the  career  of 
the  Confederation  of  1G42.  But  it  is  of  all  the 
most  intricate  and  involved,  and  the  most  diflBcult 
to  summarize  with  fitting  brevity  and  clearness 
for  young  readers.  In  that  struggle  there  were 
not  two,  but  at  least  four  or  five  distinct  parties, 
with  distinct,  separate,  and  to  a  greater  or  lesser 
degree  conflicting  interests  and  views;  partially 
and  momentarily  combining,  shifting  positions, 
and  changing  alliances;  so  that  the  conflict  as  it 
proceeded  was,  in  its  character  and  component 
parts,  truly  "chameleonic."  As  for  the  unfor- 
tunate king,  if  he  was  greatly  to  be  blamed,  he 
was  also  greatly  to  be  pitied.  He  was  not  a  man 
of  passion,  malice,  or  injustice.  He  was  mild, 
kindlj^  and  justly  disposed;  but  weak,  vacillat- 
ing, and  self-willed ;  and,  under  the  pressure  of 
necessity  and  danger,  his  weakness  degenerated 
into  miserable  duplicity  at  times.  In  the  storm 
gathering  against  him  in  England,  his  enemies, 
found  great  advantage  in  accusing  him  of 
"popish  leanings,"  and  insinuating  that  he  was 
secretly  authorizing  and  encouraging  the  Irish 
popish  rebels — the  same  who  had  just  massacred 
all  the  Protestants  that  were  and  were  not  in  the 
newly  planted  province  of  Ulster.  To  rid  him- 
self of  this  suspicion,  Charles  went  into  the  ex- 
treme of  anxiety  to  crush  those  hated  Irish 
papists.    He  denounced  them  in  proclamations,. 

*  Haverty.  f  M'Uee. 


OLIVER  GOLDSMITH. 


MITRPHY  &  MCCAR7BK 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


153 


■and  applied  to  parliament  for  leave  to  cross  over 
and  head  an  army  against  them  himself.  The 
parliament  replied  by  maliciously  insinuating  a 
belief  that  his  real  object  was  to  get  to  the  head 
of  the  Irish  popish  rebellion,  which  (they  would 
have  it)  he  only  hypocritically  affected  to 
denounce. 

The  newly-settled  Anglo-Irish  Protestants  be- 
riame  from  the  outset  of  this  struggle  bitter 
Puritans;  the  old  families  of  the  Pale  mostly 
remaining  royalists.  The  former  sided  with  the 
parliamentarians  and  against  the  king,  because 
they  mistrusted  his  declarations  of  intolerance 
against  the  Catholics,  and  secretly  feared  he 
would  allow  them  to  live  and  hold  possession  of 
lands  in  Ireland;  in  which  case  there  would  be 
no  plunder,  no  "plantations."  The  Covenanting 
Scots — the  classes  from  whom  in  James'  reign 
the  Ulster  colonists  had  largely  been  drawn,  had 
just  the  same  cause  of  quarrel  against  the  Irish, 
whom  the  English  parliamentarians  hated  with  a 
fierceness  for  which  there  could  be  no  parallel. 
This  latter  party  combined  religious  fanaticism 
with  revolutionary  passion,  and  to  one  and  the 
other  the  Irish  were  intolerably  obnoxious;  to 
the  one,  because  they  were  papists,  idolaters, 
followers  of  Antichrist,  whom  to  slay  was  work 
good  and  holy ;  to  the  other,  because  they  had 
Bided  with  the  "tyrant"  Charles. 

The  Catholic  prelates  and  clergy  could  not  be 
•expected  to  look  on  idly  while  a  fierce  struggle 
in  defense  of  the  Catholic  religion,  and  in  sus- 
taiument  of  the  sovereign  against  rebellious  foes, 
"was  raging  in  the  land.  In  such  a  war  they 
could  not  be  neutral.  A  provincial  sj-nod  was 
held  at  Kells,  March  22,  1642,  whereat,  after 
full  examination  and  deliberation,  the  cause  of 
the  confederates — "God  and  the  King,"  freedom 
■of  worship  and  loyalty  to  the  sovereign — was 
•declared  just  and  holy.  The  assembled  prelates 
issued  an  address  vehemently  denouncing  ex- 
cesses or  severities  of  any  kind,  and  finallj'  took 
steps  to  convoke  a  national  synod  at  Kilkenny 
on  the  10th  of  May  following. 

On  that  day  accordingly  (10th  of  May,  1643), 
the  national  synod  met  in  the  city  of  St.  Canice. 
"The  occasion  was  most  solemn,  and  the  pro- 
ceedings were  characterized  by  calm  dignity  and 
an  enlightened  tone.  An  oath  of  association, 
which  all  Catholics  throughout  the  land  were 


enjoined  to  take,  was  framed;  and  those  who 
were  bound  together  by  this  solemn  tie  were 
called  the  'Confederate  Catholics  of  Ireland.'  A 
manifesto  explanatory  of  their  motives,  and  con- 
taining rules  to  guide  the  confederation,  and  an 
admirable  plan  of  provisional  government,  was 
issued.  It  was  ordained  that  a  general  assem- 
bly, comprising  all  the  lords  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral, and  the  gentry  of  their  party,  should  be 
held ;  and  that  the  assembly-  should  select  mem- 
bers from  its  body,  to  represent  the  different 
provinces  and  principal  cities,  and  to  be  called 
the  Supreme  Council,  which  should  sit  from  day 
to  day,  dispense  justice,  appoint  to  oflSces,  and 
carry  on  as  it  were  the  executive  government  of 
the  country.  Severe  penalties  were  pronounced 
against  all  who  made  the  war  an  excuse  for  the 
commission  of  crime;  and  after  three  days'  sit- 
tings this  important  conference  brought  its 
labors  to  a  close."* 

"The  national  synod  did  not  break  up  till 
about  the  end  of  May,  and  long  before  that 
period  the  proclamations  issued  by  the  prelates 
and  lay-lords,  calling  on  the  people  to  take  the 
oath  of  association,  had  the  happiest  results. 
Agents  from  the  synod  crossed  over  into  France, 
Spain,  and  Italy,  to  solicit  support  and  sympathy 
from  the  Catholic  princes.  Father  Luke  "Wad- 
ding was  indefatigably  employed  collecting 
moneys  and  inciting  the  Irish  officers  serving  in 
the  continental  armies  to  return  and  give  their 
services  to  their  own  land.  Lord  Mountgarret 
was  appointed  president  of  the  council,  and  the 
October  following  was  fixed  for  a  general  assem- 
bly of  the  whole  kingdom,  "f 

On  the  23d  of  October  following  the  general  as- 
sembly thus  convoked,  assembled  in  Kilkenny, 
"eleven  bishops  and  fourteen  lay -lords  repre- 
sented the  Irish  peerage ;  two  hundred  and 
twenty-six  commoners,  the  large  majority  of  the 
constituencies.  The  celebrated  lawyer  Patrick 
Darcy,  a  member  of  the  Commons  House,  was 
chosen  as  chancelor,and  everything  was  conducted 
with  the  gravity  and  deliberation  befitting  so 
venei'able  an  assembly  and  so  great  an  occasion.  " 
A  Supreme  Council  of  six  members  for  each  prov- 
ince was  elected.  The  archbishops  of  Armagh, 
Dublin,  and  Tuam,  the  bishops  of  Down  and  of 

*  Haverty. 

f  Rev.  C.  P.  Meeban's  "Confederation  of  Kilkenny." 


154 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Clonfert,  Lord  Gormanstown,  Lord  Mountgarret, 
Lord  Eoche,  and  Lord  Mayo,  with  fifteen  of  the 
most  eminent  commoners,  composed  this  council. 

Such  was  the  national  government  and  legisla- 
ture under  which  Ireland  fought  a  formidable 
struggle  for  three  years.  It  was  loyally  obeyed 
and  served  throughout  the  land;  in  fact  it  was 
the  only  sovereign  ruling  power  recognized  at  all 
outside  of  two  or  three  walled  cities  for  the 
greater  part  of  that  time.  It  undertook  all  the 
functions  properly  appertaining  to  its  high  oflSce ; 
coined  money  at  a  national  mint;  appointed 
judges  who  went  circuit  and  held  assizes;  sent 
ambassadors  or  agents  abroad,  and  commissioned 
oflBcers  to  the  national  armies — among  the  latter 
being  Owen  Roe  O'Neill,  who  had  landed  at  Doe 
Castle  in  Donegal  in  July  of  that  year,  and  now 
formally  assumed  command  of  the  army  of  Ulster. 

While  that  governing  body  held  together,  un- 
rent  by  treason  or  division,  the  Irish  nation  was 
able  to  hold  its  crowding  foes  at  bay,  and  was  in 
fact  practically  free. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

HOW  KING  CHARLES   OPENED    NEGOTIATIONS  WITH  THE 

CONFEDERATE    COUNCIL  HOW     THE  ANGLO-IRISH 

PARTY  WOULD   "hAVE  PEACE  AT  ANY  PRICE, "  AND 

THE  "native  Irish"  party  stood  out  for  peace 

WITH    honor  how    pope     INNOCENT   THE  TENTH 

SENT  AN   ENVOY  "nOT  EMPTY-HANDED  "  TO  AID 

THE  IRISH  CAUSE. 

"The  very  power  of  the  confederates,"  says 
one  of  our  historians,  "now  became  the  root  of 
their  misfortunes.  It  led  the  king  to  desire  to 
come  to  terms  with  them,  not  from  any  intention 
to  do  them  justice,  but  with  the  hope  of  deriving 
assistance  from  them  in  his  difficulties;  and  it 
exposed  them  to  all  those  assaults  of  diplomatic 
craft,  and  that  policy  of  fomenting  internal  divi- 
sion, which  ultimately  proved  their  ruin." 

The  mere  idea  of  the  king  desiring  to  treat 
with  them  unsettled  the  whole  body  of  the 
Anglo-Irish  lords  and  nobles.  They  would  have 
peace  with  the  king  on  almost  any  terms — they 
would  trust  everything  to  him.  The  old  Irish, 
the  native  or  national  party,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  for  holding  firmly  by  the  power  that  had 
caused  the  king    to  value  and  respect  them ; 


yielding  in  nowise  unless  the  demands  specifically- 
laid  down  in  the  articles  of  confederation  were 
efficiently  secured.  On  this  fatal  issue  the 
Supreme  Council  and  the  Confederation  were 
surely  split  from  the  first  hour.  Two  parties 
were  on  the  instant  created — two  bitter  factions 
they  became — the  "peace  party"  or  "Ormon- 
dists;"  and  the  "national  party"  subsequently 
designated  the  "nuncionist, "  from  the  circum- 
stance of  the  Papal  nuncio  being  its  firmest  sup- 
porter, if  not  its  leader. 

The  first  negotiations  were  conducted  on  the 
royal  side  by  a  plenipotentiary  whom  the  Anglo- 
Irish  lords  not  only  regarded  as  a  friend  of  the 
king,  but  knew  to  be  as  much  opposed  as  they 
were  themselves  to  the  rebel  Puritans — the  Mar- 
quis of  Ormond,  a  man  of  profound  ability,  of 
winning  manners,  and  deeply  skilled  in  diplo- 
macy. To  induce  the  confederates  to  lay  down 
their  arms,  to  abandon  their  vantage  ground  in 
Ireland,  and  send  their  troops  across  to  Scotland 
or  England  to  fight  for  Charles,  was  his  great 
aim.  In  return  he  would  offer  little  more  than 
"trust  to  the  king,  when  he  shall  have  put  his. 
enemies  down."  In  the  very  first  negotiation 
the  compromise  party  prevailed.  On  Septem- 
ber 15,  1643,  a  cessation  of  arms  was  signed 
in  Ormond's  tent  at  Sigginstown,  near  Naas. 
In  tliis  the  confederates  were  completely  out- 
witted. They  kept  the  truce;  but  they  found 
Ormond  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  compel  to 
obedience  of  its  provisions  the  Puritan  gov- 
ernment generals,  foremost  among  whom  in 
savagery  were  Monroe  in  the  north,  leader  of  the 
covenanting  Scotch  army,  and  Morrough  O'Brien, 
Lord  Inchiquin  (son-in-law  of  Sentleger,  lord 
president  of  Munster),  in  the  south.  Mean- 
while Ormond,  as  we  are  told,  "amused  the  con- 
federates with  negotiations  for  a  permanent  peace 
and  settlement  from  spring  till  midsummer;" 
time  working  all  against  the  confederates,  inas- 
much as  internal  division  was  widening  every 
day.  It  turned  out  that  the  marquis,  whose 
prejudices  against  the  Catholics  were  stronger- 
than  his  loyalty  to  the  waning  fortunes  of  the. 
king  was  deceiving  both  parties;  for  while  he 
was  •  skillfully  procrastinating  and  baffling  any 
decisive  action,  Charles  was  really  importuning 
him  to  hasten  the  peace,  and  come  to  terms  with 
the  Irish,  whose  aid  was  every  day  becoming 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


15& 


more  necessary.  At  this  stage,  the  king  privately 
sent  over  Lord  Glamorgan  to  conclude  a  secret 
treaty  with  the  confederates.  Lords  Mountgar- 
ret  and  Muskerry  met  the  royal  commissioner  on 
the  part  of  the  confederation,  and  the  terms  of 
a  treaty  fully  acceptable  were  duly  agreed  upon : 
I.  The  Catholics  of  L-eland  were  to  enjoy  the 
free  and  public  exercise  of  their  religion.  II. 
They  were  to  hold  and  have  secured  for  their  use 
all  the  Catholic  churches  not  then  in  actual  pos- 
session of  the  Protestants.  III.  They  were  to  be 
exempt  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Protestant 
clergy.  1\.  The  confederates  (as  the  price  of 
being  allowed  to  hold  their  own  churches  and  to 
worship  in  their  own  faith)  were  to  send  10,000 
men  fully  armed  to  the  relief  of  Chester  and  the 
general  succor  of  the  king.  Lastly,  on  the 
king's  part  it  was  stipulated  that  this  treaty 
should  be  kept  secret  while  his  troubles  with 
English  malcontents  were  pending.  The  pre- 
tense was  that  Ormond  (by  this  time  lord  lieu- 
tenant) knew  nothing  of  this  secret  negotiation ; 
but  he  and  Glamorgan  and  the  king  understood 
each  other  well.  On  his  way  to  Kilkenny  the 
royal  agent  called  upon  and  had  a  long  sitting 
with  Ormond;  and  from  Kilkenny,  Glamorgan 
and  the  confederate  plenipotentiaries  went  to 
Dublin,  where,  during  several  private  interviews, 
the  lord  lieutenant  argued  over  all  the  points 
of  the  treaty  with  them.  He  evidently  thought 
the  10,000  men  might  be  had  of  the  confederates 
for  less  concessions.  Meanwhile  Charles'  for- 
tunes were  in  the  balance.  Ormond  was  well- 
disposed  to  serve  the  king,  but  not  at  the  risk  of 
danger  to  himself.  After  having  fully  reasoned 
over  all  the  points  of  the  treaty  for  several  days 
with  Glamorgan  and  the  confederate  lords,  sud- 
denly, one  afternoon,  Ormond  arrested  Glamor- 
gan with  every  show  of  excitement  and  panic, 
and  flung  him  into  prison  on  a  charge  of  high 
treason,  in  having  improperly  treated  in  the 
king's  name  with  the  confederates!  A  tremen- 
dous sensation  was  created  in  Dublin  by  the 
event;  Ormond  feigning  that  only  by  accident 
that  day  had  Glamorgan's  conduct  been  discov- 
ered !  The  meaning  of  all  this  was,  that  on  the 
person  of  the  archbishop  of  Tuam,  who  had  been 
killed  a  few  days  previously,  bravely  fighting 
against  some  of  the  marauding  murderers  in  the 
west,  there  was  found  a  copy  of  the  treaty  which 


thus  became  pu  blic.  Ormond  saw  that  as  th© 
affair  was  prematurely  disclosed,  he  must  needa 
affect  surprise  and  indignation  at,  and  disavow 
it.  Of  course  Glamorgan  was  softly  whispered 
to  lie  still,  if  he  would  save  the  king,  and  offer 
no  contradiction  of  the  viceregal  falsehoods. 
With  which  Glamorgan  duly  complied.  The 
duped  confederates  were  to  bear  all  the  odium  and 
discomfiture ! 

It  was  during  the  Glamorgan  negotiation — 
toward  its  close — that  there  arrived  in  Kilkenny 
a  man  whose  name  is  indelibly  written  on  the 
history  of  this  period,  and  is  deeply  engraved  iu 
Irish  memory — John  Baptist  Rinuccini,  arch- 
bishop of  Fermo,  in  the  marches  of  Ancona, 
chosen  by  the  new  pope.  Innocent  the  Tenth,  as 
nuncio  to  the  confederated  Catholics  of  Ireland. 
As  the  pope,  from  the  first  hour  when  the 
Irish  were  driven  into  a  war  in  defense  of  reli- 
gion, never  sent  an  envoy  empty-handed, 
Rinuccini  brought  with  him,  purchased  by- 
moneys  contributed  by  the  holy  father,  be- 
sides thirty-six  thousand  dollars  forwarded  by 
Father  Luke  "Wadding,  "two  thousand  muskets^ 
two  thousand  cartouche  belts,  four  thousand 
swords,  two  thousand  pike-heads,  four  hundred 
brace  of  pistols,  twentj-  thousand  iiounds  of 
powder,  with  match,  shot,  and  other  stores." 
He  landed  from  his  frigate,  the  San  Pietro,  at 
Ardtully  in  Kenmare  Bay.  He  then  proceeded 
by  way  of  Kilgarvan  to  Macroom,  whither  the- 
Supreme  Council  sent  some  troops  of  cavalry  ta 
meet  him  as  a  guard  of  honor.  Thence  by  way 
of  Kilmallock  and  Limerick,  as  rapidly  as  his. 
feeble  health  admitted  (he  had  to  be  borne  on 
a  litter  or  palanquin),  he  proceeded  to  Kil- 
kenny, now  practically  the  capital  of  the  king- 
dom— the  seat  of  the  national  government — where 
there  awaited  him  a  reception  such  as  a  monarch 
might  envy.  It  was  Catholic  Ireland's  saluta- 
tion to  the  "royal  pope." 

That  memorable  scene  is  described  for  us  as 
follows  by  a  writer  to  whom  we  owe  the  only 
succinct  account  which  we  possess  in  the  Eng- 
lish language  of  the  great  events  of  the  period 
now  before  us:  "At  a  short  distance  from  the 
gate,  he  descended  from  the  litter,  and  having 
put  on  the  cope  and  pontifical  hat,  the  insignia, 
of  his  office,  he  mounted  a  horse  caparisoned  for- 
the  occasion.    The  secular  and   regular  clergy 


156  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


had  assembled  iu  the  church  of  St.  Patrick, 
close  by  the  gate,  aud  when  it  was  announced 
that  the  nuncio  was  in  readiness,  they  advanced 
into  the  city  in  processional  array,  preceded  by 
the  standard-bearers  of  their  respective  orders. 
Under  the  old  arch,  called  St.  Patrick's  gate,  he 
was  met  by  the  vicar-general  of  the  diocese  of 
Ossorj',  aud  the  magistrates  of  the  city  and 
county,  who  joined  in  the  procession.  The 
streets  were  lined  by  regiments  of  infantry,  and 
the  bells  of  the  Black  Abbey  and  the  church  of 
St.  Francis  x^ealed  a  gladsome  chime.  The  pro- 
cession then  moved  on  till  it  ascended  the  gentle 
-eminence  on  which  the  splendid  old  fane,  sacred 
to  St.  Canice,  is  erected.  At  the  grand  entrance 
he  was  received  by  the  venerable  bishop  of 
Ossorj',  whose  feebleness  prevented  his  walking 
in  procession.  After  mutual  salutations,  the 
bishop  haniled  him  the  aspersorium  and  incense, 
■and  then  both  entered  the  cathedral,  which,  even 
in  the  palmiest  days  of  Catholicity,  had  never 
held  within  its  precincts  a  more  soleinn  or 
gorgeous  assemblage.  The  nuncio  ascended  the 
steps  of  the  grand  altar,  intonated  the  'Te  Deum,' 
which  was  caught  up  by  a  thousand  voices,  till 
crypt  and  chancel  resounded  with  the  psalmody ; 
and  when  it  ceased,  he  pronounced  a  blessing  on 
the  immense  multitude  which  crowded  the  aisles 
■and  nave.  .  .  .  These  ceremonies  concluded, 
he  retired  for  awhile  to  the  residence  prepared 
for  him  in  the  city,  and  shortly  afterward  was 
waited  on  by  General  Preston  and  Lord  Mus- 
kerrj-.  He  then  proceeded  on  foot  to  visit  Lord 
Mountgarret,  the  president  of  the  assembly. 
The  reception  took  place  in  the  castle.  At  the 
foot  of  the  grand  staircase  he  was  met  by  Thomas 
Fleming,  archbishop  of  Dublin,  aud  Walsh,  arch- 
bishop of  Cashel.  At  the  end  of  the  great  gal- 
lery. Lord  Mountgarret  was  seated,  waiting  his 
■arrival,  and  when  the  nuncio  approached,  he  got 
up  from  his  chair,  without  moving  a  single  inch 
in  advance.  The  seat  designed  for  Einuccini 
was  of  damask  and  gold,  with  a  little  more  orna- 
ment than  that  occupied  by  the  president.  .  .  . 
The  nuncio  immediately  addressed  the  president 
in  Latin,  and  declared  that  the  object  of  his 
mission  was  to  sustain  the  king,  then  so  peril- 
ously circumstanced;  but,  above  all,  to  rescue 
from  pains  and  penalties  the  people  of  Ireland, 
«nd  to  assist  them  in  securing  the  free  and 


public  exercise  of  the  Catholic  religion,  and  the 
restoration  of  the  churches  anc  church  property 
of  which  fraud  and  violence  had  so  long  deprived 
their  rightful  inheritors."*  From  the  very  first 
the  nuncio  discerned  the  pernicious  workings  of 
the  "compromise"  idea  in  paralyzing  the  power 
of  the  confederacy ;  and  perceiving  all  its  bitter 
mischief,  he  seems  to  have  had  little  patience 
with  it.  He  saw  that  the  old  English  of  the 
Pale  were  more  than  anxious  for  a  compromise, 
and  to  this  end  would  allow  the  astute  Ormond 
to  fool  them  to  the  last,  to  the  utter  ruin  of  the 
confederate  cause.  They  were,  however,  the 
majority,  and  eventually  on  the  28th  of  March, 
1G46,  concluded  with  Ormond  a  treaty  of  peace 
which  was  a  modification  of  Glamorgan's  original 
propositions. 

On  the  character  and  merits  of  this  treaty 
turns  one  of  the  most  injurious  and  mournful 
controversies  that  ever  agitated  Ireland.  "A 
base  peace,"  the  populace  called  it  when  made 
public ;  but  it  might  have  been  a  wise  one  for 
all  that.  In  the  denunciations  put  forward 
against  it  by  all  who  followed  the  nuncio's  views, 
full  justice  has  not  been  done  this  memorable 
pact.  It  contained  one  patent  and  fatal  defect — 
it  failed  to  make  such  express  and  adequate 
stipulations  for  the  security  of  the  Catholic  re- 
ligion as  the  oath  of  Confederation  demanded. 
Failing  this,  it  was  substantially  a  good  treaty 
under  all  the  circumstances.  It  secured  (as  far 
as  a  treaty  with  a  double-dealing  and  now  virtu- 
ally discrowned  king  might  be  held  to  secure 
anything),  all,  or  nearly  all,  that  the  Irish 
Catholics  expected  then,  or  have  since  demanded. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  majority  of  the 
Supreme  Council  honestly  judged  it  the  best 
peace  attainable,  nay,  wondrously  advantageous, 
all  things  considered ;  aud  judging  so,  it  is  not 
to  be  marveled  at  that  they  bitterly  complained 
of  and  inveighed  against  the  nuncio  and  the 
party  following  him,  as  mad  and  culpable  "ex- 
tremists,"  who  would  lose  all  by  unreasonably 
grasping  at  too  much.  But  the  nuncio  and  the 
"native  party  argued  that  if  the  confederates 
were  but  true  to  themselves,  they  would  not  need 
to  be  false  to  their  oaths — that  they  had  it  in 
their  power  by  vigorous  and  patriotic  effort  to 


*  Rev.  C.  P.  Meelian's  "  Confederation  of  Kilkenny." 


THE  STORY 

"win  equality  and  freedom,  not  merely  tolerance. 
Above  all,  Einucciui  pointed  out  that  dealing 
with  men  like  Charles  the  king  and  Ormond  the 
viceroy,  circumstanced  as  the  royalist  cause  then 
was,  the  confederates  were  utterly  without  secur- 
ity. They  were  selling  their  whole  power  and 
position  for  the  "promise  to  pay"  of  a  bankrupt. 


CHAPTEE  LVII. 

MOW  THE  NUNCIO  FREED  AND  ARMED  THE  HAND  OF 
OWEN  ROE,  AND  BADE  HIM  STRIKE  AT  LEAST  ONE 
WORTHY  BLOW  FOR  GOD  AND  IRELAND— HOW  GLO- 
RIOUSLY  OWEN  STRUCK    THAT  BLOW  AT  BENBURB. 

It  was  even  so.  Two  months  afterward.  May, 
1646,  Charles,  all  powerless,  fled  from  the  dan- 
gers environing  him  in  England  and  took  refuge 
with  the  Scottish  parliament.  Meanwhile  the 
Scottish  covenanting  marauders  in  Ulster  had 
loeen  wasting  the  land  unchecked  since  the  fatal 
"truce"  and  "peace  negotiations"  had  tied  up 
the  hands  of  the  confederates.  The  nuncio  had 
■early  discerned  the  supreme  abilities  of  Owen 
Eoe  O'Neill  (the  favorite  general  of  the  national 
partj',  or  "old  Irish  faction"  in  the  council),  and 
now  he  resolved  to  strike  a  blow  which  might 
show  the  country  what  was  possible  to  brave 
men  resolved  to  conquer  or  die.  He  sent  north- 
ward to  O'Neill  the  greater  part  of  the  supplies 
which  he  had  brought  with  him  from  abroad, 
•and  told  the  Ulster  commander  that  on  him  it 
DOW  lay  to  open  the  eyes  alike  of  Puritan  rebels, 
English  loyalists,  and  half-heai'ted  confederates. 

O'Neill  was  not  slow  to  respond  to  this  sum- 
mons. For  three  long  years,  like  a  chained 
■eagle,  he  had  pined  in  weary  idleness,  ignoble 
"truces"  fettering  him.  At  last  he  was  free; 
and  now  he  resolved  to  show  weak  friend  and 
arrogant  foe  how  he  who  had  defended  Arras, 
could  strike  for  God  and  liberty  at  home. 

Y/ith  the  first  days  of  June  he  was  on  the 
march  from  his  late  "truce"  station  on  the 
borders  of  Leinster,  at  the  head  of  five  thousand 
foot  and  four  hundred  horse,  to  attack  Monroe. 
"The  Scottish  general  received  timely  notice  of 
this  movement,  and  setting  out  with  six  thousand 
infantry  and  eight  hundred  horse,  encamped 
about  ten  miles  from  Armagh.  His  army  was 
thus  considerably  superior  to  that  of  O'Neill  in 


OF  IRELAND.  ■  157 

point  of  numbers,  as  it  must  also  have  been  iu 
equipments;  yet  he  sent  word  to  his  brother. 
Colonel  George  Monroe,  to  hasten  from  Coleraine 
to  reinforce  him  with  his  cavalry.  He  appointed 
Glasslough,  in  the  south  of  Monaghan,  as  their 
rendezvous;  but  the  march  of  the  Irish  was 
quicker  than  he  expected,  and  he  learned  on  the 
4th  of  June  that  O'Neill  had  not  only  reached 
that  point,  but  had  crossed  the  Blackwater  into 
Tj'rone,  and  encamped  at  Benburb.  O'Neill 
drew  up  his  army  between  two  small  hills,  pro- 
tected iu  the  rear  bj'  a  wood,  with  the  river 
Blackwater  on  his  right  and  a  bog  on  his  left, 
and  occupied  some  brushwood  in  front  with 
musketeers,  so  that  his  position  was  admirably 
selected.  He  was  well  informed  of  Monroe's 
plans,  and  dispatched  two  regiments  to  prevent 
the  junction  of  Colonel  George  Monroe's  forces 
with  those  of  his  brother.  Finding  that  the 
Irish  were  in  possession  of.  the  ford  at  Benburb, 
Monroe  crossed  the  river  at  Kinard,  a  considera- 
ble distance  in  O'Neill's  rear,  and  then  hy  a  cir- 
cuitous march  approached  him  in  front  from  the 
east  and  south.  The  manner  in  which  the  5th  of 
June  was  passed  in  the  Irish  camp  was  singularly 
solemn.  'The  whole  army,'  says  Einuccini, 
'having  confessed,  and  the  general,  with  the 
other  officers,  having  received  the  holy  commun- 
ion with  the  greatest  piety,  made  a  profession  of 
faith,  and  the  chaplain  deputed  by  the  nuncio 
for  the  spiritual  care  of  the  army,  after  a  brief 
exhortation,  gave  them  his  blessing.  On  the 
other  hand  the  Scots  wei'e  inflamed  with  fierce 
animosity  against  their  foe,  and  an  ardent  desire 
for  battle. '  "* 

"As  they  advanced,"  says  another  writer, 
"they  were  met  by  Colonel  Eichard  O'Ferral, 
who  occupied  a  narrow  defile  through  which  it 
was  necessary  for  the  Scotch  troops  to  pass  in 
order  to  face  the  Irish.  The  fire  of  Monroe's 
guns,  however,  compelled  O'Neill's  officer  to 
retire."  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cunningham  hav- 
ing thus  cleared  the  pass  for  the  Scotch  horse, 
who  were  commanded  by  the  Lord  Viscount  of 
Ardes,  in  the  absence  of  Colonel  Monroe,  "the 
whole  army  advanced  to  dislodge  Owen  Eoe; 
but  a  shower  of  bullets  from  the  'scrogs  and 
bushes,'    which     covered    O'Neill's  infantry. 


*  Haverty. 


158 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


checked  bim ;  and  then  the  Scotch  cannon  opened 
its  lire-vsith  little  effect;  as,  owing  to  the  admira- 
ble position  of  the  Catholic  troops,  only  one  man 
■was  struck  by  the  shot.  In  vain  did  Monroe's 
cavalry  charge;  with  the  river  on  their  right  and 
'a  mai-ish  bog'  on  the  left,  it  wai  hopeless  to 
think  of  stirring  the  confederates.  For  four 
hours  did  the  Fabius  of  his  country'  amuse  the 
enemy  with  skirmishing.  During  all  that  time 
the  wind  rolling  the  smoke  of  Monroo's  musketry 
and  cannon  in  the  face  of  the  Irish  ranks,  con- 
cealed the  adverse  ranks  from  their  sight,  and 
the  sun  had  shone  all  day  in  their  eyes,  blinding 
them  with  its  dazzling  glare ;  but  that  sun  was 
now  descending,  and  producing  the  same  effect 
on  the  Scotch,  when  Monroe  perceived  the  entire 
of  the  Irish  army  making  ready  for  a  general 
assault  with  horse  and  foot. 

"It  was  the  decisive  moment.  The  Irish  gen- 
eral, throwing  himself  into  the  midst  of  his  men, 
and  pointing  out  to  them  that  retreat  must  be 
fatal  to  the  enemy,  ordered  them  to  pursue  vigor- 
ouslj',  assuring  them  of  victorj'.  'I  myself, 'said 
he,  'with  the  aid  of  heaven,  will  lead  the  way; 
let  those  who  fail  to  follow  me  remember  that 
they  abandon  their  general.'  This  address  was 
received  with  one  unanimous  shout  by  the  army. 
The  colonels  threw  themselves  from  their  horses, 
to  cut  themselves  off  from  every  chance  of  re- 
treat, and  'charged  with  incredible  impetuosity.' 

"Monroe  had  given  orders  to  a  squadron  of 
horse  to  break  through  the  columns  of  the  Irish 
foot  as  they  advanced;  but  that  squadron  be- 
came panic-stricken,  and  retreated  disorderly 
through  their  own  foot,  pursued  by  O'Neill's 
cavalry.  Nevertheless,  Monroe's  infantry  stood 
firm,  and  received  the  Irish,  body  to  body,  with 
push  of  pike,  till  at  last  the  cavalry  reserve, 
being  routed  in  a  second  charge,  fell  pellmell 
among  his  infantry,  which,  being  now  broken 
and  disordered,  had  no  way  to  retreat  but  over 
the  river  w^hich  lay  in  their  front." 

"The  Scots  now  fled  to  the  river, "  says  an- 
other historian ;  "but  O'Neill  held  possession  of 
the  ford,  and  the  flying  masses  were  di'iven  into 
the  deep  water,  where  such  numbers  perished 
that  tradition  says  one  might  have  crossed  over 
dryshod  on  the  bodies.  Monroe  himself  fled  so 
precipitately  that  his  hat,  sword,  and  cloak,  were 
among  the  spoils,  and  he  baited   not  till  he 


reached  Lisburn.    Lord  Montgomery  was  taken- 
prisoner,  with  twenty-one  officers  and  about  one- 
hundred  and  fifty  soldiers;  and  over  three  thou- 
sand of  the  Scots  were  left  on  the  field  beside- 
those  killed  in  the  pursuit,  which  was  resumed 
next  morning,    All  the  Scotch  artillery,  tents, 
and  provisions,  with  a  vast  quantity  of  arms  and 
ammunition,  and  thirty-two  colors,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Irish,  who,  on  their  side,  had  only 
seventy  men  killed  and  two  hundred  wounded.''* 

Father  Hartigan,  one  of  the  army  chaplains, 
was  sent  to  bear  the  glad  news  of  this  victory 
to  the  nuncio  at  Idmerick,  taking  with  him  the 
trophies  captured  from  the  enemy.  He  arrived 
on  Saturday,  June  ]3th,  and  his  tidings  flung 
the  queen  city  of  the  Shannon  into  ecstacies  of 
jubilation.  "On  the  following  day  (Sunday)  at 
four  oclock  P.M.,  all  the  troops  in  garrison  at 
Limerick  assembled  before  the  church  of  St. 
Francis,  where  the  nuncio  had  deposited  thirty- 
two  standards  taken  by  the  Irish  general  from 
the  Scotch.  These  trophies  were  then  borne  in 
solemn  procession  by  the  chiefs  of  the  nobility, 
followed  by  the  nuncio,  the  archbishop  of  Cashel, 
and  the  bishops  of  Limerick,  Clonfert,  and 
Ardfert.  After  these  came  the  Supreme  Council, 
the  mayor  and  the  magistrates,  with  the  entire 
population  of  the  city.  The  procession  moved  on 
till  it  reached  St.  Mary 's  cathedral,  where  the  'Te 
Deum'  was  chanted,  and  on  the  next  day  a  mass 
of  thanksgiving  was  offered  to  the  Lord,  *who 
fought  among  the  valiant  ones,  and  overthrew 
the  nations  that  were  assembled  against  them  to. 
destroy  the  sanctuary.'  " 

Mr.  Aubrey  de  Vere,  who  is  never  truer  poet, 
never  more  nobly  inspired  than  when  the  vic- 
tory of  an  O'Neill  is  to  be  sung,  gives  us  the.-, 
following  splendid  chant  of  Benburb: 

"At  midnight  I  gazed  on  the  moonless  skies; 
There  glisten 'd,  'mid  other  star  blazonries, 
A  sword  all  stars;  then  heaven,  I  knew. 
Hath  holy  work  for  a  sword  to  do. 
Be  true,  ye  clansmen  of  Nial!    Be  true! 

"At  morning  I  look'd  as  the  sun  uprose 
On  the  fair  bills  of  Antrim,  late  white  witfe:. 
snows ; 

'     *  Rev.  C.  P.  Meeban's  "Confederation  of  Kilkenny." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


159 


"Was  it  morning  only  that  dyed  them  red? 
Martyr'd  hosts  methought  had  bled 
On  their  sanguine  ridges  for  years  not  few! 
Ye  clansmen  of  Conn,  this  day  be  true! 

'There  is  felt  once  more  on  the  earth 

The  step  of  a  kingly  man  : 
Like  a  dead  man  hidden  he  lay  from  his  birth 

Exiled  from  his  country  and  clan. 

'This  day  his  standard  he  flingeth  forth; 

He  tramples  the  bond  and  ban : 
Let  them  look   in  his  face  that  usurp'd  his 
hearth ; 

Let  them  vanquish  him,  they  who  can! 

'Owen  Roe,  our  own  O'Neill — ■ 

He  treads  once  more  our  laud ! 
The  sword  iu  his  hand  is  of  Spanish  steel. 
But  the  hand  is  an  Irish  hand ! 

'Montgomery,  Conway!  base-born  crew! 
This  day  ye  shall  learn  an  old  lesson  anew ! 
Thou  art  red  with  sunset  this  hour,  Blackwater; 
But  twice  ere  now  thou  wert  red  with  slaughter! 
Another  O'Neill  by  the  ford  they  met; 
And  'the  bloody  loaming'  men  name  it  yet! 

'Owen  Roe,  our  own  O'Neill — 

He  treads  once  more  our  land ! 
The  sword  in  his  hand  is  of  Spanish  steel. 
But  the  hand  is  an  Irish  hand ! 

'The  storm  of  battle  rings  out!    On!  on! 
Shine  well  in  their  faces,  thou  setting  sun ! 
The  smoke  grows  crimson :  from  left  to  right 
Swift  flashes  the  spleenful  and  racing  light; 
The   horses  stretched  forward  with  belly  to 
ground : 

On!  on!  like  a  lake  which  has  burst  its  bound. 

Through  the  clangor  of  brands  rolls  the  laugh- 
ter of  cannon ; 

Wind-borne  it  shall  reach  thine  old  walls, 
Dungannon. 

Our  window'd  cathedrals  an  ancient  strain 

To-morrow  triumphant  shall  chant  again. 

On!  on!  This  night  on  thy  banks.  Lough 
Neagh, 

Men  born  in  bondage  shall  couch  them  free. 
On,  warriors,  launch'd  by  a  warrior's  hand! 
Tour  years  ye  were  leash'd  in  a  brazen  band; 


He  counted  your  bones,  and  he  meted  your 
might. 

This  hour  he  dashes  you  into  the  fight! 
Strong  Sun  of  the  Battle! — great  chief,  whose 

eye 

Wherever  it  gazes  makes  victory — 
This  hour  thou  shalt  see  them  do  or  die! 

"Owen  Roe,  our  own  O'Neill — 
He  treads  once  more  our  land  I 
The  sword  in  his  hand  is  of  Spanish  steel. 
But  the  hand  is  an  Irish  hand! 

"Through  the  dust  and  the  mist  of  the  golden 
west. 

New  hosts  draw  nigh :  is  it  friend  or  foe  ? 
They  come!    They  are    ours!    Like  a  cloud 
their  vanguard  lours ! 
No  help  from  thy  brother  this  day,  Monro ! 
They  form ;   there    stand    they  one  moment, 
still- 
Now,  now  they  charge  under  banner  and  sign : 
They  breast,  unbroken,  the  slope  of  the  hill : 

It  breaks  before  them,  the  invader's  line! 
Their  horse  and  their  foot  are  crushed  together 
Like  harbor-locked  ships  in  the  winter  weather. 
Each    dash'd    upon  each,   the  churn 'd  wave 
strewing 

With  wreck  upon  wreck,  and  ruin  on  ruin. 
The  spine  of  their  battle  gave  way  with  a  yell : 
Down  drop  their  standards!  that  cry  was  their 
knell ! 

Some  on  the  bank,  and  some  in  the  river. 
Struggling  they  lie  that  shall  rally  never. 

"  'T  was  God  fought  for  us!  with  hands  of  might 
From  on  high  He  kneaded  and  shaped  the  fight. 
To  Him  be  the  praise ;  what  He  wills  must  be : 
With  Him  is  the  future ;  for  blind  are  we. 
Let  Ormond  at  will  make  terms  or  refuse  them ; 
Let  Charles  the  confederates  win  or  lose  them ; 
Uplift  the  old  faith,  and  annul  the  old  strife. 
Or  cheat  us,  and  forfeit  his  kingdom  and  life ; 
Come  hereafter  what  must  or  may, 
Ulster,  thy  cause  is  avenged  to-day! 
What  fraud  took  from  us  and  force,  the  sword 
That  strikes  in  daylight  makes  ours  restored, 

"Owen  Roe,  our  own  O'Neill — 
He  treads  once  more  our  land ! 
The  sword  in  his  hand  is  of  Spanish  steel, 
But  ^jhe  hand  is  an  Irish  hand!" 


160 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


CHAPTER  LYIII. 

HOW    THE    KING    DISAVOWED    THE    TREATY,     AND  THE 

IRISH   REPUDIATED    IT  HOW  THE    COUNCIL   BY  A 

WORSE  BLUNDER  CLASPED  HANDS  WITH  A  SACRI- 
LEGIOUS MURDERER,  AND  INCURRED  EXCOMMUNI- 
CATION HOW    AT    LENGTH    THE    ROY'ALISTS  AND 

CONFEDERATES   CONCLUDED  AN   HONORABLE  PEACE. 

Elated  by  this  great  victoiy,  that  party  iu  the 
coufederatioH  of  which  O'Neill  was  the  military 
favorite,  aud  the  nuncio  the  head,  now  became 
outspoken  aud  vehement  in  their  deuunciatious 
of  the  temporizers.  And  opportunely  for  them 
came  the  news  from  England  that  the  miserable 
Charles,  on  finding  that  his  commission  to 
Glamorgan  had  been  discovered,  repudiated  and 
denied  the  whole  transaction,  notwithstanding 
the  formal  commission  duly  signed  and  sealed  by 
him,  exhibited  to  the  confederate  council  by  his 
envoy!  Ormond,  nevertheless,  as  strongly  ex- 
horted the  "peace  party"  to  hold  firm,  and  to 
consider  for  the  hard  position  of  the  king,  which 
compelled  him  to  prevaricate!  But  the  popular 
spirit  was  aroused,  and  Rinucciui,  finding  the 
tide  with  him,  acted  with  a  high  hand  against 
the  "Ormoudists, "  treating  them  as  malcontents, 
even  arresting  and  imprisoning  them  as  half- 
traitors,  whereas,howsoever  wrong  their  judgment 
and  halting  their  action,  they  were  the  (majority 
of  the)  lawfully  elected  government  of  the  con- 
federation. 

New  elections  were  ordered  throughout  the 
counti'y  for  a  new  general  assembly,  which  ac- 
cordingly met  at  Kilkenny,  January  10,  1G47. 
This  bodj'  hy  an  overwhelming  majority  con- 
demned the  peace  as  inva,lid  ab  initio,  inas- 
much as  it  notably  fell  short  of  the  oath  of 
federation ;  but  the  conduct  of  the  commissioners 
and  majority  of  the  council  was  generously,  and 
indeed  justly,  declared  to  have  been  animated  by 
good  faith  aud  right  intentions.  The  feuds, 
however,  were  but  superficially  healed ;  discord 
and  suspicion  caused  the  confederate  generals, 
according  as  they  belonged  to  the  conflicting 
parties — the  "Pale  English"  or  the  "Native 
Iri.sh" — to  fear  each  other  as  much  as  the  Puri- 
tan enemy.  Meanwhile  an  Irish  Attila  was 
drenching  Munster  in  blood — Morrough  O'Brien, 
Lord  Inchiquin,  called  to  this  day  iu  popular 
traditions  "Morrough  of  the  Burnings,"  from 


the  fact  that  the  firmament  over  his  line  of  march 
was  usually  blackened  by  the  smoke  of  his  burn- 
ings aud  devastations.*  One  monster  massacre 
on  his  part  filled  all  the  land  with  horror.  He 
besieged  and  stormed  Cashel.  The  women  and 
children  took  refuge  in  the  grand  cathedral  on 
the  rock,  the  ruins  of  which  still  excite  the 
tourist's  admiration.  "Inchiquin  poured  in 
volleys  of  musket  balls  through  the  doors  and 
windows,  unmoved  by  the  piercing  shrieks  of 
the  crowded  victims  within,  and  then  sent  in  his 
troopers  to  finish  with  pike  and  saber  the  work 
which  the  bullets  had  left  incomplete.  The  floor 
was  incumbered  with  piles  of  mangled  bodies, 
and  twenty  priests  who  had  sought  shelter  under 
the  altars  were  dragged  forth  and  slaughtered 
with  a  fury  which  the  mere  extinction  of  life 
could  not  half  appease,  "f  Ere  the  horror  ex- 
cited by  this  hideous  butchery  had  died  away, 
the  country  heard  with  consternation  that  the 
Supreme  Council  of  the  Confederation  had  con- 
cluded a  treatj'  with  Inchiquin,  as  a  first  step 
toward  securing  his  alliance.  In  vain  the  nuncio 
and  the  bishops  protested  against  alliance  or 
union  with  the  man  whose  hands  were  still  wet 
and  red  with  the  blood  of  anointed  priests,  mas- 
sacred at  the  altar!  The  majority  of  the  council 
evidently  judged — sincerely,  it  may  be  ci-edited 
— that  under  all  the  circumstances  it  was  a  sub- 
stantial good  to  make  terms  with,  and  possibly 
draw  over  to  the  royal  cause,  a  foe  so  powerful. 
The  bishops  did  not  look  on  the  question  thus; 
nor  did  the  lay  (native)  Irish  leaders.  The  for- 
mer recoiled  in  horror  from  communion  with  a 
sacrilegious  murderer;  the  latter,  to  like  aver- 
sion joined  an  absolute  suspicion  of  his  treachery, 
and  time  justified  their  suspicions.  The  truce 
nevertheless  was   signed   at  Dungarvan  on  the 


*  This  dreadful  man  was  one  of  the  first  and  bitterest 
fruits  of  the  "  Court  of  Wards  "  scheme,  which  in  the  pre- 
vious reign  was'appninted  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the 
infant  children  of  the  Catholic  nobility,  and  bringing  them 
up  in  hatred  and  horror  of  the  faith  of  their  fathers. 
O'Brien  had  been  thus  seized  when  a  child,  and  thus 
brought  up  by  the  "Court  of  Wards" — to  what  purpose 
has  just  been  illustrated.  It  would  hardly  be  fair  to  the 
English  to  say  such  a  scheme  had  no  parallel  ;  for  history 
records  that  the  Turks  used  to  seize  the  children  of  the 
suljject  Christians,  aud  train  them  up  to  be  the  bloodiest 
in  fury  against  their  own  race  and  creed  I 

f  Ilaverty. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IKELAND. 


161 


20th  of  May,  1648.  Fully  conscious  that  the 
nuncio  and  the  national  party  would  resist  such 
an  imholy  pact,  the  contracting  parties  bound 
themselves  to  unite  their  forces  against  whomso- 
ever would  assail  it.  Accordingly  Preston,  the 
favorite  general  of  the  "Ormondist"  Confederates, 
joined  his  troops  to  those  of  Inchiquin  to  crush 
O'Neill,  whom  with  good  cause  they  feared  most. 
Five  days  after  the  "league  with  sacrilege  and 
murder"  was  signed,  the  nuncio  published  a 
sentence  of  excommunication  against  its  abettors 
and  an  interdict  against  all  cities  and  towns  re- 
ceiving it.  Having  posted  this  proclamation  on 
the  gates  of  the  cathedral,  he  made  his  escape 
from  the  city,  and  repaired  to  the  camp  of 
O'Neill  at  Maryboro. '  Four  months  of  wild 
confused  conflict — all  the  old  actors,  with  barely 
a  few  exceptions  having  changed  sides  or  allies 
— were  ended  in  September,  by  the  arrival  of 
Ormond  at  Cork  (he  had  fled  to  France  after  an 
unaccountable  if  not  traitorous  surrender  of 
Dublin  to  the  Puritans)  expressing  willingness 
to  negotiate  anew  with  the  confederation  on  the 
part  of  the  king  and  his  friends,  on  the  basis  of 
Glamorgan's  first  treaty.  Four  months  subse- 
quently— on  January  17,  1649 — this  treaty.,  fully 
acceptable  to  all  parties,  was  finally  I'atified  and 
published  amid  great  rejoicings ;  and  the  seven 
years'  war  was  brought  to  an'end! 

Ormond  and  his  royal  master  had  wasted  four 
years  in  vain,  hesitating  over  the  one  clause 
which  alone  is  may  be  said  was  at  issue  between 
them  and  the  Irish  national  party— that  one 
simply  securing  the  Catholic  religion  against 
proscription  and  persecution,  and  stipulating  the 
restriction  of  further  spoliation  of  the  churches. 
Its  simple  justice  was  fully  conceded  in  the  end. 
Too  late!  Scarcely  had  the  rejoicings  over  the 
happy  peace,  or  rather  the  alliance  between  the 
English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  royalists.  Catholic 
and  Protestant,  ceased  in  Ireland,  when  the  news 
of  the  king's  death  in  London  shocked  the  land. 
Charles,  as  already  mentioned,  had  flung  himself 
upon  the  loyalty  of  the  Scottish  parliament,  in 
"which  the  Lowland  covenanting  element  predom- 
inated. His  rebellious  subjects  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  border,  thirsting  for  his  blood,  offered 
to  buy  him  from  the  Scots.  After  a  short  time 
spent  in  haggling  over  the  bargain,  those  canny 
saints  sold  the  unfortunate  Charles  for  a  money 


price  of  four  hundred  thousand  pounds — an 
infamy  for  which  the  world  has  not  a  parallel. 
The  blood-money  was  duly  paid,  and  the  English 
bore  their  king  to  London,  where  they  murdered 
him  publicly  at  "Whitehall  on  January  30,  1649. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  event  the  uncompromis- 
ing and  true-hearted,  but  impetuous  and  im- 
perious nuncio,  Einuccini,  bade  adieu  to  the 
hapless  land  into  whose  cause  he  had  entered 
heart  and  soul,  but  whose  distractions  prostrated 
his  warm  hopes.  He  sailed  from  Galway  for 
home,  in  his  ship  the  San  Pietro,  on  February 
23,  1649. 

And  now,  while  the  at-length  united  confeder- 
ates and  royalists  are  proclaiming  the  young 
Prince  of  Wales  as  king  throughout  Ireland,  lo! 
the  huge  black  shadow  of  a  giant  destroyer  near 
at  hand  is  flung  across  the  scene! 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

HOW     CROMWELL     LED     THE     PURITAN      REBELS  INTO 

IRELAND  HOW  IRELAND  BY  A  LESSON  TOO  TERRIBLE 

TO  BE  FORGOTTEN  WAS  TAUGHT  THE  DANGER  OP 
TOO   MUCH   LOYALTY    TO    AN    ENGLISH  SOVEREIGN. 

It  is  the  figure  of  the  great  Eegicide  that 
looms  up  at  this  period  like  a  huge  colossus  of 
power  and  wrath.  The  English  nation  caused 
Oliver  Cromwell's  body  to  be  disinterred  and 
hung  in  chains,  and  buried  at  the  gallows  foot. 
Even  in  our  own  day  that  nation,  I  believe,  re- 
fuses to  him  a  place  amid  the  statues  of  its 
famous  public  men,  set  up  in  the  legislative 
palace  at  Westminster.  If  England  honored 
none  of  her  heroes  who  were  not  good  as  well  as 
great,  this  would  be  more  intelligible  and  less 
inconsistent.  She  gave  birth  to  few  greater  men, 
whose  greatness  is  judged  apart  from  virtue; 
and  if  she  honors  as  her  greatest  philosopher 
and  moralist  the  corrupt  and  venal  lord  chancel- 
lor Bacon,  degraded  for  selling  his  decisions  to 
the  highest  bribe,  it  is  the  merest  squeamishness 
to  ostracize  the  "Great  Protector"  because  one 
king  was  among  his  murdered  victims. 

England  has  had  for  half  a  thousand  years 
few  sovereign  rulers  to  compare  in  intellect  with 
this  "bankrupt  brewer  of  Huntingdon."  She 
owes  much  of  her  latter-day  European  presti.ue 
to  his  undoubted  national  spirit;  for  though  a 


162 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


despot,  a  bigot,  aud  a  canting  lij'pocrite,  be  was 
a  tborougb  nationalist  as  an  Euglisbman.  And 
sbe  owes  not  a  little  of  lier  constitutional  liberty 
to  tbe  democratic  principles  witb  wbicb  tbe 
republican  party,  on  wbose  sboulders  be  mounted 
to  power,  leavened  the  nation. 

In  1649  tbe  Puritan  revolution  had  consumed 
all  opi)osition  in  England ;  but  Ii'eland  presented 
an  inviting  field  for  what  tbe  Protector  and  his 
soldiery  called  "tbe  work  of  tbe  Lord."  There 
their  passions  would  be  fully  aroused,  and  there 
their  vengeance  would  have  full  scope.  To  pull 
down  the  throne  and  cut  off  Charles'  bead 
was,  after  all  (according  to  their  ideas),  over- 
throwing only  a  political  tyranny  and  an  episco- 
pal dominance  among  their  own  fellow-country- 
men and  fellow-Protestants.  But  in  L-eland 
there  was  an  idolatrous  people  to  be  put  to  tbe 
Bword,  aud  their  fertile  country  to  be  possessed. 
Glory,  hallelujah!  Tbe  bare  prospect  of  a  cam- 
paign there  threw  all  the  Puritan  regiments  into 
ecstacies.  It  was  the  summons  of  the  Lord  to 
His  chosen  people  to  cross  the  Jordan  and  enter 
the  promised  land ! 

In  this  spirit  Cromwell  came  to  Ireland, 
landing  at  Dublin  on  August  14,  1649.  He 
remained  nine  months.  Never,  perhaps,  in  the 
same  space  of  time,  has  one  man  more  of  horror 
aud  desolation  to  show  for  himself.  It  is  not 
for  any  of  the  ordinary  severities  of  war  that 
Cromwell's  name  is  infamous  in  Ireland.  War 
is  no  child's  play,  and  those  who  take  to  it  must 
not  wail  if  its  fair  penalties  fall  upon  them  ever 
BO  bard  and  heavy.  If  Cromwell,  therefore,  was 
merely  a  vigorous  and  "thorough"  soldier,  it 
•would  be  unjust  to  cast  special  odium  upon  him. 
To  call  him  "savage, "  because  the  slain  of  bis 
enemies  in  battle  might  have  been  enormous  in 
amount,  would  be  simply  contemptible.  But  it 
is  for  a  far  different  reason  Cromwell  is  execrated 
in  Ireland.  It  is  for  such  butcheries  of  the  un- 
armed and  defenseless  non-combatants — the 
ruthless  slaughter  of  inoffensive  women  and 
children — as  Drogheda  aud  Wexford  witnessed, 
that  be  is  justly  regarded  as  a  bloody  and  brutal 
tyrant.  Bitterly,  bitterly,  did  the  Irish  people 
pay  for  their  loyalty  to  the  English  sovereign ; 
an  error  tbey  had  just  barely  learned  to  commit, 
although  scourged  for  centuries  by  England 
coraiielling  them  thereto!    I  spare  myself  recital 


of  the  horrors  of  that  time.  Yet  it  is  meet  to 
record  the  fact  that  not  even  before  the  terrors 
of  such  a  man  did  tbe  Irish  exhibit  a  craven  or 
cowardly  spirit.  Unhappily  for  their  worldly 
fortunes,  if  not  for  their  fame,  they  were  high- 
spirted  and  unfearing,  where  pusillanimity  would 
certainly  have  been  safety,  and  might  have  been 
only  prudence.  Owen  Roe  O'Neill  was  struck 
down  by  death  early  in  the  struggle,  and  by  the 
common  testimony  of  friend  and  foe,  in  bim  the 
Irish  lost  tbe  only  military  leader  capable  of 
coping  with  Cromwell.*  Nevertheless,  with  that 
courage  which  unflinchingly  looks  ruin  in  the 
face,  and  chooses  death  before  dishonor,  the 
Irish  fought  the  issue  out.  At  length,  after  a 
fearful  and  bloody  struggle  of  nearly  three 
years'  duration,  "on  May  12,  1652,  the  Leinster 
army  of  the  Irish  surrendered  on  terms  signed 
at  Kilkenny,  which  were  adopted  successively 
hy  the  other  principal  armies  between  that  time 
and  the  September  following,  when  the  Ulster 
forces  surrendered. ' ' 


CHAPTER  LX. 

THE  AGONY  OF  A  NATION. 

What  ensued  upon  the  Cromwellian  conquest 
of  Ireland  has  been  told  recently  in  a  book  writ- 
ten under  most  singular  circumstances — a  com- 
pilation from  state  records  and  official  documents 
— a  book  wbicb  tbe  reader  may  take  in  bis  hand, 
and  challenge  tbe  wide  world  for  another  such 
true  story. 

About  twenty-one  years  ago  an  Irish  pro- 
fessional gentleman,  a  member  of  the  bar,  a  Prot- 
estant, educated  in  England,  belonging  to  one  of 
those  noble  Anglo-Norman  families  who  early 
identified  themselves  in  sympathy  with  Ireland  as 
the  country  of  their  adoption,  "received  a  com- 
mission from  England  to  make  some  pedigree 
researches  in  Tipperarj'."    He  was  well  qualified 

*  lie  died  November  6,  1649,  at  Clougliougbter  Castle, 
couuty  Cavan,  on  bis  way  soutbward  to  effect  a  junction 
witb  Ormond  for  a  campaign  against  Cromwell.  He  was 
buried  in  tbe  cemetery  of  tbe  Franciscan  convent  in  the 
town  of  Cavan-.  A  popular  tradition,  absurdly  erroneous, 
to  tbe  effect  that  be  died  by  poison — "  having  danced  in 
poisoned  slippers" — has  been  adopted  by  Davis  in  bis  "La- 
ment for  the  Death  of  Owen  Roe."  Tbe  story,  how<»ver,  is 
quite  apocryphal. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


163 


/for  a  task  which  enlisted  at  once  the  abilities  of 
■a  jurist  and  the  attainments  of  an  archaeologist. 
By  inclination  and  habit  far  removed  from  the 

■  stormy  atmosphere  of  politics,  his  life  had  been 
largely  devoted  to  the  tranquil  pursuits  of  study 

.  at  home  or  in  other  lands.  His  literary  and 
philosophic  tastes,  his  legal  schooling,  and  above 
all  his  professional  experience,  which  in  various 

-occupations  had  brought  him  largely  into  con- 
tact with  the  practical  realities  of  life  in  Ireland, 
-all  tended  to  give  him  an  interest  in  the  subject 

'thus  committed  to  his  investigations.  His  client 
little  thought,  however — for  a  long  time  he  little 
dreamed  himself — that  to  the  accident  of  such  a 

•  commission  would  be  traceable  the  existence 
subsequently  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  books 

■  ever  printed  in  the  English  language,  "The 
Cromwellian   Settlement  of   Ireland,"  by  Mr. 

•John  P.  Prendergast. 

It  would  be  hopeless  to  attempt  to  abbreviate 
or  summarize  the  startling  romance,  the  mourn- 
ful  tragedy  of  history — ^"the  record  of  a  nation's 
■woes" — which  Mr.  Prendergast,  as  he  tells  us, 

•  discovered  in  the  dust-covered  cell  of  that  gloomy 
tower  in  Dublin   Castle   yard,  apparently  the 

-«ame  that  once  was  the  dungeon  of  Hugh  Roe 
■O'Donnell.*    I  therefore  relinquish  all  idea  of 

*  "  I  DOW  thought  of  searching  the  Record  Coinmission 
'ers'  Reports,  and  found  there  were  several  volumes  of  the 
very  date  required,  1650-1659,  in  the  custody  of  the  clerk 

•  of  the  privy  council,  preserved  in  the  heavily  embattled 
tower  which  forms  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  Castle 

■  of  Dublin.  They  were  only  accessible  at  that  day  through 
the  order  of  the  lord  lieutenant  or  chief  secretary  for  Ire- 
land. I  obtained,  at  length,  in  the  month  of  September, 
1849,  an  order.  It  may  be  easily  imagined  with  what  in- 
terest I  followed  the  porter  up  the  dark  winding  stone  stair- 

■  case  of  this  gloomy  tower,  once  the  prison  of  the  castle,  and 
was  ushered  into  a  small  central  space  that  seemed  dark, 
even  after  the  dark  stairs  we  had  just  left.  As  the  eye  be- 
came accustomed  to  the  spot,  it  appeared  that  the  doors  of 
five  cells  made  in  the  prodigious  thickness  of  the  tower 
■walls,  opened  on  the  central  space.  From  one  of  them 
Hugh  Roe  O'Donel  is  said  to  have  escaped,  by  gett'ng  down 
the  privy  of  his  cell  to  the  Poddle  River  that  runs  around 
the  base  of  the  tower.  The  place  was  covered  with  the 
dust  of  twenty  years  ;  but  opening  a  couple  of  volumes  of 
the  statutes — one  as  a  clean  spot  to  place  uiy  coat  upon,  the 
other  to  sit  on — I  took  my  seat  in  the  cell  exactly  opposite 
to  the  one  just  mentioned,  as  it  looked  to  the  south  over  the 

■  castle  garden,  and  had  better  light.    In  this  tower  I  found 

■  a  series  of  Order  Books  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Par- 
liament of  the  Com  i  onwealth  of  England  for  the  affairs  of 
•Ireland,  together  wiih  domestic  correspondence  and  Books 


following  in  detail  the  transactions  which  imme- 
diately followed  upon  the  capitulation  of  the 
Irish  armies,  "when,"  says  Mr.  Prendergast, 
"there  took  place  a  scene  not  witnessed  in 
Europe  since  the  conquest  of  Spain  by  the  Van- 
dals." "Indeed,"  he  continues,  "it  is  injustice 
to  the  Vandals  to  equal  them  with  the  English  of 
1652 ;  for  the  Vandals  came  as  strangers  and  con- 
querors in  an  age  of  force  and  barbarism ;  nor 
did  they  banish  the  people,  though  they  seized 
and  divided  their  lands  by  lot;  but  the  English 
of  1652  were  of  the  same  nation  as  half  of  the 
chief  families  in  Ireland,  and  at  that  time  had 
the  island  under  their  sway  for  five  hundred 
years. 

"The  captains  and  men  of  war  of  the  Irish, 
amounting  to  forty  thousand  men  and  upward, 
they  banished  into  Spain,  where  they  took  service 
under  that  king ;  others  of  them  with  a  crowd  of 
orphan  girls  were  transported  to  serve  the  Eng- 
lish planters  in  the  West  Indies;  and  the  remnant 
of  the  nation  not  banished  or  transported  were 
to  be  transplanted  into  Connaught,  while  the 
conquering  army  divided  the  ancient  inheritances 
of  the  Irish  among  them  by  lot." 

James  essayed  the  plantation  of  Ulster,  as 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  had  the  colonization  of 
Munster.  The  republican  parliament  went  much 
further,  "improving"  to  the  full  their  dreadful 
"opportunity."  They  decided  to  colonize  three 
provinces — Leinster,  Munster,  and  Ulster — con- 
verting the  fourth  (Connaught)  into  a  vast  en- 
circled prison,  into  which  such  of  the  doomed 
natives  as  were  not  either  transported  as  white 
slaves  to  Barbadoes,  kept  for  servitude  by  the 
new  settlers,  or  allowed  to  expatriate  themselves 


of  Establishments  from  1650  to  1659.  They  were  marked 
on  the  back  by  the  letter  A  over  a  number,  as  will  be  ob- 
served in  the  various  references  in  the  notes  to  the  present 
sketch.  Here  I  found  the  records  of  a  nation's  woes.  I 
felt  that  I  had  at  last  reached  tlie  liaven  I  had  been  so  long 
seeking.  There  I  sat,  extracting,  for  many  weelvs,  until  I 
began  to  know  the  voices  of  many  of  the  corporals  that 
came  with  the  guard  to  relieve  the  sentry  in  the  castle  yanl 
below,  and  every  drum  and  bugle  call  of  the  regiment 
quartered  in  the  Ship  Street  barracks.  At  length,  between 
the  labor  of  copying  and  excitement  at  the  astonishing 
drama  performing,  as  it  were,  before  my  eyes,  my  heart  by 
some  strange  movements  warned  me  it  was  necessary  to 
retire  for  a  time.  But  I  again  and  again  returned  at  inter- 
vals, sometimes  of  months,  sometimes  of  years." — Preface 
to  "  The  Oromvvelliau  Settlement  of  Ireland." 


164  THE  STORY 

as  a  privilege,  might  be  driven  on  pain  of  imme- 
diate death;  the  calculation  being,  that  in  the 
desolate  tracts  assigned  as  their  unsheltered 
prison  they  must  inevitably  perish  ere  long. 

The  American  poet  Longfellow  has,  in  the 
poem  of  "Evangeline,"  immortalized  the  story 
of  Acadia.  How  many  a  heart  has  melted  into 
pit}',  how  many  an  eye  has  filled  with  tears, 
jierusing  his  metrical  relation  of  the  "trans- 
planting" and  dispersion  of  that  one  little  com- 
munity "on  the  shore  of  the  basin  of  Minas!" 
But  alas!  how  few  recall  or  realize  the  fact — if, 
indeed,  aware  of  it  at  all — that  not  one  but  hun- 
dreds of  such  dispersions,  infinitely  more  tragi- 
cal and  more  romantic,  were  witnessed  in  Ire- 
land in  the  year  1654,  when  in  every  hamlet 
throughout  three  provinces  "the  sentence  of  ex- 
pulsion was  sped  from  door  to  door!"  Long- 
fellow describes  to  us  how  the  English  captain 
read  aloud  to  the  dismayed  and  grief-stricken 
villagers  of  Grand  Pre  the  decree  for  their  dis- 
persion. Unconsciously,  the  poet  merely  de- 
scribed the  form  directed  by  an  act  of  the  Eng- 
lish parliament  to  be  adopted  all  over  Ireland, 
when,  "by  beat  of  drumme  and  sound  of  trum- 
pett,  on  some  markett  day,  within  tenn  days  after 
the  same  shall  come  unto  them  within  their  re- 
spective precincts, "  "the  governor  and  commis- 
sioners of  revenue,  or  any  two  or  more  of  them 
within  every  precinct,"  were  ordered  to  publish 
and  proclaim  "this  present  declaration:"  to  wit, 
that  "all  the  ancient  estates  and  farms  of  the 
people  of  Ii-eland  were  to  belong  to  the  adven- 
turers and  the  army  of  England,  and  that  the 
parliament  had  assigned  Connaught  (America 
was  not  then  accessible)  for  the  habitation  of  the 
Ii'ish  nation,  whither  they  must  transplant  with 
their  wives  and  daughters  and  children  before 
the  1st  of  May  following  (1654),  under  penalty  of 
death  if  found  on  this  side  of  the  Shannon  after 
that  day. " 

"Connaught  was  selected  for  the  habitation  of 
all  the  Irish  nation,"  we  are  reminded,  "by 
reason  of  its  being  surrounded  by  the  sea  and 
the  Shannon  all  but  ten  miles,  and  the  whole 
easily  made  into  line  by  a  few  forts.*    To  further 


•"March  9,  1654-5. — Order — Passes  over  the  Shannoo 
between  Jamestown  and  Sligo  to  be  closed,  so  as  to  make 
one  entire  line  between  Connaught  and  the  adjacent  parts 
of  Leiuater  and  Ulster." 


OF  IRELAND. 

j  secure  the  imprisonment  of  the  nation,  and  to- 
cut  them  off  from  relief  by  the  sea,  a  belt  four 
miles  wide,  commencing  one  mile  west  of  Sligo, 
and  so  winding  along  the  seacoast  and  the 
Shannon,  was  reserved  by  the  act  (Sep':ember  27, 
1653)  from  being  set  out  to  the  Irish,  and  was 
to  be  given  to  the  soldiery  to  plant."  The  Irish 
were  not  to  attempt  to  pass  "the  four  mile  line," 
as  it  was  called,  or  to  enter  a  walled  town  (or  to- 
come  within  five  miles  of  certain  specified  towns) 
"on  pain  of  death."* 

Need  we  marvel  that  all  over  the  land  the  loud 
wail  of  grief  and  despair  resounded  for  days 
together?  It  was  one  universal  scene  of  dis- 
tracted leave-taking,  and  then  along  every  road 
!  that  led  toward  Connaught,  each  a  via  dolorosa, 
!  the  sorrowing  cavalcades  streamed,  weary,  faint- 
ing, and  footsore,  weeping  aloud!  Toward  the- 
seaports  moved  other  processions;  alas!  of  not. 
less  mournful  character — the  Irish  regiments, 
marching  to  embark  for  exile;  or  the  gangs  in. 
charge  to  be  transported  and  sold  into  slavery  ia 
the  pestilential  settlements  of  the  West  Indies! 
Of  young  boys  and  girls  alone  Sir  William  Petty 
confesses  six  thousand  were  thus  transported;, 
"but  the  total  number  of  Irish  sent  to  perish  in 
the  tobacco  islands,  as  they  were  called,  were 
estimated  in  some  Irish  accounts  at  one  hundred 
thousand."  Force  was  necessary  to  collect 
them ;  but  vain  was  all  resistance.  Bands  of 
soldiery  went  about  tearing  from  the  arms  of 
their  shrieking  parents  young  children  of  ten. 
or  twelve  years,  then  chaining  them  in  gangs, 
they  marched  them  to  the  nearest  port!  "Henrys 
Cromwell  (Oliver's  son),  who  was  most  active  ia 
the  kidnapping  of  Irish  'white  slaves,'  writing^ 
from  Ireland  to  Secretary  Thurloe,  says:  "I 
think  it  might  be  of  like  advantage  to  your  affairs, 
there,  and  ours  here,  if  you  should  think  to  send 
one  thousand  five  hundred  or  two  thousand, 
young  boys  of  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age  ta 
the  place  aforementioned  (West  Indies).  Who 


*  "  How  strict  was  the  imprisonment  of  the  transplanted 
in  Connaught  may  be  judged  when  it  required  a  special 
order  for  Lord  Trimbleston,  Sir  Richard  Barnwall,  Mr. 
Patrick  Netterville,  and  others,  then  dwelling  in  the  sub- 
urbs of  Athlone  on  the  Connaught  side,  to  pass  and  repass, 
the  bridge  into  the  part  of  the  town  on  the  Leinster  side  on 
their  business;  and  only  on  giving  security  not  to  pass, 
without  special  leave  of  the  governor.'" — " Crom wellian 
Settleiiieiit  i"  with  a  reference  tu  the  State  Record 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


165. 


knows  but  it  may  be  the  means  to  make  them 
Englishmen — I  mean,  rather,  Christians. '  Thur- 
loe  answers:  'The  committee  of  the  council  have 
voted  one  thousand  girls  and  as  many  youths  to 
be  taken  up  for  that  purpose.'  " 

The  piety  of  the  amiable  kidnapper  will  be 
noted.  But  it  was  always  so  with  his  class; 
whether  confiscating  or  transplanting,  whether 
robbing  the  Irish,  or  selling  them  into  slavery, 
it  was  always  for  their  spiritual  or  temporal  good 
— to  sanctify  or  to  civilize  them.  Accordingly 
we  read  that  at  this  period  "the  parliamentary 
commissioners  in  Dublin  published  a  proclamation 
hy  which  and  other  edicts  any  Catholic  priest 
found  in  Ireland  after  twenty  days,  was  guilty 
of  high  treason,  and  liable  to  be  hanged,  drawn, 
and  quartered ;  any  person  harboring  such 
clergyman  was  liable  to  the  penalty  of  death,  and 
loss  of  goods  and  chattels ;  and  any  person  know- 
ing the  place  of  concealment  of  a  priest  and  not 
disclosing  it  to  the  authorities  might  be  publicly 
whipped,  and  further  punished  with  amputation 
of  ears. 

Any  person  absent  from  the  parish  church  on 
a  Sunday  was  liable  to  a  fine  of  thirty  pence; 
magistrates  might  take  away  the  children  of 
Catholics  and  send  them  to  England  for  educa- 
tion, and  might  tender  the  oath  of  abjuration  to 
all  persons  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  who, 
on  refusal,  were  liable  to  imprisonment  during 
pleasure,  and  the  forfeiture  of  two-thirds  of  their 
real  and  personal  estates. 

"The  same  price  of  five  pounds  was  set  on  the 
head  of  a  priest,  and  on  that  of  a  wolf,  and  the 
production  of  either  head  was  a  sufficient  claim 
for  the  reward.  The  military  being  distributed 
in  small  parties  over  the  country,  and  their  vigi- 
lance kept  alive  by  sectarian  rancor  and  the 
promise  of  reward,  it  must  have  been  difficult 
for  a  priest  to  escape  detection;  but  many  of 
them,  nevertheless,  braved  the  danger  for  their 
poor  scattered  flocks;  and,  residing  in  caverns 
in  the  mountains,  or  in  lonely  hovels  in  the  bogs, 
they  issued  forth  at  night  to  carry  the  consola- 
tions of  religion  to  the  huts  of  their  oppressed 
and  suffering  countrymen."* 

"Ludlow,"  continues  the  same  author,  "re- 
lates in  his  'Memoirs'  (vol.  i.,  page  422,  De  Vevay, 

*  Haverty. 


1G91)  how,  when  marching  from  Dundalk  to. 
Castleblaney,  probably  near  the  close  of  1G52,  he 
discovered  a  few  of  the  Irish  in  a  cave,  and  how 
his  party  spent  two  days  in  endeavoring  to 
smother  them  by  smoke.  It  arppears  that  the 
poor  fugitives  preserved  themselves  from  suffoca- 
tion during  this  operation  by  holding  their 
faces  close  to  the  surface  of  some  running  water 
in  the  cavern,  and  that  one  of  this  party  was 
armed  with  a  pistol,  with  which  he  shot  the  fore- 
most of  the  troopers  who  were  entering  the 
mouth  of  the  cave  after  the  first  day's  smoking. 
Ludlow  caused  the  trial  to  be  repeated,  and  the 
crevices  through  which  the  smoke  escaped  having 
been  closed,  'another  smoke  was  made.'  The 
next  time  the  soldiers  entered  with  helmets  and 
breastplates,  but  they  found  the  only  armed 
man  dead,  inside  the  entrance,  where  he  was. 
suffocated  at  his  post,  while  the  other  fugitives, 
still  preserved  life  at  the  little  brook.  Fifteen 
were  put  to  the  sword  within  the  cave,  and  four- 
dragged  out  alive;  but  Ludlow  does  not  mention 
whether  he  hanged  these  then  or  not;  but  one  at 
least  of  the  original  number  was  a  Catholic 
priest,  for  the  soldiers  found  a  crucifix,  chalice, 
and  priest's  robes  in  the  cavern." 

Of  our  kindred,  old  or  young,  sold  into  slavery- 
in  the  "tobacco  islands,"  we  hear  no  more  in 
history,  and  shall  hear  no  moi-e  until  the  last, 
great  accounting  day.  Of  those  little  ones — just 
old  enough  to  feel  all  the  pangs  of  such  a  ruth- 
less and  eternal  severance  from  loving  mother, 
from  fond  father,  from  brothers  and  playmates, 
from  all  of  happiness  on  earth — no  record  tells 
the  fate.  We  only  know  that  a  few  years  subse- 
quently there  survived  of  them  in  the  islands, 
barely  the  remembrance  that  they  came  in  ship- 
loads and  perished  soon — too  young  to  stand  the> 
climate  or  endure  the  toil!  But  at  home — in  the, 
rifled  nest  of  the  parents'  hearts — what  a  memory 
of  them  was  kept !  There  the  image  of  each  little^ 
victim  was  enshrined ;  and  father  and  mother, 
bowed  with  years  and  suffering,  went  down  to 
the  grave  "still  thinking,  ever  thinking"  of  the- 
absent,  the  cherished  one,  whom  they  were  never 
to  see  on  earth  again,  now  writhing  beneath  a 
planter's  lash,  or  filling  a  nameless  grave  in 
Jamaican  soil!  Yes,  that  army  of  innocents, 
vanish  from  the  record  here ;  but  the  great  God 
who  marked  the  slaughters  of  Herod  has  kept  a, 


166 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


reckoning  of  the  crime  that  in  that  hour  so  nota- 
bly likened  Ireland  to  Rachel  weeping  for  her 
children. 

But  there  was  another  armj' — other  of  the  ex- 
patriated— of  whom  we  are  not  to  lose  sight,  the 
"Irish  swordmeu,"  so  called  in  the  European 
writings  of  the  time;  the  Irish  regiments  who 
•elected  to  go  into  exile,  preferring  to 

"  roam 

Where  freedom  and  their  God  might  lead," 

rather  than  be  bondsmen  under  a  bigot-yoke  at 
home.  "Foreign  nations  were  apprised  by  the 
Kilkenny  Articles  that  the  Irish  were  to  be 
allowed  to  engage  in  the  service  of  any  state  in 
amity  with  the  Commonwealth.  The  valor  of 
the  Irish  soldier  was  well  known  abroad.  From 
the  time  of  the  Munster  plantation  by  Queen 
Elizabeth,  numerous  exiles  had  taken  service  in 
the  Spanish  army.  There  were  Irish  regiments 
serving  in  the  Low  Countries.  The  Prince  of 
Orange  declared  they  were  'born  soldiers' ;  and 
Henry  the  Fourth  of  France  publicly  called 
Hugh  O'Neill  'the  third  soldier  of  the  age,'  and 
he  said  there  was  no  nation  made  better  troops 
than  the  Irish  when  drilled.  Agents  from  the 
King  of  Spain,  the  King  of  Poland,  and  the 
Prince  De  Conde,  were  now  contending  for  the 
services  of  Irish  troops.  Don  Ricardo  White,  in 
May,  1652,  shipped  seven  thousand  in  batches 
from  Waterford,  Kinsale,  Galway,  Limerick,  and 
Bantry,  for  the  King  of  Spain.  Colonel  Christo- 
pher Mayo  got  liberty  in  September,  1652,  to 
beat  his  drums  to  raise  three  thousand  for  the 
same  king.  Lord  Muskerry  took  five  thousand 
to  the  King  of  Poland.  In  July,  1654,  three 
thousand  five  hundred,  commanded  by  Colonel 
Edmund  Droyer,  went  to  serve  the  Prince  De 
Conde.  Sir  Walter  Dungan  and  others  got 
liberty  to  beat  their  drums  in  different  garrisons, 
to  a  rallying  of  their  men  that  laid  down  arms 
with  them  in  order  to  a  rendezvous,  and  to  de- 
part for  Spain.  They  got  permission  to  march 
their  men  together  to  the  different  ports,  their 
pipers  ijerhaps  playing  'Ha  til,  Ha  til.  Ha  til, 
mi  tulidh' — 'We  return,  we  return  no  more!'* 
Between  1051  and  1664,  thirty-four  thousand  (of 

*"The  tune  with  whicli  the  departing  Highlanders 
usually  bid  farewell  to  tljeir  native  .shores." — Preface  to  Sir 
Walter  ir'cott's  "Legend  of  Montrose." 


whom  few  ever  saw  their  loved  native  land  again> 
were  transported  into  foreign  parts."* 

While  the  roads  to  Connaught  were  as  I  have 
described  witnessing  a  stream  of  hapless  fugitives 
—  prisoners  rather,  plodding  wearily  to  their 
dungeon  and  grave — a  singular  scene  was  going 
on  in  London.  At  an  ofiice  or  bureau  appointed 
for  the  purpose  by  government,  a  lottery  was 
held,  whereat  the  farms,  houses,  and  estates  from 
which  the  owners  had  thus  been  driven  were 
being  "drawn"  by  or  on  behalf  of  the  soldiers 
and  officers  of  the  army,  and  the  "adventur- 
ers"— i.e.  petty  shopkeepers  in  London,  and 
others  who  had  lent  money  for  the  war  on  the 
Irish.  The  mode  of  conducting  the  lottery  or 
drawing  was  regulated  by  public  ordinance.  Not 
unfrequently  a  vulgar  and  illiterate  trooper 
"drew"  the  mansion  and  estate  of  an  Irish  noble- 
man, who  was  glad  to  accept  permission  to  in- 
habit, for  a  few  weeks  merely,  the  stable  or  the 
cowshedf  with  his  lady  and  children,  pending 
their  setting  out  for  Connaught!  This  same 
lottery  was  the  "settlement"  (varied  a  little  by 
further  confiscations  to  the  same  end  forty  years 
subsequently  (by  which  the  now  existing  landed 
proprietary  was  "planted"  upon  Ireland.  Be- 
tween a  proprietary  thus  planted  and  the  bulk  of 
the  population,  as  well  as  the  tenantry  under 
them,  it  is  not  to  be  marveled  that  feelings  the 
reverse  of  cordial  prevailed.  From  the  first  they 
scowled  at  each  other.  The  plundered  and  tram- 
pled people  despised  and  hated  the  "Cromwellian 
brood,"  as  they  were  called,  never  regarding 
them  as  more  than  vulgar  and  violent  usurpers  of 
other  men's  estates.  The  Cromwellians,  on  the 
other  hand,  feared  and  hated  the  serf-peasantry, 
whose  secret  sentiments  and  desires  of  hostility 
they  well  knew.  Nothing  but  the  fusing  spirit 
of  nationality  obliterates  sucli  feelings  as  these; 
but  no  such  spirit  was  allowed  to  fuse  the  Crom- 
wellian "landlords"  and  the  Irish  tenantry.  The 
former  were  taught  to  consider  themselves  as  a 
foreign  garrison,  endowed  to  watch  and  keep 
down,  and  levy  a  land-tribute  off  the  native 
tillers  of  the  soil;  moreover  "the  salt  of  the 
laud,"  the  elect  of  the  Lord,  the  ruling  class, 

*  Prendergast's  "  rromweliian  Settlement." 

f  See  the  case  of  the  then  proprietor  of  the  magnificent 
place  now  called  Woodlands,  county  Dublin. — "Crom- 
wellian Settlement  of  Ireland." 


THE  fSTOKY  Ui'  IKELAND. 


1G7 


alone  entitled  to  be  ranked  as  saints  or  citizens. 
So  they  looked  to  and  leaned  all  on  England, 
without  whom  they  thought  they  must  be  massa- 
cred. "Aliens  in  race  and  language,  and  in 
religion,"  they  had  not  one  tie  in  common  with 
the  subject  population;  and  so  both  classes  un- 
happily grew  up  to  be  what  they  remain  very 
much  in  our  own  day — more  of  taskmasters  and 
bondsmen  than  landlords  and  tenants. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

^OW    KING    CHARLES    THE    SECOND    CAME    BACK    ON  A 

COMPROMISE  HOW    A    NEW    MASSACRE  STORY  WAS 

SET     TO     WORK  THE     MARTYRDOM     OF  PRIMATE 

PLUNKETT. 

Possessed  of  supreme  power,  Cromwell,  by  a 
bold  stroke  of  usurpation,  now  changed  the 
republic  to  what  he  called  a  "protectorate," 
with  himself  as  "Protector"  in  other  words,  a 
kingdom,  with  Oliver  as  king,  vice  Charles, 
decapitated.  This  coup  d'etat  completely  dis- 
gusted the  sincere  republicans  of  the  Pym  and 
Ludlow  school ;  and  on  the  death  of  the  iron- 
willed  Protector,  September  3,  1658,  the  whole 
structure  set  up  by  the  revolution  on  the  ruins 
of  the  monarchy  in  England  tottered  and  fell. 

Communication  had  been  opened  with  the 
second  Charles,  a  worthless,  empty-headed  crea- 
ture, and  it  was  made  clear  to  him  that  if  he 
would  only  undertake  not  to  disturb  too  much 
the  "vested  interests"  created  during  the  revolu- 
tion— that  is,  if  he  would  undertake  to  let  the 
"settlement  of  property"  (as  they  were  pleased 
to  call  their  stealing  of  other  men's  estates)  alone 
— his  return  to  the  throne  might  be  made  easy. 
Charles  was  delighted.  This  proposal  only  asked 
of  him  to  sacrifice  his  friends,  now  no  longer 
powerful,  since  they  had  lost  all  in  his  behalf. 
He  acquiesced,  and  the  monarchy  was  restored. 
The  Irish  nobility  and  gentry,  native  and  Anglo- 
Irish,  who  had  been  so  fearfully  scourged  for  the 
sin  of  loyalty  to  his  father,  now  joyfully  expected 
that  right  would  be  done,  and  that  they  would 
enjoy  their  own  once  more.  They  were  soon 
undeceived.  Such  of  the  "lottery"  speculators, 
or  army  officers  and  soldiers  as  were  actually  in 
possession  of  the  estates  of  royalist  owners,  were 
not  to  be  disturbed.    Such  estates  onlj^  as  had 


not  actually  been  "taken  up"  were  to  be  restored 
to  the  owners.  There  was  one  class,  however, 
whom  all  the  others  readily  agreed  might  be 
robbed  without  any  danger — nay,  whom  it  was 
loudly  declared  to  be  a  crime  to  desist  from  rob- 
bing to  the  last — namely,  the  Catholics — espe- 
cially the  "Irish  Papists.  "  The  reason  why  was 
not  clear.  Everybody,  on  the  contrary,  saw  that 
they  had  sulfered  most  of  all  for  their  devoted 
loj'alty  to  the  murdered  king.  After  awhile  a 
low  murmur  of  compassion — muttering  even  of 
justice  for  them — began  to  be  heard  about  the 
court.  This  danger  created  great  alarm.  The 
monstrous  idea  of  justice  to  the  Catholics  was 
surely  not  to  be  endured ;  but  what  was  to  be 
done?  "Happy  thought!" — imitate  the  skillful 
ruse  of  the  Irish  Puritans  in  starting  the  mas- 
sacre story  of  1G41.  But  where  was  the  scene  of 
massacre  to  be  laid  this  time,  and  when  must 
they  say  it  had  taken  place?  This  was  found  to 
be  an  irresistible  stopper  on  a  new  massacre 
story  in  the  past,  but  then  the  great  boundless 
future  was  open  to  them :  could  they  not  say  it 
was  yet  to  take  place  ?  A  blessed  inspiration  the 
saintly  people  called  this.  Yes  ;  they  could  get 
up  an  anti-Catholic  frenzy  with  a  massacre  story 
about  the  future,  as  well  as  with  one  relating  to 
the  past! 

Accordingly,  in  1678  the  diabolical  fabrica- 
tion known  as  the  "Great  Popish  Plot"  made  its 
appearance.  The  great  Protestant  historian, 
Charles  James  Fox,  declared  that  the  Popish  plot 
story  "must  always,  be  considered  an  indelible 
disgrace  upon  the  English  nation."  Macaulay 
more  recently  has  still  more  vehemently  de- 
nounced the  infamy  of  that  concoction;  and 
indeed,  even  a  year  or  two  after  it  had  done  its 
work,  all  England  rang  with  execrations  of  its 
concoctors — several  of  whom,  Titus  Gates,  the 
chief  swearer,  especially,  suffered  the  penalty  of 
their  discovered  perjuries. 

But  the  plot-story  did  its  appointed  work 
splendidly  and  completely,  and  all  the  senti- 
mental horror  of  a  thousand  Macaulays  could 
nought  avail,  once  that  work  was  done.  A 
proper  fury  had  been  got  up  against  the  Catho- 
lics, arresting  the  idea  of  compassionating  them, 
giving  full  impetus  to  a  merciless  persecution  of 
popish  priests,  and  above  all  (crowning  merit) 
effectually  silencing  all  suggestions  about  restor- 


168 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


ing  to  Irish  Catholic  royalists  their  estates  and 
possessions.  Shaftesbury,  one  of  the  chief  pro- 
moters of  the  plot-story,  was  indeed  dragged  to 
the  Tower  as  an  abominable  and  perjured  mis- 
creant, but  not  until  the  scaffold  had  drunk  deep 
of  Catholic  blood,  and  Tyburn  had  been  the 
scene  of  that  mournful  tragedy — that  foul  and 
heartless  murder — of  which  Oliver  Pluukett,  the 
sainted  martyr-primate  of  Ireland,  was  the 
victim.* 

This  venerable  man  was  at  Rome  when  the 
pope  selected  him  for  the  primacj\  A  bloody 
persecution  was  at  the  moment  raging  in  Ireland; 
and  Dr.  Plunkett  felt  that  the  aijpointment  was 
a  summons  to  martyrdom.  Nevertheless  he 
hastened  to  Ireland,  and  assumed  the  duties  of 
his  position.  Such  was  his  gentleness  and  purity 
of  character,  his  profound  learning,  the  piety, 
and  indeed  sanctity,  of  his  life,  that  even  the 
Protestant  officials  and  gentry  round  about  came 
to  entertain  for  him  the  highest  respect  and  per- 
sonal regard.  Prudent  and  circumspect,  he 
rigidly  abstained  from  interference  in  the 
troubled  politics  of  the  period,  and  devoted  him- 
self exclusivel.v  to  rigorous  reforms  of  such 
in-egularities  and  abuses  as  had  crept  into  paro- 
chial or  diocesan  affairs  during  the  past  century 
of  civil  war  and  social  chaos.  For  the  support 
of  the  "intended  massacre"  story  it  was  clearly 
necessary  to  extend  the  scene  of  the  plot  to  Ire- 
land (so  much  more  popish  than  England),  and 
casting  about  for  some  one  to  put  down  as  chief 
conspirator,  the  constructors  of  the  story  thought 
the  head  of  the  popish  prelates  ought  to  be  the 
man,  ex-officio.  The  London  government  accord- 
ingly wrote  to  the  Irish  lord  lieutenant  to  an- 
nounce that  the  "Popish  jjlot"  existed  in  Ireland 

*Few  episodes  in  Irisli  history  are  more  tragic  and  touch- 
ing than  that  with  which  the  name  of  the  martyr-iirimate 
is  associated,  and  there  liave  been  few  more  valuable  con- 
tributions to  Irish  Catholic  or  historical  literature  in  our 
generation  than  the  "Memoir"  of  this  illustrious  prelate 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Moran.  In  it  the  learned  reverend  author 
has  utilized  the  rich  stores  of  original  manuscripts  relating 
to  the  i)eriod — many  of  them  letters  in  the  uiartyr-primate's 
handwriting — preserved  in  Rome,  and  has  made  his  book 
not  only  a  "memoif"  of  tlie  murdered  archl)ishop,  but  an 
authentic  history  of  a  period  momentous  in  its  importance 
and  interest  for  Irishmen.  A  much  briefer  work  is  the 
"  Life  and  Death  of  Oliver  Plunkett,"  by  the  Rev.  George 
Crolly,  a  little  book  which  tells  a  sad  story  in  language  full 
of  simple  pathos  and  true  elopience. 


also.  He  complied.  Next  he  was  to  resume 
energetically  the  statutory  persecutions  of  the 
Papists.  This  also  he  obeyed.  Next  he  wa& 
directed  to  arrest  the  popish  primate  for  com- 
plicity in  the  plot.  Here  he  halted.  From  the 
correspondence  it  would  appear  that  he  wrote 
back  to  the  effect  that  this  was  rather  too  strong, 
inasmuch  as  even  among  the  ultra-Protestants 
the  idea  of  Dr.  Plunkett  being  concerned  in  any 
such  business  would  be  scouted.  Beside,  he 
pointed  out,  there  was  no  evidence.  He  was  told 
that  this  made  no  matter,  to  obey  his  orders, 
and  arrest  the  primate.  He  complied  reluctantly. 
An  agent  of  the  Gates  and  Shaftesbury  gang  in. 
London,  Hetherington  by  name,  was  now  sent 
over  to  Dublin  to  get  up  evidence,  and  soon  proc- 
lamations were  circulated  through  all  the  jails 
offering  pardon  to  any  criminal — murderer,  rob- 
ber, tory,  or  traitor — who  could  (would)  give 
the  necessary  evidence  against  the  primate;  and 
accordingly  crown  witnesses  by  the  dozen  com- 
peted in  willingness  to  swear  anything  that  was 
required.  The  primate  was  brought  to  trial  at 
Drogheda,  but  the  grand  jury,  though  ultra- 
Protestant  to  a  man,  threw  out  the  bill;  the  per- 
jury of  the  crown  witnesses  Avas  too  gross,  the 
innocence  of  the  meek  and  venerable  man  before 
them  too  apparent.  When  the  news  reached 
London  great  was  the  indignation  there.  The 
lord  lieutenant  was  at  once  directed  to  send  the 
primate  thither,  where  no  such  squeamishness 
of  jurors  would  mar  the  ends  of  injustice.  The 
hapless  prelate  was  shipped  to  London  and 
brought  to  trial  there.  Macaulay  himself  haa 
described  for  us  from  original  authorities  the 
manner  in  which  those  "trials"  were  conducted. 
Here  is  his  description  of  the  witnesses,  the 
judges,  the  juries,  and  the  audience  in  court: 

"A  wretch  named  Carstairs,  who  had  earned  a 
living  ia  Scotland  by  going  disguised  to  conven- 
ticles, and  then  informing  against  the  preachers, 
led  the  way ;  Bedloe,  a  noted  swindler,  followed ; 
and  soon  from  all  the  brothels,  gambling-houses, 
and  sponging-houses  of  London,  false  witnesses, 
poured  forth  to  swear  away  the  lives  of  Roman 
Catholics.  .  .  .  Oates,  that  he  might  not  be 
eclipsed  by  his  imitators,  soon  added  a  large  sup- 
plement to  his  original  narrative.  The  vulgar 
believed,  and  the  highest  magistrates  pretended  to 
believe,  even  such  fictions  as  these.    The  chief 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


1G9 


judges  of  the  kingdom  were  corrupt,  cruel,  and 
■timid.  The  juries  partook  of  the  feelings  then  com- 
mon throughout  the  nation,  and  were  encouraged 
by  the  bench  to  indulge  those  feelings  without 
restraint.  The  multitude  applauded  Gates  and 
his  confederates,  hooted  and  pelted  the  witnesses 
who  appeared  on  behalf  of  the  accused,  and 
■shouted  with  joy  when  the  verdict  of  guilty  was 
pronounced. " 

Before  such  a  tribunal,  on  the  8th  of  June, 
1681,  the  aged  and  venerable  Primate  was 
■arraigned,  and  of  course  convicted.  The  scene 
in  court  was  ineffably  brutal.  In  accordance 
with  the  law  at  that  time,  the  accused  was 
allowed  no  counsel,  whereas  the  crown  was  repre- 
sented by  the  attorney-general  and  Sergeant 
Maynard;  the  judges  being  fully  as  ferocious  as 
the  official  prosecutors.  Every  attempt  made  by 
the  venerable  victim  at  the  bar  to  defend  him- 
self only  elicited  a  roar  of  anger  or  a  malignant 
taunt  from  one  side  or  the  other.  The  scene  has 
not  inappropriately  been  likened  rather  to  the 
torturing  of  a  victim  at  the  stake  by  savage 
Indians,  dancing  and  shouting  wildly  round  him, 
than  the  trial  of  a  prisoner  in  a  court  of  law. 
At  length  the  verdict  was  delivered;  to  which, 
when  he  heard  it,  the  archbishop  simply  an- 
swered: "Deo  gratias!"  Then  he  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  drawn  on  a  hurdle  to  Tyburn,  there 
and  then  to  be  hanged,  cut  down  while  alive,  his 
body  quartered,  and  the  entrails  burned  in  fire. 
He  heard  this  infamous  decree  with  serene 
composure. 

"But  looking  upward  full  of  grace, 
God's  glory  smote  him  on  the  face." 

Even  among  the  governing  party  there  were 
many  who  felt  greatly  shocked  by  this  convic- 
tion. The  thing  was  too  glaring.  The  Protes- 
tant archbishop  of  Dublin  (who  seems  to  have 
been  a  humane  and  honorable  man)  expressed 
aloud  his  horror,  and  fearlessly  declared  the 
Catholic  primate  as  innocent  of  the  crimes  alleged 
as  an  unborn  child.  But  no  one  durst  take  on 
himself  at  the  moment  to  stem  the  tide  of  Eng- 
lish popular  fury.  The  Earl  of  Esses,  indeed, 
hurried  to  the  king  and  vehemently  besought  him 
to  save  the  Irish  primate  by  a  royal  pardon. 
Charles,  terribly  excited,  declared  that  he,  as 
"well  as  every  one  of  them,  knew  the  primate  to 


be  innocent,  "but,"  cried  he,  with  passionate 
earnestness,  "ye  could  have  saved  him;  I  cannot 
— you  know  well  I  dare  not." 

Then,  like  Pontius  Pilate,  he  desired  "the 
blood  of  this  innocent  man"  to  be  on  their  heads, 
not  his.    The  law  should  take  its  course. 

"The  law"  did  "take  its  course."  The  sainted 
Plunkett  was  dragged  on  a  hurdle  to  Tyburn 
amid  the  yells  of  the  London  populace.  There 
he  was  hanged,  beheaded,  quartered,  and  disem- 
bowelled, "according  to  law,"  July  1,  1G81. 

Soon  after,  as  I  have  already  intimated,  the 
popular  delirium  cooled  down,  and  everybody 
began  to  see  that  rivers  of  innocent  Catholic 
blood  had  been  made  to  flow  without  cause, 
crime,  or  offense.  But  what  of  that?  A  most 
salutary  check  had  been  administered  to  the 
apprehended  design  of  restoring  to  Catholic 
royalists  the  lands  they  had  lost  through  their 
devotion  to  the  late  king.  The  "Popish  plot" 
story  of  1678,  like  the  great  massacre  story  of 
1641,  had  accomplished  its  allotted  work. 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

HOW     KING      JAMES     THE      SECOND,     BY  ARBITRARILY 
ASSERTING      LIBERTY     OF      CONSCIENCE,  UTTERLY 

VIOLATED   THE  WILL   OF    THE    ENGLISH  NATION  

HOW  THE  ENGLISH  AGREED,  CONFEDERATED, 
COMBINED,  AND  CONSPIRED  TO  DEPOSE  THE  KING, 
AND  BEAT  UP  FOR  "FOREIGN  EMISSARIES"  TO 
COME  AND   BEGIN   THE   REBELLION  FOR  THEM. 

On  February  6,  1685,  Charles  the  Second 
closed  a  life  the  chronicles  of  which  may  be 
searched  in  vain  for  a  notable  act  of  goodness, 
wisdom,  valor,  or  virtue.  On  his  deathbed  he 
openly  professed  the  faith  which  for  years  past, 
if  not  at  all  times,  he  had  secretly  believed  in, 
but  dared  not  publicly  avow — Catholicity.  The 
man,  however,  on  whom  now  devolved  the  triple 
crown  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland — 
Charles'  brother,  James,  Duke  of  York — was  one 
who  had  neither  dissembled  nor  concealed  his 
religious  convictions.  He  was  a  sincere  Catho- 
lic, and  had  endured  much  of  trouble  and  perse- 
cution in  consequence  of  his  iirofession  of  that 
faith.  He  was  married  to  the  young  and  beauti- 
ful Princess  Mary  of  Modena,  an  ardent  Catholic 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELA^v' U. 


like  Liinself,*  and  the  ultra-Protestaiit  party  wit- 
nessed his  accession  to  the  throne  with  undis- 
guised chagrin  and  sullen  discontent. 

All  writers  have  agreed  in  attributing  to  James 
the  Second  a  disregard  of  the  plainest  dictates  of 
prudence,  if  not  of  the  plainest  limits  of  legality, 
in  the  measureshe  adopted  for  the  accomplishment 
of  a  purpose  unquestionably  equitable,  laud- 
able, and  beneficent — nameb',  the  abolition  of 
proscription  and  persecution  for  conscience'  sake, 
and  the  establishment  of  religious  freedom  and 
equality.  It  may  be  said,  and  with  perfect 
truth,  that  though  this  was  so,  though  James 
was  rash  and  headlong,  it  mattered  little  after 
all,  for  the  end  he  aimed  at  was  so  utterly  op- 
posed to  the  will  of  the  English  people,  so  incon- 
sistent with  "vested  interests"  throughout  all 
three  kingdoms,  that  it  was  out  of  all  possibility 
he  could  have  succeeded,  whether  he  were  politic 
and  cautious,  or  straightforward,  arbitrary,  and 
rash.  For  the  English  nation  was  too  strongly 
bent  on  thorough  persecution  to  be  barred  in  its 
course,  or  diverted  into  tolerance  or  humanity 
by  any  power  of  king  or  queen ;  and  already  the 
English  people  had  made  it  plain  that  no  man 
should  be  ruler  over  them  who  would  not  be  of 
their  mind  on  this  subject.  But  James'  conduct 
rendered  his  overthrow  simply  inevitable.  Before 
he  was  well  seated  on  the  throne  he  had  precip- 
itated conflicts  with  the  judges,  the  bishops,  and 
pai-liament;  the  point  of  contention,  to  be  sure, 
being  mainly  his  resolution  of  granting  freedom 
of  conscience  to  all  creeds.  It  was  in  Ireland, 
however,  that  this  startling  programme  evoked 
the  wildest  sensation  of  alarm  on  the  one  hand, 
and  rejoicing  on  the  other;  and  it  was  there  that, 
inevitably,  owing  to  the  vast  preponderance  of 
the  Catholic  population,  relative  equality  ap- 
peared to  the  Protestant  eye  as  absolute  Catholic 
dominance.  Two  Catholic  judges  and  one  Prot- 
estant may  have  been  even  short  of  the  Catholic 
proportion ;  yet  the  Protestant  colony  would  not 
look  at  the  question  in  this  way  at  all,  and  they 
called  it  intolerable  popish  ascendency.  James 


•She  wa.s  his  second  wife,  and  had  been  married  to  him 
at  tlie  age  of  fifteen.  By  his  first  wife,  Ann,  daughter  of 
('hancellor  Hyde,  he  had  two  daughters,  who  were  brought 
up  Protestants  by  their  mother.  They  were  married,  one, 
Mary,  to  Prince  William  of  Orange;  the  other,  Ann,  to 
Prince  George  of  Denmark. 


had  selected  for  the  carrying  out  of  his  views  iu 
Ireland  a  man  whose  faults  greatly  resembled  bia 
own,  Richard  Talbot,  subsequently  Earl  and 
Duke  of  Tyrconnnell.  He  was  devotedly  at- 
tached to  the  king;  a  courtier,  not  a  statesman; 
rash,  vain,  self-willed;  a  faithful  and  loyal 
friend,  but  afamous  man  to  lose  a  kingdom  with. 

If  the  Irish  Catholics  had  indulged  in  hopes  on 
the  accession  successively  of  James'  grandfather, 
father,  and  brother,  what  must  have  been  their 
feelings  now?  Here,  assuredly,  there  was  no 
room  for  mistake  or  doubt.  A  king  resolved  to, 
befriend  them  was  on  the  throne!  The  land 
burst  forth  into  universal  rejoicing.  Out  from 
hiding  place  in  cellar  and  garret,  cavern  and 
fastness,  came  hunted  prelate  and  priest,  the  sur- 
plice and  the  stole,  the  chalice  and  the  patten; 
and  once  more,  in  the  open  day  and  in  the  public 
chui'ches,  the  ancient  rites  were  seen.  The  peo- 
ple, awakened  as  if  from  a  long  trance  of  sorrow, 
heaved  with  a  new  life,  and  with  faces  all  beam- 
ing and  radiant  went  about  in  crowds  chanting 
songs  of  joy  and  gratitude.  One  after  one,  the 
barriers  of  exclusion  were  laid  low,  and  the  bulk 
of  the  population  admitted  to  equal  rights  with 
the  colonist-Protestants.  In  fine,  all  men  were 
declared  equal  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  irrespective- 
of  creed  or  race ;  an  utter  reversion  of  the  previ- 
ous sj'stem,  which  constituted  the  "colony"  the 
jailers  of  the  fettered  nation. 

Ireland  and  England  accordinglj'  seethed  with 
Protestant  disai¥ection,  but  there  was  an  idea, 
that  the  king  would  die  Avithout  legitimate  male 
issue*  and  so  the  genei'al  resolution  seemed  to  be 
that  in  a  few  years  all  would  be  right,  and  these 
abominable  ideas  of  religious  tolerance  swept 
away  once  more.  To  the  consternation  and  dis- 
may of  the  anti-tolerance  party,  however,  a  son- 
was  born  to  James  in  June,  1688.  There  was  no. 
standing  this.    It  was  the  signal  for  revolt. 

On  this  occasion  no  native  insurrection  iuiti-- 
ated  the  revolution.  In  this  crisis  of  their  his- 
tory— this  moment  in  which  was  molded  and 
laid  down  the  basis  of  the  English  constitution 
as  it  exists  to  our  own  time — the  English  nation 
asserted  by  precept  and  practice  the  truly  singu- 
lar doctrine  that  even  for  the  purpose  of  over-. 

*  Four  children,  born  to  him  by  his  second  wife,  all  died 
young,  and  some  years  had  now  elapsed  without  the  birth  , 
of  any  other. 


THP]  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


171 


throwing  a  legitimate  native  sovereign,  conspir- 
ing malcontents  act  well  and  wisely  in  depending 
upon  "foreign  emissaries"  to  come  and  begin 
the  work — and  complete  it  too !  So  they  invited 
the  Dutch  and  the  Danes  and  the  Swedes  and 
the  French  Calvinists — and  indeed,  for  that  mat- 
ter, foreign  emissaries  from  every  country  or  any 
country  who  would  aid  them — to  come  and  help 
them  in  their  rebellion  against  their  king.  To 
the  Stadtholder  of  Holland,  William  Prince  of 
Orange,  they  offered  the  throne,  having  ascer- 
tained that  he  would  accept  it  without  any 
qualms,  on  the  ground  that  the  king  to  be  be- 
headed or  driven  away  was  at  once  his  own  uncle 
and  father-in-law. 

This  remarkable  man  has  been  greatly  misun- 
derstood, owing  to  the  fact  of  his  name  being 
made  the  shibboleth  of  a  faction  whose  sangui- 
nary fanaticism  he  despised  and  repudiated. 
"William  Henry,  Prince  of  Orange,  was  now  in  his 
thirty-seventh  year.  An  impartial  and  discrimi- 
nating Catholic  historian  justly  describes  him  to 
us  as  "fearless  of  danger,  patient,  silent,  imperi- 
ous to  his  enemies,  rather  a  soldier  than  a  states- 
man, indifferent  in  religion,  and  personally 
adverse  to  persecution  for  conscience'  sake,"  his 
great  and  almost  his  only  public  passion  being 
the  humiliation  of  France  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  a  European  coalition.  In  the  great 
struggle  against  French  preponderance  on  the 
continent  then  being  waged  by  the  league  of 
Augsburg,  William  was  on  the  same  side  with 
the  rulers  of  Austria,  Germany,  and  Spain,  and 
even  with  the  pope ;  James,  on  the  other  hand, 
being  altogether  attached  to  France.  In  his  de- 
signs on  the  English  throne,  however,  the  Dutch 
prince  practiced  the  grossest  deceit  on  his  con- 
federates of  the  league,  protesting  to  them  that 
he  was  coming  to  England  solely  to  compose  in 
a  friendly  way  a  domestic  quarrel,  one  of  the 
results  of  which  would  be  to  detach  James  from 
the  side  of  France  and  add  England  to  the 
league.  By  means  of  this  duplicity  he  was  able 
to  bring  to  the  aid  of  his  English  schemes  men, 
money,  and  material  contributed  for  league  pur- 
poses by  his  continental  colleagues. 

On  November  5,  1688,  William  landed  at  Tor- 
bay  in  Devonshire.  He  brought  with  him  a 
Dutch  fleet  of  twenty-two  men  of  war,  twenty- 
five  frigates,  twenty-five  fire-ships,  and  about 


four  hundred  transports;  conveying  in  all  about 
fifteen  thousand  men.  If  the  royal  army  could 
have  been  relied  upon,  James  might  easily  have 
disposed  of  these  "invaders"  or  "liberators;" 
but  the  army  went  over  wholesale  to  the  "foreign 
emissaries."  Thus  finding  himself  surrounded 
by  treason,  and  having  the  fate  of  his  hapless 
father  in  remembrance,  James  took  refuge  in 
France,  where  he  arrived  on  December  25,  1G88; 
the  Queen  and  infant  Prince  of  Wales,  much  to 
the  rage  of  the  rebels,  having  been  safely  con- 
veyed thither  some  short  time  previously.  The 
revolutionary  party  affected  to  think  the  escape 
of  the  king  an  abdication,  the  theory  being  that 
by  not  waiting  to  be  beheaded  he  had  forfeited 
the  throne. 

England  and  Scotland  unmistakably  declared, 
for  the  revolution.  Ireland  as  unquestionably — 
indeed,  enthusiastically — declared  for  the  king  ; 
any  other  course  would  be  impossible  to  a  people 
among  whom  ingratitude  has  been  held  infamous, 
and  against  whom  want  of  chivalry  or  generosity 
has  never  been  alleged.  In  proportion  as  the 
Catholic  population  expressed  their  sympathy 
with  the  king,  the  "colony"  Protestants  and 
Cromwellianite  garrisons  manifested  their  adhe- 
sion to  the  rebel  cause,  and  began  to  flock  from 
all  sides  into  the  strong  places  of  Ulster,  bringing 
with  them  their  arms  and  ammunition.  Tyrcon- 
nell,  who  had  vainly  endeavored  to  call  in  the 
government  arms  in  their  hands  (as  militia)  now 
commissioned  several  of  the  Catholic  nobility  and- 
gentry  to  raise  regiments  of  more  certain  loyalty 
for  the  king's  service.  Of  recruits  there  was  no 
lack,  but  of  the  use  of  arms  or  knowledge  of 
drill  or  discipline,  these  recruits  knew  absolutely 
nothing;  and  of  arms,  of  equipments,  or  of  war 
material  —  especially  of  cannon  —  Tyrconnell 
found  himself  almost  entirely  destitute.  The 
malcontents,  on  the  other  hand,  constituted  that 
class  which  for  at  least  forty  years  past  had  en- 
joyed by  law  the  sole  right  to  possess  arms,  and 
who  had  from  childhood,  of  necessity,  been 
trained  to  use  them.  The  royalist  force  which 
the  viceroy  sent  to  occupy  Derry  (a  Catholic 
regiment  newly  raised  by  Lord  Antrim),  incred- 
ible as  it  may  appear,  had  for  the  greater  part  no 
better  arms  than  clubs  and  skians.  It  is  not 
greatly  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Protestant , 
citizens — among  whom,  as  well  as  throughout  all. 


173 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  Protestant  districts  in  Ireland,  anonymous 
letters  had  been  circulated,  giving  out  an  "in- 
tended popish  massacre"*  of  all  the  Protestants 
on  the  9th  of  December — feared  to  admit  such  a 
gathering  within  their  walls.  "The  impression 
made  by  the  report  of  the  intended  massacre,  and 
the  contemjit  naturally  entertained  for  foes 
armed  in  so  rude  a  fashion, ' '  were  as  a  matter  of 
fact  the  chief  incentives  to  the  "closing  of  the 
gates  of  Derry,"  which  event  we  may  set  down 
as  the  formal  inauguration  of  the  rebellion  in 
Ireland. 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

HOW  ■WILLIAM  AND  JAMES   MET   FACE  TO   FACE    AT  THE 

BOYNE  A     PLAIN    SKETCH    OF    THE  BATTLEFIELD 

AND  THE  TACTICS   OF  THE  DAY. 

Eighteen  months  afterward  two  armies  stood 
face  to  face  on  the  banks  of  the  Boyne.  King 
James  and  Prince  William  for  the  first  time  were 
to  contest  in  person  the  issues  between  them. 

The  interval  had  not  been  without  its  events. 
In  England  the  revolution  encountered  no  oppo- 
sition, and  William  was  free  to  bring  against  Ire- 
laud  and  Scotland  the  full  strength  of  his  British 
levies,  as  well  as  of  his  foreign  auxiliaries.  Ire- 
land, Tyrconnell  was  quite  sanguine  of  holding 
for  King  James,  even  though  at  the  worst  Eng- 
land should  be  lost;  and  to  arouse  to  the  full  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  devoted  Gaels,  nay,  possibly  to 
bring  back  to  their  allegiance  the  rebellious  Uls- 
ter Protestants,  he  urged  the  king  to  come  to 
Ireland  and  assume  in  person  the  direction  of 
affairs.  King  Louis  of  France  concurred  in 
those  views,  and  a  squadron  was  prepared  at 
Brest  to  carry  the  fugitive  back  to  his  domin- 
ions. "Accompanied  by  his  natural  sons,  the 
Duke  of  Berwick  and  the  Grand  Prior  Fitzjames, 
by  Lieutenants-General  De  Rosen  and  De  Mau- 
mont,  Majors-General  DePersignan  and  DeLery 
(or  Geraldine),  about  a  hundred  officers  of  all 
ranks,  and  one  thousand  two  hundred  veterans, 
James  sailed  from  Brest  with  a  fleet  of  thirty- 
three  vessels,  and  landed  at  Kinsale  on  the  12th 
da3'  of  March  (old  style).  His  reception  by  the 
southern  population  was  enthusiastic  in  the  ex- 
treme.   From  Kinsale  to  Cork,  from  Cork  to 

•  The  old,  old  story,  always  available,  always  efficacious  I 


Dublin,  his  progress  was  accompanied  by  Gaelic 
songs  and  dances,  b.y  Latin  orations,  loyal  ad- 
dresses, and  all  the  demonstrations  with  which  a 
popular  favorite  can  be  welcomed.  Nothing  was 
remembered  by  that  easily-pacified  people  but 
his  great  misfortunes,  and  his  steady  fidelity  to 
his  and  their  religion.  The  royal  entry  into 
Dublin  was  the  crowning  pageant  of  this  delusive 
restoration.  With  the  tact  and  taste  for  such 
demonstrations  hereditary  in  the  citizens,  the 
trades  and  arts  were  marshaled  before  him. 
Two  venerable  harpers  played  on  their  national 
instruments  near  the  gate  by  which  he  entered; 
a  number  of  religieuse  in  their  robes,  with  a  huge 
cross  at  their  head,  chanted  as  they  went;  forty 
young  girls  dressed  in  white,  danced  the  ancient 
'Rinka, '  scattering  flowers  as  they  danced.  The 
Earl  of  Tyrconnell,  lately  raised  to  a  dukedom, 
the  judges,  the  mayor  and  corporation,  com- 
pleted the  procession  which  marched  over  newly- 
sanded  streets  beneath  arches  of  evergreens,  and 
windows  hung  with  'tapestry  and  cloth  of  Arras. ' 
But  of  all  the  incidents  of  that  striking  cere- 
monial nothing  more  powerfully  impressed  the 
popular  imagination  than  the  green  flag  floating 
from  the  main  tower  of  the  castle,  bearing  the 
significant  inscription  :  'Now  or  never — now  and 
forever.'  " 

^o  far  well ;  but  when  he  came  to  look  into  the 
important  matter  of  material  for  war,  a  woeful 
state  of  things  confronted  James.  As  we  have 
already  seen,  for  forty  years  past,  in  pursuance 
of  acts  of  parliament  rigorously  enforced,  no 
Catholic  or  native  Irishman  had  been  allowed  to 
learn  a  trade,  to  inhabit  walled  towns,  or  to  pos- 
sess arms.  As  a  consequence,  when  the  Protes- 
tants, whom  alone  for  nearly  half  a  century  the 
law  allowed  to  learn  to  make,  repair,  or  use  fire- 
arms, fled  to  the  north,  there  was  in  all  the 
island  scarcely  a  gunsmith  or  armorer  on  whom 
the  king  could  rely.  Such  Protestant  artisans  as 
remained,  "when  obliged  to  set  about  repairing 
guns  or  forging  spears,  threw  every  possible 
obstacle  in  the  way,  or  executed  th3  duty  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  leave  the  weapon  next  to 
useless  in  the  hour  of  action ;  while  night  and 
day  the  fires  blazed  and  the  anvils  rang  in  the 
preparation  of  the  best  arms  for  the  Williamites. ',/ 
The  want  of  cannon  was  most  keenly  felt  on  the 
king's  side.    At  the  time  of  the  so-called  siege 


THE  STORY 

•of  Derry  (progressing  when  James  arrived), 
"there  was  not  a  single  battering  cannon  fit  for 
use  in  Ireland;  and  there  were  only  twelve  field 
pieces.  "  \  As  a  consequence,  there  was,  as  there 
could  have  been,  no  real  siege  of  Derry.  The 
place  was  blockaded  more  or  less  loosely  for  some 
months — closely  toward  the  end.  The  inhabi- 
tants bore  the  privations  of  the  blockade  with 
great  endurance  and  heroism ;  though  certainly 
not  greater  than  that  exhibited  by  the  besieged 
in  severer  blockades  elsewhere  during  the  war.* 
It  were  pitiful  and  unworthy  to  deny  to  the 
brave  rebels  of  Derry  all  that  such  heroic  perse- 
verance as  theirs  deserves.  Such  qualities  as 
they  displayed — such  sufferings  cheerfully  borne 
for  a  cause  they  judged  just  and  holy — deserve 
honor  and  acclaim  wherever  found.  But,  after 
all,  as  I  have  pointed  out,  it  was  a  blockade,  not 
a  siege,  they  endured  ;  and  their  courage  was  put 
to  no  such  test  as  that  which  tried  the  citizens  of 
Limerick  two  or  three"  years  subsequently. 

"Meanwhile  a  splendidly  appointed  "Williamite 
army  had  been  collected  at  Chester.  It  was  com- 
manded by  the  veteran  Duke  Schomberg,  and 
amounted  to  ten  thousand  men.  They  landed  at 
Bangor,  county  Down,  August  13,  1689,  and  on 
the  17th  took  possession  of  Belfast. "  Little  was 
accomplished  on  either  side  up  to  the  summer 
following,  when  the  news  that  William  himself 
had  resolved  to  take  the  field  in  Ireland,  flung 
the  Ulster  rebels  into  a  state  of  enthusiastic  re- 
joicing, and  filled  the  royalists  with  concern. 
All  felt  now  that  the  crisis  was  at  hand.  On  the 
14th  of  Juae  William  landed  at  Carrickfergus, 
surrounded  by  a  throng  of  veteran  generals,  of 
continental  fame,  princes  and  peers,  English  and 
foreign.  "At  Belfast,  his  first  headquarters,  he 
ascertained  the  forces  at  his  disposal  to  be  upward 
of  forty  thousand  men,  'a  strange  medley  of  all 
nations' — Scandinavians,    Swiss,    Dutch,  Prus- 

*  Notably,  for  instance,  Fort  Cbarlemont,  held  for  the  king 
by  the  gallant  0'R(  gan  with  eight  hundred  men  ;  besieged 
by  Schomberg  at  the  head  of  more  than  as  many  thousands, 
with  a  splendid  artillery  train.  The  garrison,  we  are  told, 
were  reduced  by  hunger  to  the  last  extremity,  and  at  length 

•offered  to  surrender  if  allowed  to  inarch  out  with  all  the 
honors  of  war.  Schomberg  complied,  and  then,  says  a 
chronicler,  "eight  hundred  men,  with  a  large  number  of 
women  and  children,  came  forth,  eagerly  gnawing  pieces 

■of  dry  hides  with  the  hair  on  ;  a  small  portion  of  filthy 

meal  and  a  few  pounds  of  tainted  beef  being  the  only  pro- 

"visions  remaining  in  the  f"'t." 


OF  IRELAND.  173 

sians,  Huguenot-French,  English,  Scotch, 
'  Scotch-Irish, '  and  Anglo-Irish. "  "  On  the  16th 
of  June,  James,  informed  of  William's  arrival, 
marched  northward  at  the  head  of  twenty  thou- 
sand men,  French  and  Irish,  to  meet  him.  On 
the  22d  James  was  at  Dundalk,  and  William  at 
Newry.  As  the  latter  advanced,  the  Jacobites 
retired,  and  finally  chose  their  ground  at  the 
Boyne,  resolved  to  hazard  a  battle  (even  against 
such  odds)  for  the  preservation  of  Dublin  and 
the  safety  of  the  province  of  Leinster.  "* 

No  military  opinion  has  ever  been  uttered  of 
that  resolution,  save  that  it  never  should  have 
been  taken.  The  wonder  is  not  that  William 
forced  the  Boyne ;  all  the  marvel  and  the  mad- 
ness was  that  such  an  army  as  James'  (especially 
when  commanded  by  such  a  man)  ever  attempted 
to  defend  it.  Not  merely  had  William  nearly 
fifty  thousand  men  against  James'  twenty-three 
thousand  ;  but  whereas  the  former  force,  all  save  a 
few  thousand  of  the  Ulster  levies  (and  these,  skill- 
ful and  experienced  sharpshooters),  were  veteran 
troops,  horse  and  foot,  splendidly  equipped, 
and  supported  by  the  finest  park  of  artillery 
perhaps  ever  seen  in  Ireland;  the  latter  army, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  thousand  French, 
were  nearly  all  raw  recruits  hastily  collected 
within  a  few  months  past  from  a  population  un- 
acquainted with  the  use  of  firearms,  and  who 
had,  of  course,  never  been  under  fire  in  the  field, 
and  now  had  of  artillery  but  six  fieldpieces  to 
support  them.  But  even  if  this  disparity  had 
never  existed,  the  contrast  between  the  com- 
manders would  in  itself  have  made  all  the  differ- 
ence possible.  William  was  an  experienced  mil- 
itary tactician,  brave,  cool,  prescient,  firm,  and 
resolute,  James,  as  Duke  of  York,  had  distin- 
guished himself  bravely  and  honorably  on  land 
and  sea,  so  that  the  charges  of  absolute  cowardice 
often  urged  against  him  can  scarcely  be  just. 
But  his  whole  conduct  of  affairs  in  this  Irish 
campaign  was  simply  miserable.  Weak,  vacil- 
lating, capricious,  selfish,  it  is  no  wonder  one  of 
the  French  officers,  stung  to  madness  by  his  in- 
explicable pusillanimity  and  disgraceful  bung- 
ling, should  have  exclaimed  aloud  to  him  :  "Sire, 
if  you  had  a  hundred  kingdoms,  you  would  lose 
them  all."    A  like  sentiment  found  utterance  in 


*M'Gee. 


174 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  memorable  words  of  an  Irish  officer  wlien 
brought  a  prisoner  after  the  battle  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Williamite  council  of  war  :  "Exchange 
commanders  with  us,  gentlemen,  and  even  with 
all  the  other  odds  against  us,  we'll  fight  the  bat- 
tle over  again. " 

But  now  the  die  was  cast.  The  resolve,  on 
James'  part  most  falteringly  taken,*  was  fixed  at 
last.  Uncle  and  nephew,  sovereign  and  invader, 
"were  to  put  their  quarrel  to  the  issue  of  a  battle 
on  the  morrow. 

CHAPTER  LXIV. 

''before  the  battle.'' 

Early  on  the  morning  of  June  30,  1690,  Will- 
iam's army  approached  the  Boj'ne  in  three  divis- 
ions. "Such  was  his  impatience  to  behold  the 
enemy  he  was  to  fight,  and  the  ground  they  had 
taken  up,  that  by  the  time  the  advanced  guard 
was  within  view  of  the  Jacobite  camp,  he  was  in 
front  of  them,  having  ridden  forward  from  the 
head  of  his  own  division.  Then  it  was  that  he 
beheld  a  sight  which,  yet  unstirred  by  soldier 
shout  or  cannon  shot,  unstained  by  blood  or 
death,  might  well  gladden  the  heart  of  him  who 
gazed,  and  warm  with  its  glorious  beauties  even 
a  colder  nature  than  his!  He  stood  upon  a 
height,  and  beheld  beneath  him  and  beyond 
him,  with  the  clearness  of  a  map  and  the  gor- 
geous beauty  of  a  dream,  a  view  as  beautiful  as 
the  eye  can  scan.  Doubly  beautiful  it  was  then ; 
because  the  colors  of  a  golden  harvest  were 
blended  with  green  fields  and  greener  trees,  and 
a  sweet  river  flowing  calmly  on  in  winding 
beauty  through  a  valley  whose  banks  rose  gently 
from  its  waters,  until  in  lofty  hills  they  touched 
the  opposite  horizon,  bending  and  undulating 
into  forms  of  beauty. f    "To  the  southeast  the 

*Even  when  tlie  whole  of  such  arrangements  and  dispo- 
Bitious  for  battle  as  he  (after  innumerable  vacillations)  had 
ordered,  had  been  made,  James,  at  the  last  moment,  on  the 
very  eve  of  battle,  once  again  capriciously  changed  his 
mind,  said  he  would  fall  back  to  Dublin,  and  actually  sent 
off  thither  on  the  moment  the  baggage,  together  with  six 
of  the  twelve  cannon,  which  constituted  his  entire  ar- 
tillery, and  some  portion  of  his  troops  !  Then,  again,  after 
these  had  gone  ofl  beyond  recall  he  as  capriciously  changed 
his  mind  once  more,  and  resolved  to  await  battle  then  and 
there  at  the  Boyne  ! 

f  "  Williamite  and  Jacobite  Wars  in  Ireland,"  by  Dr. 
Cane. 


steeples  and  castle  of  Drogheda,  from  whicK 
floated  the  flags  of  James  and  Louis,  appeared  in 
the  mid-distance;  while  seaward  might  be  seen 
the  splendid  fleet  which  attended  the  motions  of' 
the  Williamite  army.    But  of  more  interest  to- 
the   phlegmatic   but   experienced  commander, 
whose  eagle  eye  now  wandered  over  the  enchant- 
ing panorama,  were  the  lines  of  white  tents,  the- 
waving  banners,  and  moving  bodies  of  troops, 
which,  to  the  southwest,  between  the  river  and. 
Donore  Hill,  indicated  the  position  of  James*' 
camp.  "* 

Having  viewed  the  ground  carefully,  William 
selected  the  Oldbridge  fords  for  the  principal 
attack,  and  fixed  upon  sites  for  batteries  to  com- 
mand the  opposite  or  Jacobite  bank.    He  then 
rode  a  short  way  up  the  river,  and  alighted  to- 
take  some  refreshment.     On  his  return  he  was. 
fired  upon  by  some  fieldpieces  at  the  other  side- 
of  the  river,  the  first  shot  striking  to  the  earth 
one  of  the  group  beside  the  prince.    A  second 
shot  followed ;  the  ball  struck  the  river  bank, 
glanced  upward,  and  wounded  William  slightly. 
He  sank  upon  his  horse's  neck,  and  a  shout  of  ' 
exultation  burst  from  the  Irish  camp,  where  it 
was  believed  he  was  killed.    He  was  not  much 
hurt,  however,  and  rode  among  his  own  lines  to- 
assure  his  troops  of  his  safety ;  and  shouts  of  tri- 
umph and  defiance  from  the  Williamite  ranka,. 
soon  apprized  the  Irish  of  their  error. 

That  night^ — that  anxious  night! — was  devoted 
by  William  to  the  most  careful  planning  and  ar- 
rangement for  the  morrow's  strife.  But  ere  we 
notice  these  plans  or  approach  that  struggle,  it, 
may  be  well  to  describe  for  young  readers  with 
all  possible  simplicity  the  battlefield  of  the 
Boyne,  and  the  nature  of  the  military  operations, 
of  which  it  was  the  scene. 

The  Boyne  enters  the  Irish  Sea  a  mile  or  more 
to  the  east  of  Drogheda,  but  for  a  mile  or  twa 
above  or  to  the  west  of  that  town,  the  sea-tides, 
reach  and  rise  and  fall  in  the  river.  Two  milea 
and  a  half  up  the  river  from  Drogheha,  on  the 
southern  bank,  is  the  little  village  of  Oldbridge. 
About  five  miles  in  a  direct  line  due  west  of  Old- 
bridge  (but  considerably  more  by  the  curve  of 
the  river,  which  between  these  points  bends 
deeply  southward),  stands  the  town  of  Slane  on.. 

*  The  Harp  for  March,  1859  ;  The  "  Battle  of  the  Boyne,"  ' 
by  M.  J.  M'Caau. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


175 


the  northern  bank.  The  ground  rises  rather 
rapidly  from  the  river  at  Oldbridge,  sloping  back- 
ward, or  southward,  about  a  mile,  to  the  Hill  of 
Donore,  on  the  crest  of  which  stand  a  little 
ruined  church  (it  was  a  ruin  even  ia  1690)  and  a 
graveyard ;  three  miles  and  a  half  further  south- 
ward than  Donore,  on  the  road  to  Dublin  from 
Oldbridge,  stands  Duleek. 

James'  camp  was  pitched  on  the  northern 
slopes  of  Donore,  looking  down  upon  the  river  at 
Oldbridge.  James  himself  slept  and  had  his 
headquarters  in  the  little  ruined  church  already 
mentioned. 

Directly  opposite  to  Oldbridge,  on  the  north- 
ern side  of  the  river,  the  ground,  as  on  the  south 
side,  rises  rather  abruptly,  sloping  backward 
forming  a  hill  called  Tullyallen.  This  hill  is  in- 
tersected by  a  ravine  north  and  south,  leading- 
down  to  the  river,  its  mouth  on  the  northern 
brink  being  directly  opposite  to  Oldbridge.  The 
ravine  is  now  called  King  William's  Glen.  On 
and  behind  Tullyallen  Hill,  William's  camp  was 
pitched,  looking  southward,  toward,  but  not  alto- 
gether in  sight  of  James',  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river. 

At  this  time  of  the  year,  July,  the  Boyne  was 
fordable  at  several  places  up  the  river  toward 
Slane.  The  easiest  fords,  however,  were  at  Old- 
bridge,  where,  when  the  sea-tide  was  at  lowest 
ebb,  the  water  was  not  three  feet  deep. 

To  force  these  fords,  or  some  of  them,  was 
William's  task.  To  defend  them  was  James' 
endeavor. 

The  main  difficulty  in  crossing  a  ford  in  the 
face  of  an  opposing  army  is  that  the  enemy 
almost  invariably  has  batteries  to  play  on  the 
fords  with  shot  and  shell,  and  troops  ready  at 
hand  to  charge  the  crossing  party  the  instant 
they  attempt  to  "form"  on  reaching  the  bank,  if 
they  succeed  in  reaching  it.  If  the  defending 
party  have  not  batteries  to  perform  this  service, 
and  if  the  assailants  have  batteries  to  "cover" 
the  passage  of  their  fording  parties  by  a  strong 
cannonade,  i.e.,  to  prevent  (by  shot  and  shell 
fired  over  their  heads  at  the  bank  they  rush  for) 
the  formation  thei-e  of  any  troops  to  charge  them 
on  reaching  the  shore,  the  ford  is,  as  a  general 
rule,  sure  to  be  forced. 

James  had  not  a  single  cannon  or  howitzer  at 
the  fords.    From  fifty  splendid  fieldpieces  and 


mortars  William  rained  shot  and  shell  on  the 
Jacobite  bank. 

William's  plan  of  attack  was  to  outflank 
James'  left  by  sending  a  strong  force  up  the 
river  toward  Slane,  where  they  were  to  cross  and 
attack  the  Jacobite  flank  and  rear;  while  he, 
with  the  full  strength  of  his  main  army  (the 
center  under  Schomberg  senior,  the  extreme  left 
under  himself),  would,  under  cover  of  a  furious 
cannonade,  force  all  the  fords  at  and  below  Old- 
bridge. 

It  was  only  at  the  last  moment  that  James  was 
brought  to  perceive  the  deadly  danger  of  being 
flanked  from  Slane,  and  he  then  detailed  merely 
a  force  of  five  hundred  dragoons  under  the  gal- 
lant Sir  Neal  O'Neill  to  defend  the  extreme  left 
there.  His  attention  until  the  mid-hour  of  bat- 
tle next  day  was  mainly  given  to  the  (Old- 
bridge)  fords  in  his  front,  and  his  sole  reliance 
for  their  defense  was  on  some  poor  breastworks 
and  farm-buildings  to  shelter  musketry-men ; 
trusting  for  the  rest  to  hand-to-hand  encounters 
when  the  enemy  should  have  come  across!  In 
fact,  he  had  no  other  reliance,  since  he  was  with- 
out artillery  to  defend  the  fords. 

All  else  being  settled,  ere  the  anxious  council- 
holders  on  each  side  sought  their  couches,  the 
password  for  the  moi'ning  and  the  distinguish- 
ing badges  were  announced.  The  Jacobite  sol- 
diers wore  white  cockades.  William  chose  green 
for  his  colors.  Every  man  on  his  side  was  ordered 
to  wear  a  green  bough  or  sprig  in  his  hat,  and 
the  word  was  to  be  "Westminster." 


CHAPTER  LXV. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  BOYNE. 

Tuesday,  July  1,  1690,  dawned  cloudlessly  on 
those  embattled  hosts,  and  as  the  early  sunlight 
streamed  out  from  over  the  eastern  hills,  the 
stillness  of  that  summer  morning  was  broken  by 
the  Williamite  drums  and  bugles  sounding  the 
generale.  In  accordance  with  the  plan  of  battle 
arranged  the  previous  night,  the  first  move  on 
William's  side  was  the  march  of  ten  thousand 
men  (the  Scotch  foot-guards  under  Lieutenant- 
General  Douglas,  and  the  Danish  horse  under 
Meinhart  Schonaberg),  with  five  pieces  of  artil- 
lery, for  the  bridge  of  Slane,  where,  and  at  the 


176 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


fords  between  it  and  Eoss-na-ree  (two  miles 
nearer  to  Oldbridge),  they  were  to  cross  the 
river,  and  turn  the  left  flank  of  James'  army. 
The  infantry  portion  of  this  force  crossing  at 
Slane,  Avhile  the  horse  were  getting  over  at  Eoss- 
na-ree,  came  iipon  Sir  Neal  O'Neill  and  his  five 
hundred  dragoons  on  the  extreme  left  of  the 
Jacobite  position.  For  fully  an  hour  did  the 
gallant  O'Neill  hold  this  force  in  check,  he  him- 
self falling  mortally  wounded  in  the  thick  of  the 
fight.  But  soon,  the  Danish  horse  crossing  at 
Eoss-na-ree,  the  full  force  of  ten  thousand  men 
united  and  advanced  upon  the  Jacobite  flank,  en- 
deavoring to  get  between  the  royalist  army  and 
Duleek.  Just  at  this  moment,  however,  there 
arrived  a  force  of  French  and  Swiss  infantry, 
and  some  Irish  horse  and  foot,  with  six  pieces  of 
cannon  under  Lauzun,  sent  up  hurriedly  from 
Oldbridge  by  James,  who  now  began  to  think 
all  the  fight  would  be  on  his  left.  Lauzun  so 
skillfully  posted  his  checking  force  on  the  slope 
of  a  hill  with  a  marsh  in  front  that  Douglas  and 
Schomberg,  notwithstanding  their  enormous 
numerical  superiority,  halted  and  did  not  venture 
on  an  attack  until  they  had  sent  for  and  obtained 
an  additional  supply  of  troops.  Then  only  did 
their  infantry  advance,  while  the  cavalry,  amount- 
ing to  twenty-four  squadrons,  proceeded  round 
the  bog  and  extended  on  toward  Duleek,  com- 
pletely overlapping  or  flanking  the  Jacobite  left 
■wing. 

Meanwhile,  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon, 
Schomberg  the  elder  (in  charge  of  the  "Williamite 
center),  finding  that  his  son  and  Douglas  had 
made  good  their  way  across  on  the  extreme  right, 
and  had  the  Jacobites  well  engaged  there,  gave 
the  word  for  the  passage  of  Oldbridge  fords. 
Tyrconnell's  regiment  of  foot-guards,  with  other 
Irish  foot  (only  a  few  of  them  being  armed  with 
muskets),  occupied  the  ruined  breastwork  fences 
and  farm  buildings  on  the  opposite  side;  having 
some  cavalry  drawn  up  behind  the  low  hills  close 
by  to  support  them.  But  the  Williamites  had  a 
way  for  emptying  these  breastworks  and  clearing 
the  bank  for  their  fording  parties.  Fifty  pieces 
of  cannon  that  had  during  the  morning  almost 
completely  battered  down  the  temporary  defenses 
ou  the  southern  bank  now  opened  simultane- 
ously, shaking  the  hills  with  their  thunders, 
and  sweeping  the  whole  of  the  Irish  position 


with  their  iron  storm ;  while  the  bombs  from 
William's  mortar  batteries  searched  every  part  of 
the  field.  Under  cover  of  this  tremendous  fire, 
to  which  the  Irish  had  not  even  a  single  field- 
piece  to  reply,*  the  van  of  the  splendidly 
appointed  Williamite  infantry  issued  from  King 
William's  Glen,  and  plunged  into  the  stream. 
"Count  Solme's  Dutch  Blue  Guards,  two  thou- 
sand strong,  reputed  the  best  infantry  regiment 
in  the  world,  led  the  way  at  the  principal  ford 
opposite  Oldbridge,  followed  by  the  Branden- 
burghers.  Close  on  their  left  were  the  Londonder- 
ries  and  Enniskillen  foot;  below  whom  entered  a 
long  column  of  French  Huguenots,  under  the 
veteran  Caliraotte.  A  little  below  the  Huguenots 
were  the  main  body  of  the  English,  under  Sir 
John  Hanmer  and  Count  Nassau ;  and  still  lower 
down,  the  Danes,  under  Colonel  Cutts.  In  all 
about  ten  thousand  of  the  flower  of  the  infantry 
of  Europe,  struggling  through  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  the  river,  and  almost  hidden  beneath 
flashing  arms  and  green  boughs,  "f  As  they 
neared  the  southern  bank,  the  roar  of  cannon 
ceased — a  breathless  pause  of  suspense  ensued. 
Then  a  wild  cheer  rung  from  the  Irish  lines; 
and  such  of  the  troops  as  had  guns  opened  fire. 
An  utterly  ineffective  volley  it  was;  so  ill- 
directed  that  the  Williamite  accounts  say  it  did 
not  kill  a  man ;  and  then  the  veterans  of  a  hun- 
dred continental  battlefields  knew  they  had  only 
raw  Irish  peasant  levies  on  the  bank  before  them. 
There  being  no  artillery  (as  already  frequently 
noted)  to  play  ou  the  fording  parties  while  cross- 
ing, and  there  being  so  little  water  in  the  river, 
the  passage  of  the  fords  was  easily  effected. 

The  Dutch  guards  were  the  first  to  the  bank, 
where  they  instantly  formed.  Here  they  were 
charged  by  the  Irish  foot;  but  before  the  wither- 
ing fire  of  the  cool  and  skillful  foreign  veterans, 
these  raw  levies  were  cut  up  instantly,  and  driven 

*  The  fix  retained  by  Jaines  liad  been  forwarded  to  Lau- 
zun on  the  extreme  left. 

f  "  Battle  of  the  Boyne,"  by  M.  J.  M'Cann.  No  one  de- 
siring to  trace  closely,  and  fully  understand  the  events  of 
this  memorable  battle,  should  omit  to  read  (Sir  William) 
Wilde's  beautiful  and  valuable  work  the  "  Boyne  and 
Blackwater."  I  follow  as  closely  as  possible  the  briefer 
accounts  of  the  battle  by  Mr.  M'Cann  in  the  Harp,  and  by 
Dr.  Cane  in  bis  "  Williamite  Wars,"  with  occasional  cor- 
rections from  "Macariae  Excidium,"  from  Sir  William 
Wilde's  work,  and  other  authorities. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


177 


flying  behind  the  fences.  The  truth  became 
plain  after  two  or  three  endeavors  to  bring  them 
to  the  charge  that  they  were  not  fit  for  such 
work.  Now,  however,  was  the  time  for  Hamil- 
ton, at  the  head  of  the  only  well-disciplined  Irish 
force  on  the  field — -the  horse — to  show  what  his 
men  could  do.  The  hedges,  which  had  not  been 
leveled  for  the  purpose,  did  not  prevent  their 
charge.  The  ground  literally  trembled  beneath 
the  onset  of  this  splendid  force.  Irresistible  as 
an  avalanche,  they  struck  the  third  battalion  of 
Dutch  Blues  while  yet  in  the  stream,  and  hurled 
them  back.  The  Brandenburghers  turned  and 
fled.  The  Huguenots,  who  were  not  so  quick  in 
escape,  were  broken  through,  and  their  com- 
mander Calimotte  cut  down. 

Schomberg  had  remained  on  the  northern  bank 
with  a  chosen  body  of  foot  as  a  reserve.  He  saw 
with  excitement  the  sudden  crash  of  the  Irish 
horse,  and  its  effects ;  and  was  prepared  to  push 
forward  the  reserve,  when  word  reached  him  that 
his  old  friend  Calimotte  had  fallen !  Without 
waiting  for  helmet  or  cuirass  he  dashed  forward, 
his  white  hair  floating  in  the  wind.  In  the  river 
he  met  and  strove  to  rally  the  flying  Huguenots. 
"Come  on,  come  on,  messieurs;  behold  your 
persecutors,"  cried  the  old  warrior,  alluding  to 
the  French  infantry  on  the  other  side.  They 
were  the  last  words  he  ever  spoke.  Tyrconnell's 
Irish  horse-guards,  returning  from  one  of  their 
charges,  again  broke  clear  through  and  through 
the  Huguenots,  cleaving  Schomberg 's  head  with 
two  fearful  saber  wounds,  and  lodging  a  bullet 
in  his  neck.  When  the  wave  of  battle  had 
passed,  the  lifeless  body  of  the  old  general  lay 
among  the  human  debris  that  marked  its  track. 
He  had  quickly  followed,  not  only  across  the 
Boyne  but  to  another  world,  his  brave  companion 
in  arms  whose  fall  he  had  sought  to  avenge. 

All  this  time  William,  at  the  head  of  some  five 
thousand  of  the  flower  of  his  cavalry,  lay  behind 
the  slopes  of  Tullyallen,  close  by  the  lowest  ford  on 
the  extreme  left  of  his  army,  waiting  anxiously 
for  news  of  Schomberg's  passage  at  Oldbridge. 
But  now  learning  that  his  center  had  been  re- 
pulsed, he  disengaged  his  wounded  arm  from  its 
sling,  and  calling  aloud  to  his  troops  to  follow 
him,  plunged  boldly  into  the  stream.  The  water 
was  deepest  at  this  ford,  for  it  was  neai'est  to  the 
sea,  and  the  tide,  which  was  out  at  the  hour 


fixed  for  crossing  in  the  morning,  was  now  be- 
ginning to  rise.  William  and  his  five  thousand 
cavalry  reached  the  south  bank  with  difficulty. 
Marshaling  his  force  on  the  shore  with  marvelous 
celeritj',  he  did  not  wait  to  be  charged,  but 
rushed  furiously  forward  upon  the  Irish  right 
flank.  The  Irish  command  at  this  point  was  held 
by  the  young  Duke  of  Berwick  with  some  squad- 
rons of  Irish  horse,  some  French  infantry,  and 
Irish  pikemen.  The  Irish  were  just  starting  to 
charge  the  Williamites  at  the  back,  when  the 
latter,  as  already  noted,  dashed  forward  to  antici- 
pate such  a  movement  by  a  charge  upon  them, 
so  that  both  bodies  of  horse  were  simultaneously 
under  way,  filled  with  all  the  vehemence  and  fury 
which  could  be  imparted  by  consciousness  of  the 
issues  depending  on  the  collision  now  at  hand. 
As  they  neared  each  other  the  excitement  became 
choking,  and  above  the  thunder  of  the  horses' 
feet  on  the  sward  could  be  heard  bursting  from  a 
hundred  hearts  the  vehement,  passionate  shouts 
of  every  troop-officer,  "Close — -close  up;  for 
God's  sake,  closer!  closer!"  On  they  came, 
careering  like  the  whirlwind — -and  then! — What 
a  crash!  Like  a  thunderbolt  the  Irish  horse 
broke  clear  through  the  Williamites.  Those  who 
watched  from  the  hill  above  say  that  when  both 
those  furious  billows  met  there  was  barely  a 
second  of  time  (a  year  of  agonized  suspense  it 
seemed  at  the  moment  to  some  of  the  lookers-on) 
during  which  the  wild  surges  rendered  it  uncer- 
tain which  one  was  to  bear  down  the  other.  But 
in  one  instant  the  gazers  beheld  the  white 
plumed  form  of  young  Berwick  at  the  head  of 
the  Irish  cavalry  far  into  the  middle  of  the  AYill- 
iamite  mass;  and  soon,  with  a  shout — a  roar 
that  rose  overall  the  din  of  battle — a  frantic  peal 
of  exultation  and  vengeance — the  Irish  absolutely 
swept  the  Dutch  and  Enniskillen  cavalry  down 
the  slopes  upon  the  river,  leaving  in  their  track 
only  a  broken  crowd  of  unhorsed  or  ridden-down 
foes,  whom  the  Irish  pikemen  finished. 

But  now  the  heav.v  firing  from  Oldbridge  an- 
nounced that  the  Williamite  center  was  crossing 
once  more,  and  soon  it  became  clear  that  even 
though  the  Irish  repulsed  man  for  man,  there 
still  were  enough  of  their  foes  to  make  a  lodg- 
ment on  the  bank  too  powerful  to  be  resisted. 
Bodies  of  his  troops  streaming  down  to  him  from 
the  center  gladly  proclaimed  to  William  that 


178 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


they  were  across  again  there.  Rallying  his  left 
wing  with  these  aids  he  advanced  once  more. 
He  now  had  infantry  to  check  the  ever-dreaded 
charges  of  the  Irish  horse,  and  so  pressing 
steadily  onward,  he  drove  the  Irish  back  along 
the  lane  leading  from  the  river  to  Sheephouse,  a 
small  hamlet  halfway  between  Douore  and  the 
Boyne.  Here  the  Irish  were  evidently  prepared 
to  make  a  stand.  William,  who  throughoiit  this 
battle  exhibited  a  bravery — a  cool,  courageous 
recklessness  of  personal  peril — which  no  general 
ever  surpassed,  now  led  in  person  a  charge  by  all 
his  left  wing  forces.  But  he  found  himself 
flanked  by  the  Irish  foot  posted  in  the  hedges 
and  cabins,  and  confronted  by  the  invincible 
cavalry.  He  turned  a  moment  from  the  head  of 
the  Enuiskillens,  and  rode  to  the  rear  to  hurry 
up  the  Dutch.  The  Enniskillens,  seeing  Ber- 
wick in  front  about  to  charge,  allege  that  they 
thought  the  king's  movement  was  to  be  followed 
hy  them,  so  they  turned,  and  William  coming  up 
with  the  Dutch,  met  them  flying  pellmell.  He 
now  handed  over  the  Dutch  to  Ginckel,  and  took 
himself  the  unsteady  Ulstermen  in  charge.  He 
appealed  entreatingly  to  them  to  rally  and  stand 
by  him,  and  not  to  ruin  all  by  their  weakness 
at  such  a  critical  moment.  By  this  time  the 
Huguenot  horse  also  came  up,  and  the  whole 
combining,  "William  a  third  time  advanced.  The 
Williamite  accounts  describe  to  us  the  conflict 
that  now  ensued  at  this  point  as  one  of  the  most 
desperate  cavalry  combats  of  the  whole  war. 
According  to  the  same  authorities  the  Dutch 
recoiled,  and  Ginckel  had  to  throw  himself  in 
their  rear  to  prevent  a  disordered  flight.*  Will- 
iam, dauntless  and  daring,  was  in  the  thickest 
of  the  tight,  cheering,  exhorting,  leading  his 
men.  The  gallant  Berwick  and  Sheldon,  on  the 
other  hand,  now  assisted  by  some  additional  Irish, 
hurried  up  from  the  center,  pressed  their  foes 
with  resistless  energy.  Brave  and  highly  dis- 
ciplined those  foes  were  undoubtedly ;  neverthe- 
less, once  more  down  the  lane  went  the  William- 
ite horse  and  foot,  with  the  Irish  cavalry  in  full 
pursuit. 

This  time,  "like  Rupert  at  the  battle  of  Edge 
Hill,"  the  Irish  "pursued  too  far."  While  all 
that  has  been  described  so  far  was  occurring  on 


•Story. 


the  Jacobite  right,  at  the  center  (Oldbridge), 

overwhelming  masses  of  William's  cavalry  and 
infantry  had,  notwithstanding  the  best  efforts  of 
the  French  and  Irish  foot,  forced  all  the  fords 
and  mastered  everything  at  that  point.  In  de- 
tached masses  they  were  now  penetrating  all  the 
approaches  to  Donore,  in  the  direction  of  Sheep- 
house,  driving  the  Jacobites  before  them.  While 
the  Irish  cavalry  on  the  right,  as  above  de- 
scribed, were  in  pursuit  of  the  Williamites,  the 
lane  leading  to  Sheephouse  was  left  unoccupied. 
This  being  observed  by  two  regiments  of  Will- 
iamite dragoons,  they  quickly  dismounted  and 
lined  the  hedges  of  the  lane,  at  the  same  time 
sending  word  to  Ginckel  to  take  advantage  of 
what  they  were  about  to  do.  The  Irish  cavalry 
after  their  charge  now  returned  slowly  through 
the  lane  to  resume  their  position.  Suddenly  and 
to  their  utter  consternation  they  found  them- 
selves assailed  by  a  close  and  deadly  fusillade 
from  the  ambuscade  around  them,  so  close,  so 
deadlj',  the  guns  almost  touched  each  horseman ; 
and  there  was  no  room  for  evolution  in  the  nar- 
row place.  While  they  were  thus  disordered 
whole  masses  of  troops  wei'e  flung  upon  them; 
Ginckel  in  their  rear,  their  lately  routed  but 
now  rallied  foes  on  the  right,  and  all  combining, 
pressed  the  overborne  but  not  outbraved  heroes 
up  the  laue  upon  Donore. 

Here  the  Irish  turned  doggedly  for  a  resolute 
stand;  and  William  saw  that  though  forced  in- 
deed from  the  river,  thej^  considered  themselves 
far  from  being  beaten  yet.  After  a  few  ineffec- 
tual charges,  he  suspended  the  attack,  in  order  to 
re-form  his  ranks  for  a  grand  assault  in  full 
force. 

It  was  at  this  moment — while  his  devoted  little 
army,  still  all  undaunted,  were  nerving  them- 
selves for  the  crisis  of  their  fate — that  James, 
yielding  readily  to  the  advice  of  Tyrconnell  and 
Lauzun  (which  quite  accorded  with  his  own 
anxiety),  fled  precipitately  for  Dublin;  taking 
with  him  as  a  guard  for  his  person  the  indignant 
and  exasperated  Sarsfield  and  his  splendid  cav- 
alry regiment,  at  that  moment  so  sorely  needed 
on  the  field! 

Some  Irish  writers,  embittered  against  James 
for  this  flight,  go  so  far  as  to  contend  that  had 
he  remained  and  handled  his  troops  skillfully  it 
was  still  within  possibility  to  turn  the  fortunes 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


179 


<t)f  the  day,  and  drive  William  beyond  the  river. 
The  point  is  untenable.  The  Jacobite  left,  right, 
•and  center  had  been  driven  in,  and  the  William- 
ite  forces  were  all  now  in  full  conjunction  in 
front.  It  was  possible  to  hold  William  in  check ; 
to  dispute  Avith  him  each  mile  of  ground  to  Dub- 
lin;  but  Napoleon  himself  could  not  (with  only 
six  fieldpieces)  have  beaten  William  at  the 
Boyne. 

It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  Irish  troops 
themselves  were  not  of  this  mind ;  for  when  they 
heard  that  Donore  was  to  be  relinquished  and 
that  they  must  fall  back  on  Duleek  they 
murmured  and  groaned  aloud,  and  passionately 
■declared  it  was  snatching  from  them  a  certain 
victory!*  Nevertheless,  to  fall  back  was  now 
■essential  to  their  safety;  for  already  bodies  of 
Williamite  troops  were  streaming  away  on  the 
■Jacobite  left  toward  Duleek,  designing  to  get  in 
the  Irish  rear.  To  meet  this  movement,  the 
-Irish  left  was  swung  round  accordingly,  and 
pushed  on  also,  mile  for  mile,  with  the  flanking 
Williaraites;  until  eventually  the  struggle  iu 
front  was  virtually  abandoned  by  both  parties, 
and  the  competition  was  all  as  to  the  maneuvers 
and  counter-maneuvers  on  the  Duleek  road ;  the 
Irish  falling  back,  yet  facing  the  enemy,  and 
making  their  retreat  the  retiring  movement  of  an 
overpowered  army,  by  no  means  the  flight  of  one 
routed.  At  Duleek  they  turned  to  bay,  taking 
up  a  strong  position  on  the  south  of  the  little 
stream  which  passes  the  town.  The  Williamites 
came  on,  and  having  looked  at  the  ground  and 
the  disposition  of  the  Jacobite  forces,  deemed  it 
"well  to  offer  battle  no  further,  but  to  rest  con- 
tent, as  well  they  might,  with  the  substantial 
"victorj'  of  having  forced  the  Boyne  and  van- 
quished the  Stuart  king. 

CHAPTER  LXVI. 

-HOW  JAMES  ABANDONED  THE  STRUGGLE;  BUT  THE  IRISH 
WOULD   NOT   GIVE  UP. 

With  all  the  odds  at  which  this  battle  was 
fought,  and  important  as  were  its  ultimate  con- 
sequences, the  immediate  gain  for  William  was 
simply  that  he  had  crossed  the  Boyne.    He  had 


"Macariae  Excidium,"  page  51. 


not  a  captured  gun,  and  scarcely  a  standard,*  to 
show  for  his  victory.  The  vanquished  had,  as 
we  have  seen,  effected  a  retreat  in  almost  perfect 
order,  bringing  off  the  few  guns  they  possessed 
at  the  beginning  of  the  fight.  In  fine,  of  the 
usual  tokens  of  a  victory — namely,  captured 
guns,  standards,  baggage,  or  prisoners — Will- 
iam's own  chroniclers  confess  he  had  naught  to 
show ;  while,  according  to  the  same  accounts,  his 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  nearly  equaled  that 
of  the  royalists. 

This  was  almost  entirely  owing  to  the  Irish 
and  French  cavalry  regiments.  They  saved  the 
army.  They  did  more — their  conduct  on  that 
day  surrounded  the  lost  cause  with  a  halo  of 
glor3'  which  defeat  could  not  dim. 

Could  there  have  been  any  such  "exchange  of 
commanders"  as  the  captured  Irish  officer  chal- 
lenged—had the  Irish  a  general  of  real  ability, 
of  heart  and  courage,  zeal  and  determination,  t< 
command  them — all  that  had  so  far  been  lost  or 
gained  at  the  Boyne  would  have  proved  of  little 
account  indeed.  But  James  seemed  imbecile. 
He  fled  early  in  the  day,  reached  Dublin  before 
evening ;  recommended  that  no  further  struggle 
should  be  attempted  in  Ireland ;  and  advised  his 
adherents  to  make  the  best  terms  they  could  for 
themselves.  He  had  seen  a  newly-raised  and 
only  half-armed  Irish  foot  regiment,  it  seems, 
torn  by  shot  and  shell,  break  and  fly  in  utter 
confusion  when  charged  by  cavalry;  and  the 
miserable  man  could  talk  of  nothing  but  of  their 
bad  conduct  that  had  lost  him  the  crown! 
While  he,  most  fleet  at  flying,  was  thus  childishly 
scolding  in  Dublin  Castle,  the  devoted  Irish  were 
even  yet  keeping  William's  fifty  thousand  men 
at  bay,  retreating  slowly  and  in  good  order  from 
Donore ! 

At  five  o'clock  next  morning  he  quitted  Dub- 
lin; and,  leaving  two  troops  of  horse  "to  defend 
the  bridge  at  Bray  as  long  as  they  could,  should 
the  enemy  come  up,  "he  fled  through  Wicklow 
to  the  south  of  Ireland.  At  Kinsale  he  hurriedly 
embarked  on  board  the  French  squadi'on,  and 
sailed  for  Brest,  where  he  arrived  on  the  20th 
of  July,  being  himself  the  first  messenger  with 
the  news  of  his  defeat. 

The  Irish  army  on  reaching  Dublin  found  they 

*  Story,  tbe  Williamite  chaplain,  says:  "  Only  oue  or 
two,"  and  complains  of  "the  incompleteness  of  the  victory." 


ISO 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


were  without  king  or  captain -general.  They  had 
been  abandoned  and  advised  to  make  favor  with 
the  conqueror.  This,  however,  was  not  their 
mind.  James  mistook  his  men.  He  might  fly 
and  resign  if  he  would ;  but  the  cause — the 
country  —  La  Patrie  —  remained.  So  the  Irish 
resolved  not  to  surrender.  They  had  fought  for 
James  at  the  Bo3'ne ;  they  would  now  fight  for 
Ii-eland  on  the  Shannon. 

"To  Limerick!  To  Limerick!"  became  the 
cry.  The  superior  wisdom  of  the  plan  of  cam- 
paign advised  by  Sarsfield  from  the  beginning — 
defense  of  the  line  of  the  Shannon — was  now 
triumphantly  vindicated.  Freely  surrendering, 
as  indefensible,  Dublin,  Kilkenny,  Waterford, 
and  Dungannon,  to  Limerick  the  Irish  now 
turned  from  all  directions.  The  chronicles  of  time 
the  state  that  the  soldiers  came  to  that  rallying 
point  from  the  most  distant  places,  "in  com- 
panies, in  scores,  in  groups;  nay,  in  twos  and 
threes,"  without  any  order  or  command  to  that 
effect.  On  the  contrarj',  James  had  directed 
them  all  to  surrender,  and  every  consideration 
of  personal  safety  counseled  them  to  disband 
and  seek  their  homes.  But  no!  They  had  an 
idea  that  on  the  Shannon  Sarsfield  would  yet 
make  a  gallant  stand  beneath  the  green  flag;  and 
so  thither  their  steps  were  bent. 

All  eyes  now  turned  to  Athlone  and  Limerick. 
The  former  place  was  at  this  time  held  by  an  old 
hero,  whose  name  deserved  to  be  linked  with  that 
of  Sarsfield — Colonel  Richard  Grace,  a  confed- 
erate Catholic  royalist  of  1641,  now  laden  with 
years,  but  as  bold  of  heart  and  brave  of  spirit  as 
when  first  he  drew  a  sword  for  Ireland.  To  re- 
duce Athlone,  William  detached  from  his  main 
army  at  Dublin,  Lieutenant-General  Douglas 
with  twelve  thousand  men,  a  train  of  twelve  can- 
non, and  two  mortars.  The  town  stood  then,  as 
it  stands  now,  partly  on  the  Leinster,  and  partly 
on  the  Connaught  side  of  the  Shannon  River,  or 
rather  of  the  short  and  narrow  neck  of  water, 
which  at  that  point  links  two  of  the  "loughs"  or 
wide  expanses  of  the  river,  that  like  a  great  chain 
of  lakes  runs  north  and  south  for  fifty  miles  be- 
tween Limerick  and  Lough  Allen.  That  portion 
of  Athlone  on  the  west,  or  Connaught  side  of  the 
river,  was  called  the  "Irish  town;"  that  on  the 
east  or  Leinster  side,  the  "English  town."  The 
castle  and  chief  fortifications  lay  on  the  west 


side.  The  governor  deemed  the  English  town, 
untenable  against  Douglas'  artillery,  so  he  de- 
molished that  entire  suburb,  broke  down  the 
bridge,  and  put  all  defenses  on  the  western  side 
of  the  river  into  the  best  condition  possible  to 
withstand  assault. 

On  July  17,  1690,  Douglas  arrived  before 
Athlone,  and  sent  an  insolent  message  to  the 
govei'nor  demanding  immediate  surrender.  Vet- 
eran Grace  drew  a  pistol  from  his  belt,  and  firing 
over  the  head  of  the  affrighted  envoy,  answered 
to  the  effect  that  "that  was  his  answer"  this. 
time,  but  something  severer  would  be  his  reply 
to  any  such  message  repeated.  Next  day  Douglas, 
with  great  earnestness  planted  his  batteries,  and 
for  two  days  following  played  on  the  old  castle 
walls  with  might  and  main.  But  he  received  in 
return  such  compliments  of  the  same  kind  from 
Colonel  Grace  as  to  make  him  more  than  dubious, 
as  to  the  result  of  his  bombardment.  After  a  week 
had  been  thus  spent,  news  full  of  alarm  for 
Douglas  reached  him.  Sarsfield — name  of  terror 
already — was  said  to  be  coming  up  from  Lim- 
erick to  catch  him  at  Athlone.  If  old  Grace 
would  only  surrender  now;  just  to  let  him, 
Douglas,  get  away  in  time,  it  would  be  a  blessed 
relief.  But  lo !  So  far  from  thinking  about  sur- 
rendering, on  the  24th  the  old  hero  on  the  Con- 
naught side  hung  out  the  red  flag.*  Douglas, 
maddened  at  this,  opened  on  the  instant  a  furi- 
ous cannonade,  but  received  just  as  furious  a 
salute  from  Governor  Grace,  accompanied  more- 
over by  the  most  unkind  shouts  of  derision  and 
defiance  from  the  western  shore.  Douglas  now 
gave  up :  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  run. 
Sarsfield  might  be  upon  him  if  he  longer  de- 
layed. So  he  and  his  ten  thousand  fled  from 
Athlone,  revenging  themselves  for  their  discom- 
fiture there  by  ravaging  the  inhabitants  of  all  the 
country  through  which  thej-  passed.  Old  Gov- 
ernor Grace  made  a  triumphal  circuit  of  Athlone 
walls,  amid  the  enthusiastic  ovations  of  the  gar- 
rison and  townspeople.  Athlone  was  saved — this 
time.  Once  again,  however,  it  was  to  endure  a 
siege  as  memorable,  and  to  make  a  defense  still 
more  glorious,  though  not,  like  this  one,  crowned, 
with  victory. 


*  Which  betokens  resistance  a  roM^rarace;  refusal  of  ca^, 
pitulation  or  quarter. 


PATRICK  SARSFIELD. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


181. 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 

HOW  WILLIAM  SAT  DOWN  BEFORE  LIMERICK  AND  BEGAN 
THE  SIEGE  SARSFIELd's    MIDNIGHT    RIDE  THE 

FATE  OF  William's  siege  train. 

Upon  Limerick  now  all  interest  centered.  On 
the  Tth  of  August  William  reached  Cahirconlish, 
about  seven  miles  southeast  of  the  city,  where  he 
encamped,  his  force  amounting  to  about  twenty- 
eight  thousand  men.  On  the  evening  of  the  8th, 
Douglas,  with  the  ten  thousand  runaway  besieg- 
ers of  Athlone,  joined  him,  raising  his  force  to 
thirty-eight  thousand.  At  this  time  there  were, 
on  the  other  hand,  in  the  city  barely  ten  thou- 
sand infantry ;  about  four  thousand  cavalry  be- 
ing encamped  on  the  Clare  side.  When  the 
courtier  commanders,  Tyrconnell  and  Lauzun, 
had  estimated  William's  forces,  and  viewed  the 
defenses  of  the  city,  they  absolutely  scoffed  at 
the  idea  of  defending  it,  and  directed  its  sur- 
render. Sarsfield  and  the  Irish  royalists,  how- 
ever, boldly  declared  they  would  not  submit  to 
this,  and  said  they  would  themselves  defend  the 
city.  In  this  they  were  thoroughly  and  heartily 
seconded  and  supported  by  the  gallant  Berwick. 
Lauzun  again  inspected  the  walls,  gates,  bas- 
tions, etc.,  and  as  his  final  opinion  declared  that 
the  place  "could  be  taken  with  roasted  apples." 
Hereupon  Tyrconnell,  Lauzun,  and  all  the  French 
and  S-wiss  departed  forGalway,  taking  with  them 
everything  they  could  control  of  stores,  arms, 
and  ammunition. 

This  looked  like  desei'tion  and  betrayal  indeed. 
The  taking  away  of  the  stores  and  ammunition, 
after  Sarsfield  and  Berwick,  and  even  the  citizens 
themselves,  had  declared  they  would  defend  the 
city,  was  the  most  scandalous  part  of  the  pro- 
ceeding. Nevertheless,  undismayed,  Sarsfield, 
assisted  by  a  French  ofiicer  of  engineers,  De 
Boieseleau,  who,  dissenting  from  Lauzun's  esti- 
mate of  the  defenses,  volunteered  to  remain, 
boldly  set  about  preparing  Limerick  for  siege. 
Happily  for  the  national  honor  of  Ireland,  the 
miserable  court  party  thus  cruelly  deserted  Lim- 
erick. That  base  abandonment  left  all  the  glory 
of  its  defense  to  the  brave  heroes  who  remained. 

De  Boisseleau  was  named  governor  of  the  city, 
and  Sarsfield  commander  of  the  horse.  It  was 
decided  that  the  latter  force  should  be  posted  on 
the  Clare  side  of  the  Shannon,  opposite  the  city 


(with  which  communication  was  kept  up  by  the 
bridges),  its  chief  duty  being  at  all  hazards  to 
prevent  the  Williamites  from  crossing  to  that 
shore  at  any  of  the  fords  above  the  city.  De 
Boisseleau  meanwhile  was  to  conduct  the  engi- 
neering operations  of  the  defense. 

It  was  true  enough  that  Lauzun,  when  he 
scoffed  at  those  defenses,  saw  very  poor  chance 
for  the  city,  as  far  as  ramparts  of  stone  and  mor- 
tar were  concerned.  "The  city,"  we  are  told, 
"had  neither  outworks,  glacis,  fosses,  half- 
moons,  or  horn  works.  An  old  wall  flanked  with 
a  few  tottering  towers,  but  without  either  ditch 
or  parapet,  was  its  only  defense."*  However, 
De  Boisseleau  soon  set  to  woi'k  to  improve  upon 
these,  mounting  batteries,  and  digging  covered 
ways  or  counterscarps ;  the  citizens,  gentle  and 
simple,  and  even  the  women  and  children,  work- 
ing from  sunrise  to  sunset  at  the  construction  or 
strengthening  of  defenses. 

Early  on  August  9,  1G90,  William  drew  from 
his  encampment  at  Cahirconlish,  and,  confident 
of  an  easy  victorj-,  sat  down  before  Limerick. 
That  day  he  occupied  himself  in  selecting  favor- 
able sites  for  batteries  to  command  the  city,  and 
in  truth,  owing  to  the  formation  of  the  ground, 
the  city  was  at  nearly  every  point  nakedly  ex- 
posed to  his  guns.  He  next  sent  in  a  summons 
to  surrender,  but  De  Boisseleau  courteously  re- 
plied that  "he  hoped  he  should  merit  his  opinion 
more  by  a  vigorous  defense  than  a  shameful  sur- 
render of  a  fortress  which  he  had  been  intrusted 
with."* 

The  siege  now  began.  William's  bombard- 
ment, however,  proceeded  slowly;  and  the  Lim- 
erick gunners,  on  the  other  hand,  w'ere  much 
more  active  and  vigorous  than  he  had  expected. 
On  Monday,  the  11th,  their  fire  compelled  him 
to  shift  his  field  train  entirely  out  of  range;  and 
on  the  next  day,  as  if  intent  on  following  up  such 
practice,  their  balls  fell  so  thickly  about  his  own 
tent,  killing  several  persons,  that  he  had  to  shift 
his  own  quarters  also.  But  in  a  day  or  two  he 
meant  to  be  in  a  position  to  pay  back  these  at- 
tentions with  heavy  interest,  and  to  reduce  those 
old  walls  despite  all  resistance.  In  fine,  there 
was  coming  up  to  him  from  Waterford  a  magnifi- 
cent  battering   train,  together  with  immense 

*  "First  Siege  of  Limericli,"  M.  J.  M'Cann. 
f  "Memoirs  of  King  James  the  Second." 


183 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


stores  of  ammunition,  and,  what  was  nearlj'  as 
effective  for  him  as  the  siege  train,  a  number  of 
pontoon-boats  of  tin  or  sheet  copper,  which 
"would  soon  enable  him  to  pass  the  Shannon 
where  he  pleased.  So  he  took  very  coollj'  the 
resistance  so  far  offered  from  the  city.  For  in  a 
day  more  Limerick  would  be  absolutely  at  his 
mercy. 

So  thought  William ;  and  so  seemed  the  inevit- 
able fact.  But  there  was  a  bold  heart  and  an 
active  brain  at  work  at  that  very  moment  plan- 
ning a  deed  destined  to  immortalize  its  author  to 
all  time,  and  to  baffle  William's  now  all  but  ac- 
complished designs  on  Limerick. 

On  Sundaj',  the  10th,  the  battering  train  and 
its  convoy  had  reached  Cashel.  On  Monday,  the 
11th,  they  reached  a  place  called  Ballyneety, 
within  nine  or  ten  miles  of  the  Williamite  camp. 
The  country  through  which  they  had  passed  was 
all  in  the  hands  of  their  own  garrisons  or  patrols; 
yet  they  had  so  important  and  precious  a  charge 
that  they  had  watched  it  jealously  so  far;  but 
now  they  were  virtually  at  the  camp — only  a  few 
miles  in  its  rear;  and  so  the  convoy,  when  night 
fell,  drew  the  siege  train  and  the  vast  line  of  am- 
munition wagons,  the  pontoon-boats  and  store- 
loads,  into  a  field  close  to  an  old  ruined  castle, 
and,  duly  posting  night  sentries,  gave  themselves 
to  repose. 

That  day  an  Anglicized  Irishman,  one  Manus 
O'Brien,  a  Protestant  landlord  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Limerick,  came  into  the  Williamite 
camp  with  a  piece  of  news.  Sarsfield  at  the  head 
of  five  hundred  picked  men  had  ridden  off  the 
night  before  on  some  mysterious  enterprise  in 
the  direction  of  Killaloe ;  and  the  informer,  from 
Sar.sfield's  character,  judged  rightly  that  S9me- 
thing  important  was  afoot,  and  earnestly  assured 
the  "Williamites  that  nothing  was  too  desperate 
for  that  commander  to  accomplish. 

The  Williamite  officers  made  little  of  this. 
The.v  thought  the  fellow  was  only  anxious  to 
make  much  of  a  trifle,  by  way  of  securing  favor 
for  himself.  Beside,  they  knew  of  nothing  in 
the  direction  of  Killaloe  that  could  affect  them. 
Wiiliam,  at  length,  was  informed  of  the  story. 
He,  too,  failed  to  discern  what  Sarsfield  could  be 
at;  but  his  mind  anxiously  reverting  to  his  grand 
battering  train— albeit  it  was  now  barely  a  few 
miles   off — he, ,  to    make    safety    doubly  sure, 


ordered  Sir  John  Lanier  to  proceed  at  once  with 
five  hundred  horse  to  meet  the  convoy.  By 
some  curious  chance.  Sir  John — perhaps  deem- 
ing his  night  ride  quite  needless — did  not  greatlj' 
hurry  to  set  forth.  At  two  o'clock  Tuesday 
morning,  instead  of  at  nine  o'clock  on  Monday 
evening,  he  rode  leisurely  off.  His  delay  of  five 
hours  made  all  the  difference  in  the  world,  as  we 
shall  see. 

It  was  indeed  true  that  Sarsfield  on  Sunday 
night  had  secretly  quitted  his  camp  on  the 
Clare  side,  at  the  head  of  a  chosen  bodj'  of  his 
best  horsemen ;  and,  true  enough,  also,  that  it 
was  upon  an  enterprise  worthy  of  his  reputation 
he  had  set  forth.  In  fine,  he  had  heard  of  the 
approach  of  the  siege  train,  and  had  planned 
nothing  less  than  its  surprise,  capture,  and 
destruction. 

On  Sunday  night  he  rode  to  Killaloe,  distant 
twelve  miles  above  Limerick  on  the  river.  The 
bridge  here  was  guarded  by  a  party  of  the 
enemy ;  but,  favored  by  the  darkness,  he  pro- 
ceeded further  up  the  river  until  he  came  to  a 
ford  near  Ballyvally,  where  he  crossed  the  Shan- 
non, and  passed  into  Tipperary  County.  The 
country  around  him  now  was  all  in  the  enemy's 
hands;  but  he  had  one  with  him  as  guide  on  this 
eventful  occasion  whose  familiaritj''  with  the 
locality  enabled  Sarsfield  to  evade  all  the  Will- 
iamite patrols,  and  but  for  whose  services  it  may 
be  doubted  if  his  ride  this  night  had  not  been 
his  last.  This  was  Hogan,  the  rapparee  chief, 
immortalized  in  local  traditions  as  "Galloping 
Hogan."  By  paths  and  passes  known  only  to 
riders  "native  to  the  sod,"  he  turned  into  the 
deep  gorges  of  Silver  Mines,  and  ere  day  had 
dawned  was  bivouacked  in  a  wild  ravine  of  the 
Keeper  Mountains.  Here  he  lay  j^erdu  all  day 
on  Monday.  When  night  fell  there  was  anxious 
tightening  of  horsegirths  and  girding  of  swords 
with  Sarsfield's  five  hundred.  They  knew  the 
siege  train  was  at  Cashel  on  the  previous  day, 
and  miist  by  this  time  have  reached  near  to  the 
Williamite  lines.  The  midnight  ride  before 
them  was  long,  deviotis,  difficult,  and  i)erilous; 
the  task  at  the  end  of  it  was  crucial  and  momen- 
tous indeed.  Led  by  their  trusty  guide,  they 
set  out  southward,  still  keeping  in  byways  and 
mountain  roads.  Meanwhile,  as  already  men- 
tioned, the  siege  train  and  convoy  had  that  even- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


183 


ing  reached  Ballyneety,  where  the  guns  were 
parked  and  convoy  bivouacked.  It  was  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  when  Sarsfield,  reaching 
within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  spot,  learned  from  a 
peasant  that  the  prize  was  now  not  far  off  ahead 
of  him.  And  here  we  encounter  a  fact  which 
gives  the  touch  of  true  romance  to  the  whole 
Btory.  It  happened  by  one  of  those  coinci- 
dences that  often  startle  us  with  their  singular- 
ity that  the  password  with  the  "Williamite 
convoy  that  night  Avas  "Sarsfield!"  That  Sars- 
iield  obtained  the  i)assword  before  he  reached 
the  halted  convoy  is  also  unquestionable,  though 
liow  he  came  by  liis  information  is  variously 
stated.  The  painstaking  historian  of  Limerick 
states  that  from  a  woman,  wife  of  a  sergeant  in 
the  Williamite  convoy,  unfeelingly  left  behind 
on  the  road  by  her  own  party  in  the  evening, 
but  most  humanely  and  kindly  treated  by  Sars- 
field's  men,  the  word  v/as  obtained.*  Riding 
softly  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  place  in- 
dicated, he  halted  and  sent  out  a  few  trusted 
scouts  to  scan  the  whole  position  narrowly. 
They  returned  reporting  that  beside  the  sentries 
there  were  only  a  few  score  troopers  drowsing 
beside  the  watch  fires,  on  guard ;  the  rest  of  the 
convoy  being  sleeping  in  all  the  immunity  of 
fancied  safety.  Sarsfield  now  gave  his  final 
orders — silence  or  death,  till  they  were  in  upon 
the  sentries;  then,  forward  like  a  lightning  flash 
upon  the  guards.  One  of  the  Williamite  sentries 
fancied  he  heard  the  beat  of  horse  hoofs  approach- 
ing him ;  he  never  dreamed  of  foes ;  he  thought  it 
must  be  one  of  thier  own  patrols.  And  truly 
enough,  through  the  gloom  he  saw  the  figure  of 
an  ofl&cer  evidently  at  the  head  of  a  body  of  cav- 
alry, whether  phantom  or  reality  he  could  not 
tell.  The  sentry  challenged,  and,  still  imagin- 
ing he  had  friends,  demanded  the  "word." 
Suddenly,  as  if  from  the  spirit  land,  and  with  a 
wild,  weird  shout  that  startled  all  the  sleepers, 
the  "phantom  troop"  shot  past  like  a  thunder- 
bolt; the  leader  crying  as  he  drew  his  sword, 
"Sarsfield  is  the  word,  and  Sarsfield  is  the  man!" 
The  guards  dashed  forward,  the  bugles  screamed 
the  alarm,  the  sleepers  rushed  to  arms,  but  theirs 
was  scarcely  an  effort.  The  broadswords  of 
Sarsfield 's  five  hundred  were  in  their  midst;  and 


*  "Lenihan's  History  of  Limerick,"  pag;e  232. 


to  the  affrighted  gaze  of  the  panic-stricken  vic- 
tims that  five  hundred  seemed  thousands !  Short, 
desperate,  and  bloody  was  that  scene ;  so  short, 
so  sudden,  so  fearful,  that  it  seemed  like  the 
work  of  incantation.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
whole  of  the  convoy  were  cut  down  or  dispersed; 
and  William's  splendid  siege  train  was  in  Sars- 
field's  hands!  But  his  task  was  as  yet  only  half- 
accomplished.  Morning  Avas  approaching ;  Wil- 
liam's camp  was  barely  eight  or  ten  miles  dis- 
tant, and  thither  some  of  the  escaped  had  hur- 
riedly fled.  There  was  scant  time  for  the 
important  work  yet  to  be  done.  The  siege  guns 
and  mortars  were  filled  with  powder,  and  each 
muzzle  buried  in  the  earth ;  upon  and  around 
the  guns  were  piled  the  pontoon-boats,  the  con- 
tents of  the  ammunition  wagons,  and  all  the 
stores  of  various  kinds,  of  which  there  was  a  vast 
quantity.  A  train  of  powder  was  laid  to  this 
huge  pyre,  and  Sarsfield,  removing  all  the 
wounded  Williamites  to  a  safe  distance,*  drew 
off  his  men,  halting  them  while  the  train  was 
being  fired.  There  was  a  flash  that  lighted  all 
the  heavens  and  showed  with  dazzling  bright- 
ness the  country  for  miles  around.  Then  the 
ground  rocked  and  heaved  beneath  the  gazers' 
feet,  as,  with  a  deafening  roar  that  seemed  to 
rend  the  firmament,  the  vast  mass  burst  into  the 
sky ;  and  as  suddenly  all  was  gloom  again !  The 
sentinels  on  Limerick  walls  heard  that  awful 
peal.  It  rolled  like  a  thunderstorm  away  by 
the  heights  of  Cratloe,  and  awakened  sleepers 
amid  the  hills  of  Clare.  William  heard  it  too; 
and  he  at  least  needed  no  interpreter  of  that 
fearful  sound.  He  knew  in  that  moment  that 
his  splendid  siege  train  had  perished,  destroj^ed 
by  a  feat  that  only  one  man  could  have  so 
planned  and  executed;  an  achievement  destined 
to  surround  with  unfading  glory  the  name  of 
Patrick  Sarsfield! 

Sir  John  Lanier's  party,  coming  up  in  nowise 
rapidly,  saw  the  flash  that,  as  they  said,  gave 
broad  daylight  for  a  second,  and  felt  the  ground 
shake  beneath  them  as  if  by  an  earthquake,  and 
then  their  leader  found  he  was  just  in  time  to  be 
too  late.  Rushing  on  he  sighted  Sarsfield 's  rear- 
gua.rd ;  but  there  were  memories  of  the  Irish 
cavalry  at  the  Boyne  in  no  way  encouraging  him 

*  Even  the  Williamite  chroniclers  make  mention  of  Sars- 
tield's  kindness  to  the  wounded  at  Ballyneety. 


184 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


to  force  an  encounter.  From  the  Williamite 
camp  two  other  powerful  bodies  of  horse  were 
sent  out  instantly  on  the  explosion  being  heard, 
to  surround  Sarsfield  and  cut  him  off  from  the 
Shannon.  But  all  was  vain,  and  on  Tuesday 
evening  he  and  his  five  hundred  rode  into  camp 
amid  a  scene  such  as  Limerick  had  not  witnessed 
for  centuries.  The  whole  force  turned  out;  the 
citizens  came  with  laurel  boughs  to  line  the  way, 
and  as  he  marched  in  amid  a  conqueror's  ova- 
tion, the  gunners  on  the  old  bastions  across  the 
river  gave  a  royal  salute  to  him  whom  they  all 
now  hailed  as  the  savior  of  the  city. 


CHAPTER  LXVIII. 

HOW    WILLIAM    PROCURED    A     NEW    SIEGE    TRAIN  AND 

BREACHED       THE     WALL  HOW     THE     WOMEN  OF 

LIMERICK    WON    THEIR  FAME  IN  IRISH  HISTORY  

HOW   THE    BREACH  WAS    STORMED  AND    THE  MINE 

SPRUNG  HOW  WILLIAM  FLED   FROM  UNCONQUERED 

LIMERICK.  " 

In  the  Williamite  camp  the  event  caused  pro- 
portionate dismay,  depression,  and  discourage- 
ment. But  William  was  not  a  man  easily 
thwarted  or  disconcerted.  A  week  later  he  had 
another  siege  train  of  thirty-six  guns  and  four 
mortars  brought  up  from  Waterford,  pouring 
red-hot  shot  into  the  devoted  city.  A  perfect 
storm  of  bombs,  "fire-balls,"  "carcasses,"  and 
other  diabolical  contrivances,  rained  upon  every 
part  of  the  town,  firing  it  in  several  places. 
Sarsfield  and  De  Boisseleau  now  ordered  that  all 
the  women  and  childx'en  should  withdraw  into 
the  Clare  suburb.  The  women  en  masse  rebelled 
against  the  order.  They  vehemently  declared 
that  no  terrors  should  cause  them  to  quit  their 
husbands  and  brothers  in  this  dreadful  hour, 
fighting  for  God  and  country.  They  had  already 
bravely  aided  in  erecting  the  defenses;  they  were 
now  resolved  to  aid  in  the  struggle  behind  them, 
ready  to  die  in  the  breach  or  on  the  walls  beside 
their  kindred,  ere  the  hated  foe  should  enter 
Limerick. 

And  the  women  of  Limerick  were  true  to  that 
resolve.  Then  might  be  seen,  say  the  chroni- 
clers, day  after  day,  women,  old  and  young,  full 
of  enthusiasm  and  determination,  laboring  in  the 
breaches,  mines,  and  counterscarps,  digging  the 


earth,  filling  the  gabions,  piling  the  shot,  and 
drawing  up  ammunition,  while  around  them 
showered  balls,  bombs,  and  grenades. 

By  this  time  the  surface  of  the  whole  of  the 
surrounding  suburbs  on  the  southern  side  waa 
cut  up  into  a  vast  maze  of  "ziz-zags, "  trenches, 
and  galleries,  by  the  besiegers.  On  the  2Gth 
their  trenchers  were  within  a  few  feet  of  the  pali- 
sades, and  a  breach  had  been  made  in  the  walls 
at  St.  John's  Gate.  "William  moreover  pursued 
mining  to  a  great  extent.  But  if  he  mined,  Sars- 
field countermined,  and  it  turned  out  that  the 
Irish  mines  were  far  beyond  anything  the  siegera 
could  have  credited.  In  fact  the  scientific  skill, 
the  ingenuity  and  fertility'  of  engineering  resorts, 
appliances,  and  devices,  exhibited  by  the  de- 
fenders of  Limerick  have  seldom  been  surpassed. 
The  miraculous  magic  of  devoted  zeal  and  earn- 
est activity  transformed  the  old  city  wall  into  a 
line  of  defenses  such  as  Toddlebeu  himself  in  our 
own  day  might  gaze  upon  with  admiration.* 
Food,  however,  was  lamentably  scarce,  but  in 
truth  none  of  the  besieged  gave  thought  to  any 
privation;  their  whole  souls  were  centered  in 
one  great  object — defense  of  the  walls,  defeat  of 
the  foe. 

On  "Wednesday,  the  27th  of  August,  the  breach 
having  been  still  further  increased  by  a  furious 
bombardment,  William  gave  orders  for  the  assault. 
Ten  thousand  men  were  ordered  to  support  the 
storming  party;  and  at  half-past  three  in  the 
afternoon,  at  a  given  signal,  five  hundred  grena- 
diers leaped  from  the  trenches,  fired  their  pieces, 
flung  their  grenades,  and  in  a  few  moments  had 
mounted  the  breach.  The  Irish  were  not  un- 
prepared, although  at  that  moment  the  attack 
was  not  expected.  Unknown  to  the  besiegers, 
Boisseleau  had  caused  an  intrenchmeut  to  be 
made  inside  the  breach.  Behind  this  intrench- 
ment  he  had  planted  a  few  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
from  these  a  cross  fire  now  opened  with  murder- 
ous effect  on  the  assailants,  after  they  had  filled 
the  space  between  the  breach  and  the  intrench- 
meut. For  a  moment  they  halted — staggered  by 
this  fatal  surprise ;  but  the  next  they  pushed  for- 

*  Among  numerous  other  happy  resorts  and  ingenious 
adaptations  of  the  means  at  hand  to  the  purpose  of  de- 
fense, we  read  that,  wool  stores  being  numerous  in  the 
city,  the  wool  was  packed  into  strong  sacks  and  cases,  a 
lining  of  which  was  hung  out  over  the  weakest  of  the 
walls,  completely  deadening  the  effect  of  the  enemy's  shot.^ 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


185 


ward  with  the  courage  and  fury  of  lions.  A 
bloody  haud-to-haud  struggle  ensued.  Spear 
•and  dagger,  sword  and  butted  musket  could 
alone  be  used,  and  they  were  brought  into  deadly 
requisition.  The  instant  "William  found  his 
■storming  party  had  fastened  well  upon  the 
breach,  the  supports  in  thousands  were  flung  for- 
ward. On  the  Irish  side,  too,  aids  were  hurried 
up;  but  eventually,  with  a  tremendous  rush,  the 
assaulting  party  burst  through  their  opponents, 
-and  in  a  moment  more  poured  into  the  town. 

That  feat  which  usually  gives  victory  to  an 
assault,  was,  however,  in  this  instance,  only  the 
sure  occasion  of  repulse  and  utter  defeat  for  Will- 
iam's  regiments.  The  news  that  the  foe  had 
penetrated  into  the  town,  so  far  from  causing 
•dismay  to  inhabitants  or  garrison,  seemed  to  act 
like  the  summons  of  a  magician  on  the  countless 
hosts  of  enchantment.  Down  through  street, 
and  lane,  and  alley,  poured  the  citizens,  women 
and  men ;  the  butcher  with  his  ax,  the  ship- 
wright with  his  adze ;  each  man  with  such 
"weapon  as  he  had  been  able  most  readily  to 
grasp;  the  women,  "like  liberated  furies, "  fling- 
ing stones,  bricks,  glass  bottles,  delftware,  and 
other  missiles,  with  fury  on  the  foe.  Some  of 
the  Irish  cavalry  on  the  Clare  side,  hearing  the 
news,  dashed  across  the  bridges,  "the  pavements 
blazing  beneath  the  horses'  hoofs  as  they  gal- 
loped to  Ball's  Bridge,  where,  dismounting  and 
flinging  their  horses  loose,  they  charged  into 
Broad  Street,  and  sword  in  hand  joined  their 
■countrymen  in  the  melee."  Even  the  phleg- 
matic William,  under  whose  eye  the  assault  was 
made,  became  excited  as  he  gazed  on  the  strug- 
gle from  "Cromwell's  Fort,"  ever  and  anon 
ordering  forward  additional  troops  to  the  sus- 
tainment  of  his  assaulting  column.  For  three 
hours  this  bloody  hand-to-hand  fight  in  the 
streets  and  the  breach  went  on.  The  women, 
•says  Story  (the  Williamite  chaplain),  rushed 
boldly  into  the  breach,  and  stood  nearer  to  our 
xuen  than  to  their  own,  hurling  stones  and 
broken  bottles  right  into  the  faces  of  the  attack- 
ing troops,  regardless  of  death  by  sword  or  bul- 
let, which  many  of  them  boldly  met.  Before 
defenders  thus  animated  it  was  no  disgrace  to 
the  assailants  to  give  way.  By  seven  o'clock  in 
the  evening  they  had  been  completely  driven  out 
■of  the  streets  and  back  into  the  counterscarp. 


Here  the  contest  was  for  a  moment  renewed ;  but 
only  for  a  moment.  At  the  point  of  sword  and 
pike  the  assailants  were  driven  into  their  own 
trenches,  and  a  shout  of  victorj'  arose  from  the 
besieged  as  they  hurled  from  the  walls,  as  they 
thought,  the  last  remnant  of  the  Dutch  battalions. 
But  William  had  yet  a  grip  upon  those  walls. 
In  the  wild  confusion  of  the  three  hours'  struggle, 
the  Brandenburghers,  when  being  pressed  back 
upon  the  breach,  got  in  at  the  rear  of  one  of  the 
Irish  batteries,  into  and  over  which,  we  are 
told,  they  now  swarmed  in  a  dense  black  mass. 
In  a  moment,  however,  the  whole  struggle  was 
suddenly  and  decisively  terminated  by  the  crown- 
ing feat  of  the  defense.  At  the  very  instant 
when  the  Brandenburghers — little  knowing  that 
the  ground  beneath  them  was  every  rood  a  mine 
— were  exulting  over  what  they  thought  at  least 
an  instalment  of  success,  the  earth  heaved  and 
yawned  under  their  feet,  and  with  a  roar  like 
thunder,  mingled  with  a  thousand  despairing 
death-shrieks,  battery  and  Brandenburghers 
went  flying  into  the  air.  For  a  moment  there 
was  a  pause;  each  side  alike  seeming  to  feel  the 
awfulness  of  the  fate  that  had  so  suddenly  anni- 
hiliated  the  devoted  regiment.  Then,  indeed,  a 
shout  wild  and  high  went  up  from  the  walls, 
wafted  from  end  to  end  of  the  city,  and  caught 
up  on  the  Thomond  shore,  and  a  final  salvo  from 
the  unconquered  battlements,  by  way  of  parting 
salute  to  the  flj'ing  foe,  proclaimed  that  patriot- 
ism and  heroism  had  won  the  victory. 

Far  more  honorable  at  all  times  than  conquering 
prowess  in  battle — far  more  worthj'  of  admira- 
tion and  fame — is  humanity  to  the  fallen  and  the 
wounded,  generosity  to  the  vanquished.  Let 
the  youth  of  Ireland,  therefore,  know,  when  with 
bounding  heart  they  read  or  relate  so  far  this 
glorious  story  of  Limerick,  that  there  remains  to 
be  added  the  brightest  ray  to  the  halo  of  its 
fame.  At  the  moment  when  the  last  overwhelm- 
ing rush  of  the  garrison  and  inhabitants  swept 
the  assailants  from  the  breach,  in  the  impetuosity 
of  the  onset  the  pursuing  Irish  penetrated  at  one 
point  into  the  Williamite  camp,  and  in  the  melee 
the  Williamite  hospital  took  fire.  What  follows 
deserves  to  be  recorded  in  letters  of  gold.  The 
Irish  instantaneously  turned  from  all  pursuit 
and  ««nflict — some  of  them  rushed  into  the 
flames  to  bear  away  to  safety  from  the  burning 


V 


186  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


building  its  wounded  occupants,  while  others  of 
them  with  devoted  zeal  applied  themselves  to  the 
task  of  quenching  the  flames.  It  was  only  when 
all  danger  from  the  conflagration  was  over  that 
they  gave  thought  to  their  own  safety,  and 
fought  their  way  back  to  the  town. 

"William,  resolving  to  renew  the  assault  next 
day,  could  not  persuade  his  men  to  advance, 
though  he  offered  to  lead  them  in  person. 
"Whereupon, "  saj's  the  Protestant  historian  who 
relates  the  fact,  "in  all  rage  he  left  the  camp, 
and  never  stopped  till  he  came  to  Waterford, 
where  he  took  shipping  for  England,  his  army 
in  the  meantime  retiring  by  night  from  Lim- 
erick."* 


CHAPTER  LXIX. 

HOW    THE    FKEXCH    SAILED    OFF,    AND    THE  DESERTED 
IRISH  ARMY  STARVED    IN    RAGS,    BUT  WOULD  NOT 

GIVE     UP  THE    RIGHT  ARRIVAL    OF    "ST.  RUTH, 

THE  VAIN   AND   BRAVE.  ' ' 

T\'hile  William's  cowed  and  beaten  army  were 
flying  from  Limerick,  and  the  queen  city  of  the 
Shannon  was  holding  high  carnival  of  rejoicing, 
a  French  fleet  was  anchoring  in  Galway  to  take 
off  Lauzun  and  the  French  auxiliaries.  James 
had  represented  in  France  that  all  was  lost — 
that  the  struggle  was  over — that  the  Irish  would 
not  fight;  so  King  Louis  sent  a  fleet  impera- 
tively to  bring  away  his  men.  Accordingly, 
Lauzun  and  his  division  embarked  and  sailed 
from  Galway.  Tyrconnell,  however,  proceeded 
to  France  at  the  same  time,  to  represent  to 
James  his  error  as  to  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
Ireland,  and  to  obtain  from  King  Louis  a  new 
expedition  in  aid  of  the  struggle. 

An  army  in  the  field  is  a  costly  engine.  Who 
was  to  supply  the  Irish  with  a  "military  chest?" 
How  were  the  forces  to  be  paid,  supported, 
clothed?  And,  above  all,  how  were  military 
stores,  ammunition,  arms,  and  the  myriad  of 
other  necessaries  for  the  very  existence  of  an 
army  to  be  had?  The  struggle  was  not  merely 
against  so  many  thousand  Williamites — Dutch, 
Danish,  or  English — on  Irish  soil;  but  against 
BO  many  as  a  wing  of  the  English  nation,  or  mer- 

♦Cassell's  (Godkin's)  "History  of  Ireland,"  vol.  ii.,  page 
114 


cenaries  in  its  pay,  with  the  constituted  govern- 
ment, the  wealth,  the  taxes,  the  levies,  the 
arsenals  and  foundries  of  powerful  England  be- 
hind them.  We  need  hardly  wonder  that  while, 
every  day,  transports  arrived  fi'om  England  with 
arms,  ammunition,  and  military  stores,  new  uni- 
forms, tents,  baggage  and  transport  appliances 
for  the  W^illiamite  army,  the  hapless  Irish  gar- 
risons were  literally  in  rags,  unpaid,  unsupplied, 
short  of  food,  and  wretchedly  off  for  ammuni- 
tion. Matters  were  somewhat  mended  by  the 
arrival  of  Tyrconnell  at  Limerick,  in  February 
of  the  following  year  (1691)  with  a  small  supply 
of  money  and  some  shiploads  of  provisions,  but 
no  men.  He  brought,  however,  news,  which  to 
the  half-famished  and  ragged  garrisons  was  more 
welcome  than  piles  of  uniform  clothing,  or  chests 
of  gold — the  cheering  intelligence  that  King 
Louis  was  preparing  for  Ireland  military  assist- 
ance on  a  scale  beyond  anything  France  had  yet 
afforded ! 

On  the  8th  of  May  following,  a  French  fleet 
arrived  in  the  Shannon,  bringing  some  provis- 
ions, clothing,  arms,  and  ammunition  for  the  Irish 
troops,  but  no  money  and  no  troops.  In  this 
fleet,  however,  came  Lieutenant-General  St. 
Ruth,  a  French  officer  of  great  bravery,  ability, 
energy,  and  experience,  sent  to  take  the  chief 
command  of  the  Irish  army.  This  appointment, 
it  may  be  remarked,  in  effect  reduced  to  a  fifth 
subordinate  position  Sarsfield,  the  man  to  whom 
was  mainly  owing  the  existence  of  any  army  at 
all  in  Ireland  at  this  juncture,  and  on  whom  dur- 
ing the  past  winter  had  practically  devolved  all 
the  responsibilities  of  the  chief  military  and  civil 
authority. 

"Every  fortunate  accident, "  saj'S  one  of  our 
historians,  "had  combined  to  elevate  that  gallant 
cavalry  officer  into  the  position  of  national  lead- 
ership. He  was  the  son  of  a  member  of  the 
Irish  commons  proscribed  for  his  patriotism  and 
religion  in  1G41 ;  his  mother  being  Anna 
O 'Moore,  daughter  of  the  organizer  of  the  Cath- 
olic confederation.  He  was  a  Catholic  in  relig- 
ion; spoke  Gaelic  as  fluently  as  English;  was 
brave,  impulsive,  handsome,  and  generous  to  a 
fault,  like  the  men  he  led.  During  Tyrconnell 's 
absence  every  sincere  lover  of  his  country  came 
to  him  with  intelligence  and  looked  to  him  for 
direction. " 


EDMUND  BURKE. 


THE  STOEY 

The  viceroy  had  brought  him  from  France  the 
rank  and  title  of  Earl  of  Lucan;  "a  title  drawn 
from  that  pleasant  hamlet  in  the  valley  of  the 
Lilfey,  where  he  had  learned  to  lisp  the  cate- 
chism of  a  patriot  at  the  knee  of  Anna  O 'Moore. " 
But  it  was  not  for  titles  or  personal  honors  Sars- 
field  fought.  More  dear  to  him  was  the  cause  he 
had  at  heart;  and  though  unquestionably  the 
denial  to  him  of  a  higher  position  of  command  in 
this  campaign  led  to  the  bitterest  feelings  in  the 
army — with  the  worst  of  results  ultimately — in 
his  own  breast  there  rested  no  thought  but  how 
to  forward  that  cause,  no  ambition  but  to  serve 
it,  whether  as  commoner  or  earl,  as  subaltern  or 
as  chief. 


CHAPTER  LXX. 

HOW    GINCKEL    BESIEGED    ATHLONE  HOW    THE  IRISH 

' '  KEPT  THE  BRIDGE,  ' '  AND  HOW  THE  BRAVE 
CUSTUME  ARD  HIS  GLORIOUS    COMPANIONS  "dIED 

FOR  IRELAND"  HOW  ATHLONE,   THUS  SAVED,  WAS 

LOST  IN  AN  hour! 

The  "Williamite  army  rendezvoused  at  Mullingar 
toward  the  end  of  May,  under  Generals  De 
Ginckel,  Talmash,  and  Mackay.  On  the  7th  of 
June,  they  moved  westward  for  Athlone,  "the 
ranks  one  blaze  of  scarlet,  and  the  artillery  such 
as  had  never  before  been  seen  in  Ireland."* 
They  were  detained  ten  days  besieging  an  Irish 
outpost,  Ballymore  Castle,  heroically  defended  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ulick  Burke  and  a  force  of 
twelve  hundred  men  against  Ginckel's  army  of 
thirteen  thousand,  and  that  artillery  described 
for  us  by  Macaulay.  On  the  18th  Ginckel  was 
joined  by  the  Duke  of  Wertembiirg,  the  Prince  of 
Hesse,  and  the  Count  of  Nassau,  with  seven 
thousand  foreign  mercenaries.  On  the  19th 
their  full  force  appeared  before  Athlone  and  sum- 
moned the  town  to  surrender. 

On  the  previous  occasion,  when  besieged  by 
Douglas,  the  governor  (Colonel  Grace)  relin- 
quished as  untenable  the  Leinstcr  (or  "Eng- 
lish") side  of  the  town,  and  made  his  stand  suc- 
cessfully from  the  Connaught  (or  "Irish")  side. 
The  governor  on  this  occasion — Colonel  Fitz- 
gerald— resolved  to  defend  both  the  "English" 
and  "Irish"  sides,  St.  Ruth  having  strongly 
■  *  Macaulay. 


OF  IRELAND.  187 

counseled  him  so  to  do,  and  promised  to  reach 
him  soon  with  the  bulk  of  the  Irish  army  from 
Limerick.  Colonel  Fitzgerald  had  not  more  than 
three  hundred  and  fifty  men  as  a  garrison ; 
nevertheless,  knowing  that  all  depended  on  hold- 
ing out  till  St.  Ruth  could  come  up,  he  did  not 
wait  for  Ginckel  to  appear  in  sight,  but  sallied 
out  with  his  small  force,  and  disputed  with  the 
Williamite  army  the  approaches  to  the  town, 
thus  successfully  retarding  them  for  five  or  six, 
hours.  But  Ginckel  had  merely  to  plant  his 
artillery,  and  the  only  walls  Athlone  possessed — 
on  that  side  at  least — were  breached  and  crum- 
bled like  pastry.  Toward  evening,  on  the  17th 
of  June,  the  whole  of  the  bastion  at  the  "Dublin 
Gate,"  near  the  river  on  the  north  side,  being: 
levelled,  the  (English)  town  was  assaulted.  The 
storming  party,  as  told  off,  were  four  thousand 
men,  headed  by  three  hundred  grenadiers,  under 
Mackay,  and  with  profuse  supports  beside.  Ta 
meet  these  Fitzgerald  had  barely  the  survivors, 
of  his  three  hundred  and  fifty  men,  now  ex- 
hausted after  forty-eight  hours'  constant  fight- 
ing. In  the  breach,  when  the  assault  was  de- 
livered, two  hundred  of  that  gallant  band  fell  to 
rise  no  moi'e.  The  remainder,  fiercely  fighting, 
fell  back  inch  by  inch  toward  the  bridge,  pressed 
by  their  four  thousand  foes.  From  the  William- 
ites  shouts  now  arose  on  all  sides  of  "the- 
bridge — the  bridge!"  and  a  furious  rush  was 
made  to  get  over  the  bridge  along  with,  if  not 
before,  the  retreating  Irish.  In  this  event,  of 
course,  all  was  lost;  but  the  brave  Fitzgerald 
and  his  handful  of  heroes  knew  the  fact  well. 
Turning  to  bay  at  the  bridge  end,  they  opposed 
themselves  like  an  impenetrable  wall  to  the  mass 
of  the  enemy;  while  above  the  din  of  battle  and 
the  shouts  of  the  combatants  could  be  heard 
sounds  in  the  rear  that  to  Mackay 's  ear  needed 
no  explanation — the  Irish  were  breaking  down 
the  arches  behind,  while  yet  they  fought  in 
front!  "They  are  destroying  the  bridge,"  he 
shouted  wildly:  "On!  on!  save  the  bridge — the- 
bridge!"  Flinging  themselves  in  hundreds  on 
the  few  score  men  now  resisting  them,  the- 
stormers  sought  to  clear  the  way  by  freely  giv- 
ing man  for  man,  life  for  life,  nay  four  for  one ; 
but  it  would  not  do.  There  Fitzgerald  and  his 
companions  stood  like  adamant;  the  space  at  the 
bridge  end  was  small ;  one  man  could  keep  five- 


188 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


at  bay ;  and  a  few  paces  behind,  wielding  pick 
and  spade  and  crowbar  like  furies,  were  the 
engineers  of  the  Irish  garrison.  Soon  a  low, 
rumbling  noise  was  heard,  followed  by  a  crash ; 
and  a  shout  of  triumph  broke  from  the  Irish 
side ;  a  yell  of  rage  from  the  assailants ;  a  por- 
tion, but  a  portion  only,  of  two  arches  had  fallen 
into  the  stream ;  the  bridge  was  still  passable. 
Again  a  wild,  eager  shout  from  Mackay.  "On! 
on!  Now!  now!  the  bridge!"  But  still  there 
stood  the  decimated  defenders.,  with  clutched 
guns  and  clinched  teeth,  resolved  to  die  but  not 
to  j'ield.  Suddenly  a  cry  from  the  Irish  rear : 
"Back,  back,  men,  for  your  lives!"  The  brave 
band  turned  from  the  front,  and  saw  the  half- 
broken  arches  behind  them  tottering.  Most  of 
them  rushed  with  lightning  speed  over  the  fall- 
ing mass ;  but  the  last  company — it  had  wheeled 
round  even  at  that  moment  to  face  and  keep  back 
the  enemj'— were  too  late.  As  they  rushed  for 
the  passage,  the  mass  of  masonry  heaved  over 
with  a  roar  into  the  boiling  surges,  leaving  the 
•devoted  band  on  the  brink  in  the  midst  of  their 
foes.  There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  almost  a 
wail  burst  from  the  Irish  on  the  Connaught  side ; 
but  just  as  the  enemy  rushed  with  vengeance 
upon  the  doomed  group,  they  were  seen  to  draw 
back  a  pace  or  two  from  the  edge  of  the  chasm, 
fling  away  their  arms,  then  dash  forward  and 
plunge  into  the  stream.  Like  a  clap  of  thunder 
broke  a  volley  from  a  thousand  guns  on  the 
Leinster  shore,  tearing  the  water  into  foam. 
There  was  a  minute  of  suspense  on  each  side, 
and  then  a  cheer  rang  out — of  defiance,  exulta- 
tion, victory — as  the  brave  fellows  were  seen  to 
reach  the  other  bank,  pulled  to  land  by  a  hun- 
dred welcoming  hands. 

St.  Ruth,  at  Ballinasloe,  on  his  way  up  from 
Limerick,  heard  next  da.y  that  the  English  town 
had  fallen.  "He  instantly  set  out  at  the  head  of 
fifteen  hundred  horse  and  foot,  leaving  the  main 
army  to  follow  as  quickly  as  possible.  On  his 
arrival  he  encamped  about  two  miles  west  of  the 
town,  and  appointed  Lieutenant-General  D'Usson 
governor  instead  of  the  gallant  Fitzgerald,  as  be- 
ing best  skilled  in  defending  fortified  places."* 
Now  came  the  opportunity  for  that  splendid 
artillery,  "the  like  of  which,"  Macaulay  has  told 


•  Mc'Cann. 


us,  "had  never  been  seen  in  Ireland."  For 
seven  long  days  of  midsummer  there  poured 
against  the  Irish  town  such  a  storm  of  iron  from 
seven  batteries  of  heavy  siege  guns  and  mortars, 
that  by  the  27th  the  place  was  literally  a  mass  of 
ruins,  among  which,  we  are  told,  "two  men 
could  not  walk  abreast."  On  that  day  "a  hun- 
dred wagons  arrived  in  the  Williamite  camp  from 
Dublin,  laden  with  a  further  supplj'  of  ammuni- 
tion for  the  siege  guns."  That  evening  the 
enemy  by  grenades  set  on  fire  the  fascines  of  the 
Irish  breastwork  at  the  bridge,  and  that  night, 
under  cover  of  a  tremendous  bombardment,  they 
succeeded  in  flinging  some  beams  over  the  broken 
arches,  and  partially  planking  them.  Next  morn- 
ing— it  was  Sunday,  the  28th  of  June — the  Irish 
saw  with  consternation  that  barely  a  few  planks 
more  laid  on  would  complete  the  bridge.  Their 
own  few  cannon  were  now  nearly  all  buried  in 
the  ruined  masonry,  and  the  enemy  beyond  had 
battery  on  battery  trained  on  the  narrow  spot — 
it  was  death  to  show  in  the  line  of  the  all  but 
finished  causeway. 

Out  stepped  from  the  ranks  of  Maxwell's  regi- 
ment, a  sergeant  of  dragoons,  Custume  by  name. 
"Are  there  ten  men  here  who  will  die  with  me 
for  Ireland?"  A  hundred  eager  voices  shouted 
"Ay."  "Then,  "said  he,  "we  will  save  Athlone ; 
the  bridge  must  go  down.  " 

Grasping  axes  and  crowbars,  the  devoted 
band  rushed  from  behind  the  breastwork,  and 
dashed  forward  upon  the  newly-laid  beams.  A 
peal  of  artillery,  a  fusillade  of  musketry,  fi'om 
the  other  side,  and  the  space  was  swept  with 
grapeshot  and  bullets.  When  the  smoke  cleared 
away,  the  bodies  of  the  brave  Custume  and  his 
ten  heroes  lay  on  the  bridge,  riddled  with  balls. 
They  had  torn  away  some  of  the  beams,  but 
every  man  of  the  eleven  had  perished. 

Out  from  the  ranks  of  the  same  regiment 
dashed  as  many  more  volunteers.  "There  are 
eleven  men  more  who  will  die  for  Ireland." 
Again  cross  the  bridge  rushed  the  heroes. 
Again  the  spot  is  swept  by  a  murderous  fusil- 
lade. The  smoke  lifts  from  the  scene;  nine  of 
the  second  band  lie  dead  upon  the  bridge — two 
survive,  but  the  work  is  done.  The  last  beam  is 
gone;  Athlone  once  more  is  saved. 

I  am  not  repeating  a  romance  of  fiction,  but 
narrating  a  true  story,  recorded  by  lookers-on. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


189 


^and  corroborated  in  all  its  substance  by  writers 
on  the  Williamite  and  on  the  Jacobite  side. 
"When,  therefore,  young  Irishmen  read  in  Roman 
history  of  Horatius  Codes  and  his  comrades 
■who 

"kept  the  bridge 
In  the  brave  days  of  old," 

let  them  I'emember  that  the  authentic  annals  of 
Ireland  record  a  scene  of  heroism  not  dissimilar 
in  many  of  its  features,  not  less  glorious  in 
aught.  And  when  they  I'ead  also  of  the  fabled 
Boman  patriot  who  plunged  into  the  abyss  at  the 
forum  to  save  the  city,  let  them  remember  that 
such  devotion,  not  in  fable,  but  in  fact,  has  been 
still  more  memorably  exhibited  by  Irishmen; 
and  let  them  honor  beyond  the  apocryphal  Cur- 
tius  the  brave  Custume  and  his  glorious  com- 
panions who  died  for  Ireland  at  Athlone. 

The  town  was  saved  once  more — yet  awhile. 

"Ginckel,  thus  a  second  time  defeated  in  striv- 
ing to  cross  the  Shannon,  resolved  to  renew  his 
approaches  over  the  bridge  by  the  more  cautious 
method  of  a  covered  walk,  or  'close  gallery,'  and 
to  support  the  new  mode  of  attack  by  several 
others  in  different  directions."*  The  whole  of 
that  day  he  cannonaded  the  Irish  town  with 
great  violence,  "as  I  believe  never  town  was," 
"writes  a  spectator.  Nevertheless,  the  Ii-ish,  bur- 
rowing and  trenching  amid  the  chaotic  mass  of 
ruins  and  piles  of  rubbish  once  called  the  town 
of  Athlone,  continued  to  form  new  defenses  as 
fast  as  the  old  were  levelled,  and  Ginckel  was  at 
his  wit's  end  what  to  rely  upon  if  his  "close  gal- 
lery" should  fail.  A  council  of  war  in  the  Wil- 
liamite camp  decided  that  on  the  morning  of  the 
29th  the  passage  of  the  river  should  be  a  third 
time  attempted,  and  in  greater  force  than  ever. 
A  bridge  of  boats  was  to  be  thrown  across  the 
river  some  distance  below  the  old  stone  structure, 
and  it  occurred  to  some  one  to  suggest  that  as 
the  summer  had  been  exceedingly  dry,  and  as 
the  water  in  the  river  appeared  to  be  unprece- 
dentedly  low,  it  might  be  worth  while  to  try 
sounding  for  a  ford. 

This  haphazard  thought  —  this  apparently 
fugitive  suggestion — won  Athlone. 

"Three  Danish  soldiers,  under   sentence  of 


j  death  for  some  crime,  were  offered  their  pardon 
j  if  they  would  undertake  to  try  the  river.  The 
I  men  readily  consented,  and,  putting  on  armor, 
entered  at  three  several  places.  The  English  in 
the  trenches  were  ordered  to  fire  seemingly  at 
them,  but  in  reality  over  their  heads,  whence  the 
Irish  naturally  concluded  them  to  be  deserters, 
and  did  not  fire  till  they  saw  them  returning, 
when  the  English  by  their  great  and  small  shot, 
obliged  the  Irish  to  be  covered.  It  was  discov- 
ered that  the  deepest  part  of  the  river  did  not 
reach  their  breasts.  "*  Thereupon  it  was  decided 
to  assail  the  town  next  morning  suddenly  and  by 
surprise  at  three  points ;  one  party  to  go  over 
the  bridge  by  the  "close  gallery;"  a  second  to 
cross  by  the  pontoons  or  boat-bridge ;  the  third, 
by  one  of  the  fords.  Once  more  Mackay  was  to 
lead  the  assault,  which  was  fixed  for  ten  o'clock 
next  morning;  again,  as  at  the  Boj'ne,  each 
"Williamite  soldier  was  to  mount  a  green  bough 
or  sprig  in  his  hat;  and  this  time  the  word  was 
to  be  "Kilkenny." 

That  night  a  deserter  swam  the  river  below  the 
town,  and  revealed  to  St.  Ruth  that  an  assault 
was  to  be  made  by  a  boat-bridge  and  "close  gal- 
lery" early  next  morning;  and  lo!  when  day 
dawned,  the  Williamites  could  descry  the  main 
army  of  the  Irish  defiling  into  the  town,  and  de- 
tachments stationed  at  every  point  to  contest  the 
assault  which  was  to  have  been  "a  surprise." 
To  make  matters  worse,  the  boats  were  not  ready 
till  ten  o'clock,  instead  of  at  six.  Nevertheless 
the  assault  was  proceeded  with,  and  the  storm 
of  grenades  began  to  fly.  It  had  been  decided 
to  begin  the  conflict  at  or  on  the  bridge,  close  to 
the  broken  arches,  where  (on  their  own  side)  the 
English  had  a  breastwork,  up  to  which  the  "close 
gallery"  had  been  advanced,  and  upon  the  attack 
at  this  point  the  other  operations  were  to  de- 
pended. After  an  hour's  hot  work  the  Irish  set 
on  fire  the  fascines  of  the  English  breastwork. 
There  being  a  strong  breeze  blowing,  in  a  few 
minutes  the  flames  spread  rapidly ;  the  breast- 
work had  to  be  abandoned;  the  "close  gallery" 
was  almost  destroyed  ;  and  the  storming  columns 
were  called  off.  The  Williamite  assault  upon 
Athlone  a  third  time  had  proved  a  total  failure. 
Great  was  the  exultation  on  the  Irish  side  of 


* O'Callagban's  "Green  Book,"  page  32. 


*  Harris. 


188 


THE  STORY  OF  lUELAND. 


at  bay ;  and  a  few  paces  behind,  wielding  pick 
and  spade  and  crowbar  like  furies,  were  the 
engineers  of  the  Irish  garrison.  Soon  a  low, 
rumbling  noise  was  heard,  followed  by  a  crash ; 
and  a  shout  of  triumph  broke  from  the  Irish 
side;  a  yell  of  rage  from  the  assailants;  a  por- 
tion, but  a  portion  only,  of  two  arches  had  fallen 
into  the  stream ;  the  bridge  was  still  passable. 
Again  a  wild,  eager  shout  fi'om  Mackay.  "On! 
on!  Now!  now!  the  bridge!"  But  still  there 
stood  the  decimated  defenders,  with  clutched 
guns  and  clinched  teeth,  resolved  to  die  but  not 
to  yield.  Suddenly  a  cry  from  the  Irish  rear : 
"Back,  back,  men,  for  your  lives!"  The  brave 
band  turned  from  the  front,  and  saw  the  half- 
broken  arches  behind  them  tottering.  Most  of 
them  rushed  with  lightning  speed  over  the  fall- 
ing mass;  but  the  last  company' — it  had  wheeled 
round  even  at  that  moment  to  face  and  keep  back 
the  enemy — were  too  late.  As  they  rushed  for 
the  passage,  the  mass  of  masonry  heaved  over 
with  a  roar  into  the  boiling  surges,  leaving  the 
■devoted  band  on  the  brink  in  the  midst  of  their 
foes.  There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  almost  a 
wail  burst  from  the  Irish  on  the  Connaught  side ; 
but  just  as  the  enemy  rushed  with  vengeance 
upon  the  doomed  group,  they  were  seen  to  draw 
back  a  pace  or  two  from  the  edge  of  the  chasm, 
fling  away  their  arms,  then  dash  forward  and 
plunge  into  the  stream.  Like  a  clap  of  thunder 
broke  a  volley  from  a  thousand  guns  on  the 
Leinster  shore,  tearing  the  water  into  foam. 
There  was  a  minute  of  suspense  on  each  side, 
and  then  a  cheer  rang  out — of  defiance,  exulta- 
tion, victory — as  the  brave  fellows  were  seen  to 
reach  the  other  bank,  pulled  to  land  by  a  hun- 
dred welcoming  hands. 

St.  Ruth,  at  Ballinaaloe,  on  his  way  up  from 
Limerick,  heard  next  da.y  that  the  English  town 
had  fallen.  "He  instantly  set  out  at  the  head  of 
fifteen  hundred  horse  and  foot,  leaving  the  main 
army  to  follow  as  quickly  as  possible.  On  his 
arrival  he  encamped  about  two  miles  west  of  the 
town,  and  appointed  Lieutenant-General  D'Usson 
governor  instead  of  the  gallant  Fitzgerald,  as  be- 
ing best  skilled  in  defending  fortified  places."* 
Now  came  the  opportunity  for  that  splendid 
artillery,  "the  like  of  which,"  Macaulay  has  told 


•  Mc'Cann. 


us,  "had  never  been  seen  in  Ireland."  For 
seven  long  daj's  of  midsummer  there  poured 
against  the  Irish  town  such  a  storm  of  iron  from 
seven  batteries  of  heavy  siege  guns  and  mortars, 
that  by  the  27th  the  place  was  literally  a  mass  of 
ruins,  among  which,  we  are  told,  "two  men 
could  not  walk  abreast."  On  that  day  "a  hun- 
dred wagons  arrived  in  the  Williamite  camp  from 
Dublin,  laden  with  a  further  supply  of  ammuni- 
tion for  the  siege  guns."  That  evening  the 
enemy  by  grenades  set  on  fire  the  fascines  of  the 
Irish  breastwork  at  the  bridge,  and  that  night, 
under  cover  of  a  tremendous  bombardment,  they 
succeeded  in  flinging  some  beams  over  the  broken 
arches,  and  partially  planking  them.  Next  morn- 
ing— it  was  Sunday,  the  28th  of  June — the  Irish 
saw  with  consternation  that  barely  a  few  planks 
more  laid  on  would  complete  the  bridge.  Their 
own  few  cannon  were  now  nearly  all  buried  in 
the  ruined  masonry,  and  the  enemy  beyond  had 
battery  on  battery  trained  on  the  narrow  spot — 
it  was  death  to  show  in  the  line  of  the  all  but 
finished  causeway. 

Out  stepped  from  the  ranks  of  Maxwell's  regi- 
ment, a  sergeant  of  dragoons,  Custume  by  name. 
"Are  there  ten  men  here  who  will  die  with  me 
for  Ireland?"  A  hundred  eager  voices  shouted 
"Ay."  "Then, "  said  he,  "we  will  save  Athlone ; 
the  bridge  must  go  down.  " 

Grasping  axes  and  crowbars,  the  devoted 
band  rushed  from  behind  the  breastwork,  and 
dashed  forward  upon  the  newly-laid  beams.  A 
peal  of  artillery,  a  fusillade  of  musketry,  from 
the  other  side,  and  the  space  was  swept  with 
grapeshot  and  bullets.  When  the  smoke  cleared 
away,  the  bodies  of  the  brave  Custume  and  his 
ten  heroes  lay  on  the  bridge,  riddled  with  balls. 
They  had  torn  away  some  of  the  beams,  but 
every  man  of  the  eleven  had  perished. 

Out  from  the  ranks  of  the  same  regiment 
dashed  as  many  more  volunteers.  "There  are 
eleven  men  more  who  will  die  for  Ireland." 
Again  cross  the  bridge  rushed  the  heroes. 
Again  the  spot  is  swept  by  a  murderous  fusil- 
lade. The  smoke  lifts  from  the  scene;  nine  of 
the  second  band  lie  dead  upon  the  bridge — two 
survive,  but  the  work  is  done.  The  last  beam  is 
gone ;  Athlone  once  more  is  saved. 

I  am  not  repeating  a  romance  of  fiction,  but 
narrating  a  true  story,  recorded  by  lookers-on. 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


189 


;and  corroborated  in  all  its  substance  by  writers 
on  the  Williamite  and  on  the  Jacobite  side. 
"When,  therefore,  young  Irishmen  read  in  Eoman 
history  of  Horatius  Codes  and  his  comrades 
"who 

"kept  the  bridge 
In  the  brave  days  of  old," 

let  them  remember  that  the  authentic  annals  of 
Ireland  record  a  scene  of  heroism  not  dissimilar 
in  many  of  its  features,  not  less  glorious  in 
■aught.  And  when  they  read  also  of  the  fabled 
Eoman  patriot  who  plunged  into  the  abyss  at  the 
forum  to  save  the  city,  let  them  remember  that 
such  devotion,  not  in  fable,  but  in  fact,  has  been 
still  more  memorably  exhibited  by  Irishmen; 
and  let  them  honor  beyond  the  apocryphal  Cur- 
tius  the  brave  Custume  and  his  glorious  com- 
panions who  died  for  Ireland  at  Athlone. 

The  town  was  saved  once  more — yet  awhile. 

"Ginckel,  thus  a  second  time  defeated  in  striv- 
ing to  cross  the  Shannon,  resolved  to  renew  his 
approaches  over  the  bridge  by  the  more  cautious 
method  of  a  covered  walk,  or  'close  gallei'y,'  and 
io  support  the  new  mode  of  attack  by  several 
others  in  dilferent  directions."*  The  whole  of 
that  day  he  cannonaded  the  Irish  town  with 
great  violence,  "as  I  believe  never  town  was," 
writes  a  spectator.  Nevertheless,  the  Irish,  bur- 
rowing and  trenching  amid  the  chaotic  mass  of 
ruins  and  piles  of  rubbish  once  called  the  town 
of  Athlone,  continued  to  form  new  defenses  as 
fast  as  the  old  were  levelled,  and  Ginckel  was  at 
his  wit's  end  what  to  rely  upon  if  his  "close  gal- 
lery" should  fail.  A  council  of  war  in  the  Wil- 
liamite camp  decided  that  on  the  morning  of  the 
29th  the  passage  of  the  river  should  be  a  third 
time  attempted,  and  in  greater  force  than  ever. 
A  bridge  of  boats  was  to  be  thrown  across  the 
river  some  distance  below  the  old  stone  structure, 
and  it  occurred  to  some  one  to  suggest  that  as 
the  summer  had  been  exceedingly  dry,  and  as 
the  water  in  the  river  appeared  to  be  unprece- 
dentedly  low,  it  might  be  worth  while  to  try 
sounding  for  a  ford. 

This  haphazard  thought  —  this  apparently 
fugitive  suggestion — won  Athlone. 

"Three  Danish  soldiers,  under   sentence  of 


death  for  some  crime,  were  offered  their  pardon 
if  they  would  undertake  to  try  the  river.  The 
men  readily  consented,  and,  putting  on  armor, 
entered  at  three  several  places.  The  English  in 
the  trenches  were  ordered  to  fire  seemingly  at 
them,  but  in  reality  over  their  heads,  whence  the 
Irish  naturally  concluded  them  to  be  deserters, 
and  did  not  fire  till  they  saw  them  returning, 
when  the  English  by  their  great  and  small  shot, 
obliged  the  Irish  to  be  covered.  It  was  discov- 
ered that  the  deepest  part  of  the  river  did  not 
reach  their  breasts.  "*  Thereupon  it  was  decided 
to  assail  the  town  next  morning  suddenly  and  by 
surprise  at  three  points;  one  party  to  go  over 
the  bridge  by  the  "close  gallery;"  a  second  to 
cross  by  the  pontoons  or  boat-bridge ;  the  third, 
by  one  of  the  fords.  Once  more  Mackay  was  to 
lead  the  assault,  which  was  fixed  for  ten  o'clock 
next  morning;  again,  as  at  the  Boyne,  each 
Williamite  soldier  was  to  mount  a  green  bough 
or  sprig  in  his  hat;  and  this  time  the  word  was 
to  be  "Kilkenny." 

That  night  a  deserter  swam  the  river  below  the 
town,  and  revealed  to  St.  Euth  that  an  assault 
was  to  be  made  by  a  boat-bridge  and  "close  gal- 
lery" early  next  morning;  and  lo!  when  day 
dawned,  the  Williamites  could  descry  the  main 
army  of  the  Irish  defiling  into  the  town,  and  de- 
tachments stationed  at  every  point  to  contest  the 
assault  which  was  to  have  been  "a  surprise." 
To  make  matters  worse,  the  boats  were  not  ready 
till  ten  o'clock,  instead  of  at  six.  Nevertheless 
the  assault  was  proceeded  with,  and  the  storm 
of  grenades  began  to  fly.  It  had  been  decided 
to  begin  the  conflict  at  or  on  the  bridge,  close  to 
the  broken  arches,  where  (on  their  own  side)  the 
English  had  a  breastwork,  up  to  which  the  "close 
gallery"  had  been  advanced,  and  upon  the  attack 
at  this  point  the  other  operations  were  to  de- 
pended. After  an  hour's  hot  work  the  Irish  set 
on  fire  the  fascines  of  the  English  breastwork. 
There  being  a  strong  breeze  blowing,  in  a  few 
minutes  the  flames  spread  rapidly;  the  breast- 
work had  to  be  abandoned;  the  "close  gallery" 
was  almost  destroyed;  and  the  storming  columns 
were  called  off.  The  Williamite  assault  upon 
Athlone  a  third  time  had  proved  a  total  failure. 

Great  was  the  exultation  on  the  Irish  side  of 


* O'Callaglian's  "Green  Book,"  page  32. 


*  Harris. 


190 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


the  rirei"  at  the  triurupliant  defeat  and  utter 
abandonment  of  this,  the  final  attempt,  as  they 
regarded  it,  on  the  part  of  the  foe.  After  wait- 
ing till  neai"  five  o'clock  to  behold  the  last  of  the 
Williamites  called  to  the  rear,  and  every  other 
sign  of  defeat  exhibited  on  their  side,  St.  Ruth 
drew  ofif  the  victorious  Irish  army  to  the  camp 
three  miles  distant,  and,  overconfidently,  if  not 
vaingloriously,  declaring  the  siege  as  good  as 
raised,  invited  the  resident  gentry  of  the  neigh- 
borhood and  the  officers  of  the  army  to  a  grand 
ball  at  his  quarters  that  evening. 

Meanwhile  Ginckel,  a  prey  to  the  most  tortur- 
ing reflections,  wavered  between  a  hundred  con- 
flicting resolutions  or  momentary  impulses.  At 
last  he  decided  to  raise  the  siege,  but  wishing 
for  the  decision  of  a  council  to  shield  him  some- 
what from  the  outcry  he  apprehended  in  Dublin 
and  in  London,  a  meeting  was  held  to  consider 
the  point.  After  a  hot  and  bitter  disputation,  a 
resolution,  at  first  laughed  at  by  the  majority, 
was  adopted — namely,  to  try  that  very  evening, 
nay,  that  very  hour,  a  sudden  dash  across  the 
river  by  the  fords,  as  (it  was  rightly  conjectured) 
the  Irish  would  now  be  o&.  their  guard.  As  a 
last  refuge  from  disgrace,  Ginckel  resolved  to  try 
this  chance. 

Toward  six  o'clock  the  Irish  officer  on  guard 
on  the  Athlone  side,  sent  word  to  the  general  (St. 
Ruth)  that  he  thought  there  was  something  up 
on  the  opposite  bank,  and  begging  some  detach- 
ments to  be  sent  in,  as  only  a  few  companies  had 
been  left  in  the  town.  St.  Ruth  replied  by  a 
sharp  and  testy  remark,  reflecting  on  the  courage 
of  the  officer,  to  the  effect  that  he  was  fright- 
ened by  fancy.  By  the  time  this  hurtful  answer 
reached  him,  the  officer  saw  enough  to  convince 
him  that  infallibly  an  assault  was  about  to  be 
made,  and  he  sent  with  all  speed  to  the  camp 
entreating  the  general  to  credit  the  fact.  St. 
Ruth  replied  by  saying  that  if  the  officer  in 
charge  was  afraid  of  such  attacks,  he  might  turn 
over  the  command  to  another.  Sarsfield  was 
present  at  this  last  reply,  and  he  at  once  judged 
the  whole  situation  correctly.  He  implored  St. 
Ruth  not  to  treat  so  lightly  a  report  so  grave 
from  an  officer  of  undoubted  bravery.  The 
Frenchman — courageous,  energetic,  and  highly- 
gifted  as  he  unquestionably  was — unfortunately 
was  short-tempered,  imperious,  and  vain.  He 


and  Sarsfield  exchanged  hot  and  angry  words;. 
St.  Ruth  resenting  Sarsfield 's  interference,  and 
intimating  that  the  latter  henceforth  should 
"know  his  place."  While  yet  this  fatal  alterca- 
tion was  proceeding,  an  aide-de-camp  galloped 
up  all  breathless  from  the  town — the  English 
were  across  the  river  and  into  the  defenses  of 
Athlone!  Even  now  St.  Ruth's  overweening 
self-confidence  would  not  j'ield.  "Then  let  us 
drive  them  back  again, "  was  his  answer,  at  the 
same  time  directing  troops  to  hurry  forward  for 
that  purpose.  But  it  was  too  late.  The  lodg- 
ment had  been  made  in  force.  The  English 
were  now  in  the  defenses.  The  walls  of  the 
town  on  the  camp  side  had  been  left  standing, 
and  only  a  siege  could  now  dispossess  the  new 
occupants.    Athlone  was  lost!* 


CHAPTER  LXXL 

"the  culloden  of  Ireland" — how  acghrim  was- 
fought  and  lost  a  story  of  the  battle- 
FIELD; "the  dog  OF  AUGHKIM,  OR  FIDELITY  IN 
DEATH.  ' ' 

St.  Ruth  fell  back  to  Ballinasloe,  on  Ginckel's 
road  to  Galway,  which  city  was  now  held  by  the 
Irish,  and  was  in  truth  one  of  their  most  impor- 
tant possessions.  The  Frenchman  was  a  prey  to 
conscious  guilty  feeling.  He  knew  that  Sarsfield 
held  him  accountable  for  the  loss  of  Athlone, 
and  his  pride  was  painfully  mortified.  How 
often  do  dire  events  from  trivial  causes  spring! 
This  estrangement  between  St.  Ruth  and  Sars- 
field was  fated  to  affect  the  destinies  of  Ireland, 
for  to  it  may  be  traced  the  loss  of  the  battle  of 
Aughrim,  as  we  shall  see. 

At  a  council  of  war  in  the  Irish  camp  it  was  at 
first  resolved  to  give  battle  in  the  strong  position 

*  Among  the  slain  on  the  Irish  side  in  this  siege  was  the 
glorious  old  veteran,  Colonel  Richard  Grace,  who  was  gov- 
ernor the  preceding  year.  His  great  age — he  was  now 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age — caused  him  to  be  relieved  of 
such  a  laborious  position  in  this  siege,  but  nothing  could 
induce  him  to  seek,  either  in  retirement  or  in  less  exposed 
and  dangerous  duty,  that  quiet  which  all  his  compeers  felt 
to  be  the  old  man's  right.  He  would  insist  on  remaining 
in  the  thickest  of  the  fighting,  and  he  died  "with  his  har- 
ness on  his  back."  He  was  one  of  the  most  glorious  char- 
acters to  be  met  with  in  Irish  history.  The  erudite  author 
of  the  "Green  Book"  supplies  a  deeply  interesting  sketch, 
of  his  life  and  career. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


191 


■which  the  army  had  now  taken  up,  but  St.  Ruth 
moved  olf  to  Aughrim,  about  three  miles  distant, 
on  the  road  to  Galwaj'.  The  new  position  was 
not  less  strong  than  that  which  had  just  been 
quitted.  In  truth  its  selection,  and  the  uses  to 
which  St.  Ruth  turned  each  and  all  of  its  natural 
advantages,  showed  him  to  be  a  man  of  consum- 
mate ability. 

Close  to  the  little  village  of  Aughrim — destined 
to  give  name  to  the  last  great  battle  between 
Catholic  and  Protestant  royalty  on  the  soil  of 
Ireland — is  the  Hill  of  Kilcommedau.  The  hill 
slopes  gradually  and  smoothly  upward  to  a  height 
of  about  three  hundred  feet  from  its  base,  run- 
ning lengthways  for  about  two  miles  from  north 
to  south.  On  its  east  side  or  slope,  looking  to- 
ward the  way  by  which  Ginckel  must  approach 
on  his  march  westward  to  Galway,  the  Irish 
army  was  encamped,  having  on  its  right  flank 
the  pass  or  causeway  of  Urrachree,  and  its  left 
flank  resting  on  the  village  of  Aughrim.  A  large 
morass  lay  at  foot  of  Kilcommedan  (on  the  east, 
sweeping  round  the  northern  end  of  the  hill) 
which  might  be  crossed  in  summer  by  footmen, 
but  was  impracticable  for  cavalry.  Through  its 
center,  from  south  to  north,  ran  a  little  stream, 
which  with  winter  rains  flooded  all  the  surround- 
ing marsh.  Two  narrow  causeways,  "passes," 
or  roads,  ran  across  the  morass  to  the  hill ;  one 
at  Urrachree,  the  other  at  the  town  of  Aughrim; 
the  latter  one  being  defended  or  commanded  by 
an  old  ruin,  Aughrim  Castle,  at  the  hill  base.* 
Along  the  slopes  of  the  hill,  parallel  with  its 
base,  ran  two  or  three  lines  of  whitethorn  hedge- 
rows, growing  out  of  thick  earth  fences,  afford- 
ing admirable  position  and  protection  for  mus- 
keteers. It  may  be  questioned  if  the  genius  of  a 
Wellington  could  have  devised  or  directed  aught 
that  St.  Ruth  had  not  done  to  turn  every  feature 
of  the  ground  and  every  inch  of  this  position  to 
advantage.  Yet  by  one  sin  of  omission  he 
placed  all  the  fortunes  of  the  day  on  the  hazard 
of  his  own  life;  he  communicated  his  plan  of 
battle  to  no  one.  Sarsfield  was  the  man  next 
entitled  and  fitted  to  command,  in  the  event  of 

*  The  most  intelligible,  ifnottlie  only  intelligible,  descrip- 
tions of  this  battlefield  are  those  of  Mr.  M.  J.  M'Cann,  in 
the  harp  for  June,  1859;  and  in  a  work  recently  issued  in 
America,  "Battlefields  of  Ireland,"  unquestionably  the 
most  attractive  and  faithful  narrative  hitherto  published  of 
the  Jacobite  struggle. 


anything  befalling  the  general ;  yet  he  in  par- 
ticular was  kept  from  any  knowledge  of  the 
tactics  or  strategj'  upon  which  the  battle  was  to 
turn.  Indeed  he  was  posted  at  a  point  critical 
and  important  enough  in  some  senses,  yet  away 
from,  and  out  of  sight  of  the  part  of  the  field 
where  the  main  struggle  was  to  take  place ;  and 
St.  Ruth  rather  hurtfully  gave  him  imperative 
instructions  not  to  stir  from  the  position  thus 
assigned  him  without  a  written  order  from  him- 
self. "At  Aughrim,"  says  an  intelligent  Protes- 
tant literary  periodical,  "three  apparent  acci- 
dents gave  the  victory  to  Ginckel.  The  musket- 
eers defending  the  pass  at  the  old  castle  found 
themselves  supplied  with  cannon  balls  instead  of 
bullets;  the  flank  movement  of  a  regiment  was 
mistaken  for  a  retreat;  and  St.  Ruth  lost  his  life 
by  a  cannon  shot."*  The  last  mentioned,  which 
was  really  the  accident  that  wrested  undoubted 
victory  from  the  Irish  grasp,  would  have  had  no 
such  disastrous  result  had  St.  Ruth  confided  his 
plan  of  battle  to  his  lieutenant-general,  and 
taken  him  heartily  and  thoroughly  into  joint 
command  on  the  field. 

I  know  of  no  account  of  this  battle,  which, 
within  the  same  space,  exhibits  so  much  com- 
pleteness, clearness,  and  simplicity  of  narration 
as  Mr.  Haverty's,  which  accordingly  I  here  bor- 
row with  very  little  abridgment : 

"The  advanced  guards  of  the  AVilliamites  came 
in  sight  of  the  Irish  on  the  11th  of  July,  and  the 
following  morning,  which  was  Sunday,  July  12, 
1G91,  while  the  Irish  army  was  assisting  at  mass, 
the  whole  force  of  the  enemy  drew  up  in  line  of 
battle  on  the  high  ground  to  the  east  beyond  the 
morass.  As  nearly  as  the  strength  of  the  two 
armies  can  be  estimated,  that  of  the  Irish  was 
about  fifteen  thousand  horse  and  foot,  and  that 
of  the  Williamites  from  twenty  to  twenty-five 
thousand,  the  latter  having  besides  a  numerous 
artillery,  while  the  Irish  had  but  nine  field 
pieces. 

"Ginckel,  knowing  his  own  great  superiority 
in  artillery,  hoped  by  the  aid  of  that  arm  alone 
to  dislodge  the  Irish  center  force  from  their  ad- 
vantageous ground ;  and  as  quickly  as  his  guns 
could  be  brought  into  position,  he  opened  fire 
upon  the  enemy.    He  also  directed  some  cavalry 

Dublin  University  Magazine  for  February,  1867. — "SoinQ 
Episodes  of  the  Irish  Jacobite  Wars." 


19;^ 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


movements  on  his  left  at  the  pass  of  TJrrachree, 
but  w  ith  strict  orders  that  the  Irish  should  not 
be  followed  bej'ond  the  'pass,'  lest  any  fighting 
there  should  force  on  a  general  engagement,  for 
v?hich  he  had  not  then  made  up  his  mind.  His 
orders  on  this  point,  however,  were  not  punctually 
obeyed ;  the  consequence  being  some  hot  skir- 
mishing, which  brought  larger  bodies  into  action, 
until  about  three  o'clock,  when  the  Williamites 
retired  from  the  pass. 

"Ginckel  now  held  a  council  of  war,  and  the 
prevalent  opinion  seemed  to  be  that  the  attack 
should  be  deferred  until  an  early  hour  next 
morning,  but  the  final  decision  of  the  council 
was  for  an  immediate  battle.  At  five  o'clock,  ac- 
cordingly, the  attack  was  renewed  at  TJrrachree, 
and  for  an  hour  and  a  half  there  was  consider- 
able fighting  in  that  quarter;  several  attempts  to 
force  the  pass  having  been  made  in  the  interval, 
and  the  Irish  cavalry  continuing  to  maintain 
their  ground  gallantly,  although  against  double 
their  numbers. 

"At  length,  at  half-past  six,  Ginckel,  having 
previously  caused  the  morass  in  front  of  the 
Irish  center  to  be  sounded,  ordered  his  infantry 
to  advance  on  the  point  where  the  line  of  the 
fences  at  the  Irish  side  projected  most  into  the 
marsh,  and  where  the  morass  was,  consequently, 
narrowest.  This,  it  appears,  was  in  the  Irish 
right  center,  or  in  the  direction  of  TJrrachree. 
The  four  regiments  of  colonels  Erie,  Herbert, 
Creighton,  and  Brewer  were  the  first  to  wade 
through  the  mud  and  water,  and  to  advance 
against  the  nearest  of  the  hedges,  where  they 
were  received  with  a  smart  fire  by  the  Irish,  who 
then  retired  behind  their  next  line  of  hedges,  to 
which  the  assailants  in  their  turn  approached. 
The  Williamite  infantry  were  thus  gradually 
drawn  from  one  line  of  fences  to  another,  up  the 
slope  from  the  morass,  to  a  greater  distance  than 
was  contemplated  in  the  plan  of  attack,  accord- 
ing to  which  they  were  to  hold  their  ground  near 
the  morass  until  thej'  could  be  supported  by  re- 
inforcements of  infantry  in  the  rear,  and  by  cav- 
alry on  the  flanks.  The  Irish  retired  by  such 
short  distances  that  the  Williamites  pursued 
what  they  considered  to  be  an  advantage,  until 
they  found  themselves  face  to  face  with  the  main 
line  of  the  Irish,  who  now  charged  them  in  front; 
while  by  passages  cut  specially  for  such  a  pur- 


pose through  the  line  of  hedges  by  St.  Ruth,  the 
Irish  cavalry  rushed  down  with  irresistible  force 
and  attacked  them  in  the  flanks.  The  effect  was 
instantaneous.  In  vain  did  Colonel  Erie  en- 
deavor to  encourage  his  men  by  crying  out  that 
'there  was  no  way  to  come  off  but  to  be  brave.' 
They  were  thrown  into  total  disorder,  and  fled 
toward  the  morass,  the  Irish  cavalry  cutting  them 
down  in  the  rear,  and  the  infantry  pouring  in  a 
deadly  fire,  until  they  were  driven  bej'ond  the 
quagmire,  which  separated  the  two  armies. 
Colonels  Erie  and  Herbert  were  taken  prisoners; 
but  the  former,  after  being  taken  and  retaken, 
and  receiving  some  wounds,  was  finally  rescued. 

"While  this  was  going  forward  toward  the 
Irish  right,  several  other  Williamite  regiments 
crossed  the  bog  nearer  to  Aughrim,  and  were  in 
like  manner  repulsed ;  but,  not  having  ventured 
among  the  Irish  hedges,  their  loss  was  not  so 
considerable,  although  they  were  pursued  so  far 
in  their  retreat  that  the  Irish,  says  Story,  'got 
almost  in  a  line  with  some  of  our  great  guns, '  or, 
in  other  words,  had  advanced  into  the  English 
battleground.  It  was  no  wonder  that  at  this 
moment  St.  Ruth  should  have  exclaimed  with 
national  enthusiasm,  'The  daj'  is  ours,  mes 
enfants!' 

"The  maneuvers  of  the  Dutch  general  on  the 
other  side  evinced  consummate  ability,  and  the 
peril  of  his  present  position  obliged  him  to  make 
desperate  efforts  to  retrieve  it.  His  army  being 
much  more  numerous  than  that  of  the  Irish,  he 
could  afford  to  extend  his  left  wing  considerably 
beyond  their  right,  and  this  causing  a  fear  that 
he  intended  to  flank  them  at  that  side,  St.  Ruth 
ordered  the  second  line  of  his  left  to  march  to 
the  right,  the  officer  who  received  the  instruc- 
tions taking  with  him  also  a  battalion  from  the 
center,  which  left  a  Aveak  point  not  unobserved 
by  the  enemy.  St.  Ruth  had  a  fatal  confidence 
in  the  natural  strength  of  his  left,  owing  to  the 
great  extent  of  bog,  and  the  extreme  narrowness 
of  the  causeway  near  Aughrim  Castle.  The 
Williamite  commander  perceived  this  confidence, 
and  resolved  to  take  advantage  of  it.  Hence  his 
movement  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  his  line, 
which  was  a  mere  feint,  the  troops  which  he 
sent  to  his  left  not  firing  a  shot  during  the  day, 
while  some  of  the  best  regiments  of  the  Irish 
were  drawn  away  to  watch  them.    The  point  of 


THE  STORY  OP  IRELAND. 


193 


weakening  the  Irish  left  having  been  thus 
gained,  the  object  of  doing  so  soon  became  ap- 
parent. A  movement  of  the  "VVilliamite  cavahy 
to  the  causeway  at  Aughrim  was  observed. 
Some  horsemen  were  seen  crossing  the  narrow 
part  of  the  causeway  with  great  difficulty,  being 
scarcely  able  to  ride  two  abreast.  St.  Ruth  still 
believed  that  pass  impregnable,  as  indeed  it 
would  have  been,  but  for  the  mischances  which 
we  have  yet  to  mention,  and  he  is  reported  to 
have  exclaimed,  when  he  saw  the  enemy's  cavalry 
scrambling  over  it,  'Thej'  are  brave  fellows,  'tis 
a  pity  they  should  be  so  exposed.'  They  were 
not,  however,  so  exposed  to  destruction  as  he 
then  imagined.  Artillery  had  come  to  their  aid, 
and  as  the  men  crossed,  they  began  to  form  in 
squadrons  on  the  firm  ground  near  the  old  castle. 
What  were  the  garrison  of  the  castle  doing  at 
this  time  ?  and  what  the  reserve  of  cavalry  be- 
yond the  castle  to  the  extreme  left?  As  to  the 
former,  an  unlucky  circumstance  rendered  their 
efforts  nugatory.  It  was  found  on  examining  the 
ammunition  with  which  they  had  been  supplied, 
that  while  the  men  were  armed  with  French  fire- 
locks, the  balls  that  had  been  served  to  them 
were  cast  for  English  muskets,  of  which  the  cali- 
bre was  larger,  and  that  they  were  consequently 
useless.  In  this  emergency  the  men  cut  the 
small  globular  buttons  from  their  jackets,  and 
used  them  for  bullets,  but  their  fire  was  ineffec- 
tive, however  briskly  it  was  sustained,  and  few 
of  the  enemy's  horse  crossing  the  causeway  were 
hit.  This  was  but  one  of  the  mischances  con- 
nected with  the  unhappy  left  of  St.  Ruth's  posi- 
tion. "We  have  seen  how  an  Irish  officer,  when 
ordered  with  reserves  to  the  right  wing,  removed 
a  battalion  from  the  left  center.  This  error*  was 
immediately  followed  by  the  crossing  of  the 
morass  at  that  weakened  point  by  three  Will- 
iamite  regiments,  who  employed  hurdles  to 
facilitate  their  passage,  and  who,  meeting  with  a 
comparatively  feeble  resistance  at  the  front  line 
of  fences,  suceeded  in  making  a  lodgment  in  a 
cornfield  on  the  Irish  side." 

It  was,  however — as  the  historian  just  quoted 
remarks   in    continuation — still  very    easy  to 

*Many  Irish  authorities  assert  it  was  no  "error,"  but 
downright  treason.  The  officer  who  perpetrated  it  being 
the  traitor  Luttrell,  subsequently  discovered  to  have  long 
been  working  out  the  betrayal  of  the  cause. 


remedy  the  effects  of  these  errors  or  mishaps 
thus  momentarily  threatening  to  render  ques- 
tionable the  victory  already  substantially  won  by 
the  Irish ;  and  St.  Ruth,  for  the  purpose  of  so 
doing — and,  in  fact,  delivering  the  coup  de  grace 
to  the  beaten  foe — left  his  position  of  observation 
in  front  of  the  camp  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and, 
placing  himself  in  joyous  pride  at  the  head  of  a 
cavalry  brigade,  hastened  down  the  slope  to 
charge  the  confused  bodies  of  William ite  horse 
gaining  a  foothold  below.  Those  who  saw  him 
at  this  moment  say  that  his  face  was  aglow  with 
enthusiasm  and  triumph.  He  had,  as  he 
thought,  at  last  vindicated  his  name  and  fame; 
he  had  shown  what  St.  Ruth  could  do.  And, 
indeed,  never  for  an  instant  had  he  doubted  the 
result  of  this  battle,  or  anticipated  for  it  any 
other  issue  than  a  victory.  He  had  attired  him- 
self, we  are  told,  in  his  most  gorgeous  uniform, 
wearing  all  his  decorations  and  costly  orna- 
ments, and  constantly  told  those  around  him 
that  he  was  to-day  about  to  win  a  battle  that 
would  wrest  Ireland  from  William's  grasp. 
About  halfway  down  the  hill  he  halted  a  mo- 
ment to  give  some  directions  to  the  artillerymen 
at  one  of  the  field  batteries.  Then,  drawing  his 
sword,  and  giving  the  word  to  advance  for  a 
charge,  he  exclaimed  to  his  officers:  "They  are 
beaten,  gentlemen ;  let  us  drive  them  back  to  the 
gates  of  Dublin."  With  a  cheer,  rising  above 
the  roar  of  the  artillery — which,  from  the  other 
side,  was  pla3'ing  furiously  on  this  decisive  Irish 
advance — the  squadron  made  reply ;  when,  sud- 
denly, louder  still,  at  its  close,  there  arose  a  cry 
— a  shriek — from  some  one  near  the  general. 
All  eyes  were  turned  upon  the  spot,  and  for  an 
instant  many  failed  to  discern  the  cause  for  such 
a  startling  utterance.  There  sat  the  glittering 
uniformed  figure  upon  his  charger.  It  needed, 
with  some,  a  second  glance  to  detect  the  horrible 
catastrophe  that  had  befallen.  There  sat  the 
body  of  St.  Ruth  indeed,  but  it  was  his  lifeless 
corpse — a  headless  trunk.  A  cannon  shot  from 
the  Williamite  batteries  had  struck  the  head 
from  his  bodj-,  as  if  the  Tj^burn  ax  and  block 
had  done  their  fearful  work.  St.  Ruth,  the  vain, 
the  brave,  was  no  more ! 

The  staff  crowded  around  the  fallen  com- 
mander in  sad  dismay.  The  brigade  itself,  igno- 
rant at  first  of  the  true  nature  of  what  happened. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


but  conscious  that  some  serious  disaster  had  oc- 
curred, halted  iu  confusion.  Indecision  and 
confusion  in  the  face  of  the  enemj-,  and  under 
fire  of  his  batteries,  has  ever  but  one  result. 
The  brigade  broke,  and  rode  to  the  right.  No 
one  knew  on  whom  the  command  devolved. 
Sai'sfield  was  next  in  rank ;  but  every  one  knew 
him  to  be  posted  at  a  distant  part  of  the  field, 
and  it  was  unhappily  notorious  that  he  had  not 
been  made  acquainted  with  any  of  the  lost  gen- 
eral's plan.  This  indecision  and  confusion  was 
not  long  spreading  from  the  cavalry  brigade 
which  St.  Ruth  had  been  leading  to  other  bodies 
of  the  troops.  The  Williamites  plainly  perceived 
that  something  fatal  had  happened  on  the  Irish 
side,  which,  if  taken  advantage  of  promptly, 
might  give  them  victory  in  the  very  moment  of 
defeat.  They  halted,  rallied,  and  returned.  A 
general  attack  in  full  force  on  all  points  was 
ordered.  "Still  the  Irish  center  and  right  wing 
maintained  their  ground  obstinately,  and  the 
fight  was  renewed  with  as  much  vigor  as  ever. 
The  Irish  infantry  was  so  hotly  engaged  that 
they  were  not  aware  either  of  the  death  of  St. 
Ruth,  or  of  the  flight  of  the  cavalry,  until  they 
themselves  were  almost  surrounded.  A  panic 
and  confused  flight  were  the  result.  The  cavalry 
of  the  right  wing,  who  were  the  first  in  action 
that  day,  were  the  last  to  quit  their  ground. 
Sarsfield,  with  the  reserve  horse  of  the  center, 
had  to  retire  with  the  rest  without  striking  one 
blow,  'although,'  says  the  Williamite  captain 
Parker,  'he  had  the  greatest  and  best  part  of  the 
cavalry  with  him. '  St.  Ruth  fell  about  sunset ; 
and  about  nine,  after  three  hours'  hard  fighting, 
the  last  of  the  Irish  army  had  left  the  field.  The 
cavalry  retreated  along  the  high  road  to  Lough- 
rea,  and  the  infantry,  who  mostly  flung  away 
their  arms,  fled  to  a  large  red  bog  on  their  left, 
where  great  numbers  of  them  were  massacred 
unarmed  and  in  cold  blood ;  but  a  thick  misty 
rain  coming  on,  and  the  night  setting  in,  the 
pursuit  was  soon  relinquished." 

The  peasantry  to  this  day  point  out  a  small 
gorge  on  tbe  hillside,  still  called  "Gleann-na- 
Fola,  "*  where  two  of  the  Irish  regiments,  deem- 
ing flight  vain,  or  scorning  to  fly,  halted,  and 
throughout  the  night  waited  their  doom  in  sullen 


*TLe  Glen  of  Slaughter. — The  Bloody  Qlen. 


determination.  There  they  were  found  in  the 
morning,  and  were  slaughtered  to  a  man.  The 
slogan  of  the  conqueror  was :  "No  quarter."* 

Above  five  hundred  prisoners,  with  thirty- two 
pairs  of  colors,  eleven  standards,  and  a  large 
quantity  of  small  arms,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
victors.  The  English  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
was  about  three  thousand;  the  Irish  lost  over 
four  thousand,  chiefly  in  the  flight,  as  the  Will- 
iamites gave  no  quarter,  and  the  wounded,  if 
they  were  not,  in  comparative  mercy,  shot  as 
they  lay  on  the  field,  were  allowed  to  perish 
unfriended  where  they  fell. 

To  the  music  of  one  of  the  most  plaintive  of 
our  Irish  melodies — "The  Lamentation  of  Augh- 
rim" — Moore  (a  second  time  touched  by  this  sad 
theme)  has  wedded  the  well-known  verses  here 
quoted : 

"Forget  not  the  field  where  they  perished — • 
The  truest,  the  last  of  the  brave ; 
All  gone — and  the  bright  hope  they  cherished 
Gone  with  them,  and  quenched  in  their  grave. 

"Oh!  could  we  from  death  but  recover 
Those  hearts,  as  they  bounded  before. 
In  the  face  of  high  Heaven  to  fight  over 
That  combat  for  freedom  once  more — 

"Could  the  chain  for  an  instant  be  riven 
Which  Tyranny  flung  round  us  then — 
Oh! — 'tis  not  in  Man,  nor  in  Heaven, 
To  let  Tyranny  bind  it  again ! 

*  Moore,  who  seems  to  have  been  powerfully  affected  by 
the  whole  story  of  Aughrira — "  the  Culloden  of  Ireland— is 
said  to  have  found  in  this  mournful  tragedy  the  subject  of 
his  exquisite  song  "After  the  Battle  :" 

"  Night  closed  around  the  conqueror's  way, 

And  lightnings  showed  the  distant  hill. 
Where  those  who  lost  that  dreadful  day 

Stood  few  and  faint,  but  fearless  still  ! 
The  soldier's  hope,  the  patriot's  zeal, 

Forever  dimmed,  forever  crossed — 
Oh  !  who  shall  say  what  heroes  feel, 

Wlien  all  but  life  and  honor's  lost? 

"  The  last  sad  hour  of  freedom's  dieam 

And  valor's  task  moved  slowly  by. 
While  mute  they  watched,  till  morning's  beam 

Should  rise  and  give  them  light  to  die. 
There 's  yet  a  world  where  souls  are  free, 

Where  tyrants  taint  not  nature's  bliss: 
If  death  that  world's  bright  op'ning  be, 

Oh  1  who  would  live  a  slave  in  this  ?" 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


195 


■"But  'tis  past;  and  though  blazoned  in  story 
The  name  of  our  victor  may  be, 
Accurst  is  the  march  of  that  glory 

Which  treads  o'er  the  hearts  of  the  free! 

'■"Far  dearer  the  grave  or  the  prison, 
Illumed  by  one  patriot  name. 
Than  the  trophies  of  all  who  have  risen 
On  Liberty's  ruins  to  fame!" 

We  cannot  take  leave  of  the  field  of  Aughrim 
and  pass  unnoticed  an  episode  connected  with 
i;hat  scene  which  may  well  claim  a  place  in  his- 
tory ;  a  true  story,  which,  if  it  rested  on  any  other 
authority  than  that  of  the  hostile  and  unsympa- 
"thizing  Williamite  chaplain,  might  be  deemed 
either  the  creation  of  poetic  fancy  or  the  warmlj' 
tinged  picture  of  exaggerated  fact. 

The  bodies  of  the  fallen  Irish,  as  already  men- 
'tioned,  were  for  the  most  part  left  unburied  on 
"the  ground,  "a  prey  to  the  birds  of  the  air  and 
the  beasts  of  the  field."  "There  is, "  says  the 
Williamite  chronicler,  "a  true  and  remarkable 
story  of  a  grej'hound,*  belonging  to  an  Irish 
-officer.  The  gentleman  was  killed  and  stripped 
in  the  battle,t  whose  body  the  dog  remained  by 
night  and  day;  and  though  he  fed  upon  other 
-corpses  with  the  rest  of  the  dogs,  yet  he  would 
not  allow  them  or  anything  else  to  touch  that  of 
Jiis  master.  When  all  the  corpses  were  con- 
•sumed,  the  other  dogs  departed;  but  this  one 
used  to  go  in  the  night  to  the  adjacent  villages 
for  food,  and  presently  return  to  the  place  where 
his  master's  bones  only  were  then  left.  And 
thus  he  continued  (from  July  when  the  battle 
■was  fought)  till  January  following,  when  one 
•of  Colonel  Foulkes'  soldiers,  being  quartered 
nigh  at  hand,  and  going  that  way  by  chance,  the 
dog  fearing  he  came  to  disturb  his  master's  bones, 
flew  upon  the  soldier,  who,  being  surprised  at 
the  suddenness  of  the  thing,  unslung  his  piece 
"then  upon  his  back,  and  shot  the  poor  dog.  "| 
■"He  expired,"  adds  Mr.  O'Callaghan,  "with  the 
■same  fidelity  to  the  remains  of  his  unfortunate 

*  It  was  a  wolf-hound  or  wolf-dog. 

f  Meaning  to  say,  killed  in  the  battle  and  stripped  after 
•it  by  the  Williamite  camp-followers,  with  whom  stripping 
and  robbing  the  slain  was  a  common  practice.  They  did 
»not  spare  even  the  corpse  of  their  own  lieutenant  colonel, 
•the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Walker,  Protestant  Bishop  of  Derry, 
"which  they  stripped  naked  at  the  Boyne. 
i  Story's  "  Cont.  Imp.  Hist.,"  page  147. 


master,  as  that  master  had  shown  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  his  unhappy  country.  In  the  history  of 
nations  there  are  few  spectacles  more  entitled  to 
the  admiration  of  the  noble  mind  and  the  sym- 
pathy of  the  generous  and  feeling  heart,  than  the 
fate  of  the  gallant  men  and  the  faithful  dog  of 
Aughrim.  "* 


CHAPTER  LXXn. 

HOW  GLORIOUS  LIMERICK  ONCE  MORE  BRAVED  THE  OR- 
DEAL HOW  AT  LENGTH  A  TREATY  AND  CAPITULA- 
TION WERE  AGREED  UPON  HOW  SARSFIELD  AND  THE 

IRISH  ARMY  SAILED  INTO  EXILE. 

"Gal WAY  surrendered  on  favorable  terms  ten 
days  after  the  battle.  Sligo  also,  the  last  west- 
ern garrison,  succumbed  soon  after,  and  its  gov- 
ernor, the  brave  Sir  Teige  O'Regan,  the  hero  of 
Charlemont,  marched  his  six  hundred  survivors 
southward  to  Limerick." 

"Thus  once  more  all  eyes  and  hearts  in  the 
British  Islands  were  turned  toward  the  well- 
known  city  of  the  lower  Shannon,  "f 

On  the  25th  of  August,  Ginckel,  reinforced  by 
all  the  troops  he  could  gather  in  with  safety,  in- 
vested the  place  on  three  sides.  It  appears  he 
had  powers,  and  indeed  urgent  directions,  from 
W^illiam  long  previously,  to  let  no  hesitation  in 
granting  favorable  terms  keep  him  from  ending 
the  war,  if  it  could  be  ended  by  such  means,  and 
it  is  said  he  apprehended  serious  censure  for  not 
having  proclaimed  such  dispositions  before  he 
assaulted  Athlone.  He  now  resolved  to  use  with- 
out stint  the  powers  given  to  him,  in  the  anxious 
hope  of  thereby  averting  the  necessity  of  trying 
to  succeed  where  William  himself  had  failed — 
beneath  the  unconquered  walls  of  Limerick. 

Accordingly,  a  proclamation  was  issued  by 
Ginckel,  offering  a  full  and  free  pardon  of  all 
"treasons"  (so  called — meaning  thereby  loyalty 
to  the  king,  and  resistance  of  the  foreign  emis- 
saries), with  restoration  for  all  to  their  estates 
"forfeited"  by  such  "treason,"  and  employment 
in  his  majesty's  service  for  all  who  would  accept 
it,  if  the  Irish  army  would  abandon  the  war. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  this  proclama- 
tion developed  on  the  instant  a  "peace  party" 
within  the  Irish  lines.    Not  even  the  most  san- 

*  "  Green  Book,"  page  459.  \  M'Qee, 


19G 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


guiue  could  now  hope  to  snatch  the  crown  from 
"U'illiam's  head,  and  replace  it  on  that  of  the 
fugitive  James.  For  what  object,  therefore,  if 
not  simply  to  secure  honorable  terms,  should 
they  prolong  the  struggle?  And  did  not  this 
jn'oclamation  afford  a  fair  and  reasonable  basis 
for  negotiation?  The  Anglo-Irish  Catholic 
nobles  and  gentry,  whose  estates  wei'e  thus 
offered  to  be  secured  to  them,  may  well  be  par- 
doned if  they  exhibited  weakness  at  this  stage. 
To  battle  further  was,  in  their  judgment,  to 
peril  all  for  a  shadow. 

Nevertheless,  the  national  party,  led  by  Sars- 
field,  prevailed,  and  Ginckel's  summons  to  sur- 
render was  courteously  but  firmly  refused.  Once 
more  glorious  Limerick  was  to  brave  the  fier3' 
ordeal.  Sixty  guns,  none  of  less  than  twelve 
pounds  caliber,  opened  their  deadly  fire  against 
it.  An  English  fleet  ascended  the  river,  hurling 
its  missilss  right  and  left.  Bombardment  by 
land  and  water  showered  destruction  upon  the 
city — in  vain.  Ginckel  now  gave  up  all  hope  of 
reducing  the  place  by  assault,  and  resolved  to 
turn  the  siege  into  a  blockade.  Starvation  must, 
in  time,  effect  what  fire  and  sword  had  so  often 
and  so  vainly  tried  to  accomplish.  The  treason 
of  an  Anglo-Iri.sh  officer  long  suspected,  Luttrell, 
betrayed  to  Ginckel  the  pass  over  the  Shannon 
above  the  city ;  and  one  morning  the  Irish,  to 
their  horror,  beheld  the  foe  upon  the  Clare  side 
of  the  river.  Ginckel  again  offered  to  grant 
almost  any  terms,  if  the  city  would  but  capitulate, 
for  even  still  he  judged  it  rather  a  forlorn  chance 
to  await  its  capture.  The  announcement  of  this 
offer  placed  further  resistance  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. It  was  plain  there  was  a  party  within  the 
"walls  so  impressed  with  the  madness  of  refusing 
such  terms,  that,  anj'  moment,  they  might,  of 
themselves,  attempt  to  hand  over  the  city. 

Accordingly,  on  the  23d  of  September  (1691) 
— after  a  day  of  bloody  struggle  from  early  dawn 
— the  Irish  gave  the  signal  for  a  parley,  and  a 
cessation  of  arms  took  place.  Favorable  as  were 
the  terms  offered,  and  even  though  Sarsfield  now 
assented  to  accepting  them,  the  news  that  the 
struggle  was  to  be  ended  was  received  by  the 
soldiers  and  citizens  with  loud  and  bitter  grief. 
They  ran  to  the  ramparts,  from  which  they  so 
often  had  hurled  the  foe,  and  broke  their  swords 
in  pieces.    "Muskets  that  had  scattered  fire  and 


death  amid  the  British  grenadiers,  were  brokeru 
in  a  frenzy  of  desperation,  and  the  tough  shafts, 
of  pikes  that  had  resisted  "William's  choicest  cav- 
alry, crashed  across  the  knees  of  maddened  rap- 
parees. ' '  The  citizens,  too,  ran  to  the  walls, 
with  the  arms  they  had  treasured  proudly  as 
mementos  of  the  last  year's  glorious  struggle, 
and  shivered  them  into  fragments,  exclaiming 
with  husky  voices:  "We  need  them  now  no 
longer.    Ireland  is  no  more!" 

On  the  26th  of  September  the  negotiations 
were  opened,  hostages  were  exchanged,  and  Sars- 
field and  Major-General  Wauchop  dined  with 
Ginckel  in  the  English  camp.  The  terms  of 
capitulation  were  settled  soon  after;  but  the 
Irish,  happily — resolved  to  leave  no  pretext  for 
subsequent  repudiation  of  Ginckel's  treaty,  even 
though  he  showed  them  his  formal  powers — de- 
manded that  the  lords  justices  should  come  down 
from  Dublin  and  ratify  the  articles.  This  was 
done;  and  on  October  3,  1691,  the  several  con- 
tracting i)arties  met  in  full  state  at  a  spot  on  the 
Clare  side  of  the  river  to  sign  and  exchange  the 
treaty.  That  memorable  siiot  is  marked  by  a. 
large  stone,  which  remains  to  this  day,  proudly 
guarded  and  preserved  by  the  people  of  that  city„ 
for  whom  it  is  a  monument  more  glorious  than 
the  Titan  arch  for  Eome.  The  visitor  who  seeks, 
it  on  the  Shannon  side  needs  but  to  name  the 
object  of  his  search  when  a  hundred  eager 
volunteers,  their  faces  all  radiant  with  pride, 
will  point  him  out  that  memorial  of  Irish  honor- 
and  heroism,  that  silent  witness  of  English  troth 
— jjunica fides — the  "Treaty  Stone  of  Limerick." 

The  treaty  consisted  of  militarj'^  articles,  or 
clauses,  twenty -nine  in  number;  and  civil 
articles,  thirteen.  Set  out  in  all  the  formal  and 
precise  language  of  the  original  document,  those- 
forty-two  articles  would  occupy  a  great  space. 
They  were  substantially  as  follows :  The  military 
articles  provided  that  all  persons  willing  to  ex- 
patriate themselves,  as  well  officers  and  soldiers 
as  rapparees  and  volunteers,  should  have  free 
liberty  to  do  so,  to  any  place  beyond  seas,  except 
England  and  Scotland;  that  they  might  depart 
in  whole  bodies,  companies,  or  parties;  that,  if 
plundered  by  the  way,  William's  government 
should  make  good  their  loss;  that  fifty  ships,  of 
two  hundred  tons  each,  should  be  provided  for 
their  transportation,  beside  two  men-of-war  for- 


THE  STORY  OF  lEELAND. 


the  principal  officers ;  that  the  garrison  of  Lim- 
erick might  march  out  with  all  their  arms,  guns, 
and  baggage,  colors  flying,  drums  beating,  and 
matches  lighting !  The  garrison  of  Limerick, 
moreover,  were  to  be  at  liberty  to  take  away  any 
six  brass  guns  they  might  choose,  with  two  mor- 
tars, and  half  the  ammunition  in  the  place.  It 
was  also  agreed  that  those  who  so  wished  might 
enter  the  service  of  William,  retaining  their  rank 
and  paj\ 

"The  civil  articles  were  thirteen  in  number. 
Article  L  guaranteed  to  members  of  that  denomi- 
nation remaining  in  the  kingdom,  'such  priv- 
ileges in  the  exercise  of  their  religion  as  are  con- 
sistent with  the  law  of  Ireland,  or  as  they  enjoyed 
in  the  reign  of  King  Charles  the  Second;'  this 
article  further  provided  that,  'their  majesties,  as 
soon  as  their  affairs  will  permit  them  to  summon 
a  parliament  in  this  kingdom,  will  endeavor  the 
said  Roman  Catholics  such  further  security  in 
that  particular  as  may  preserve  them  from  any 
disturbance.'"  Article  II.  guaranteed  iiardon 
and  protection  to  all  who  had  served  King  James, 
on  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  prescribed  in 
Ai'ticle  IX.,  as  follows: 

"I,  A.  B.,  do  solemnly  promise  and  swear  that 
I  will  be  faithful  and  bear  true  allegiance  to  their 
majesties.  King  William  and  Queen  Mary;  so 
help  me  God. " 

Articles  III.,  IV.,  V.,  and  VI.  extended  the 
provisions  of  Ai-ticles  I.  and  II.  to  merchants  and 
other  classes  of  men.  Article  VII.  permits 
"every  nobleman  and  gentleman  comprised  in 
the  said  articles"  to  carry  side  arms,  and  keep 
"a  gun  in  their  houses."  Article  VIII.  gives 
the  right  of  removing  goods  and  chattels  without 
search.    Article  IX.  is  as  follows : 

"The  oath  to  be  administered  to  such  Roman 
Catholics  as  submit  to  their  majesties'  govern- 
ment shall  be  the  oath  aforesaid,  and  no  other." 

Article  X.  guarantees  that  "no  person  or  per- 
sons who  shall  hereafter  break  these  articles,  or 
any  of  them,  shall  thereby  make  or  cause  any 
other  person  or  persons  to  forfeit  or  lose  the 
benefit  of  them."  Articles  XI.  and  XII.  relate 
to  the  ratification  of  the  articles  "within  eight 
months  or  sooner."    Article  XIII.  refers  to  the 


debts  of  "Colonel  John  Brown,  commissary  of 
the  Irish  army,  to  several  Protestants,"  and 
arranges  for  their  satisfaction. 

On  the  morning  of  October  5,  1G91,  a  singular- 
scene  was  witnessed  on  the  northern  shore  of  the 
Shannon,  beyond  the  city  walls.  On  that  day 
the  Irish  regiments  were  to  make  their  choice 
between  exile  for  life,  or  service  in  the  armies  of 
their  conqueror.  At  each  end  of  a  gently  rising 
ground  beyond  the  suburbs  were  planted  on  one 
side  the  royal  standard  of  France,  and  on  the 
other  that  of  England.  It  was  agreed  that  the 
regiments,  as  they  marched  out — "with  all  the 
honors  of  war;  drums  beating,  colors  flying,  and 
matches  lighting" — should,  on  reaching  this 
spot,  wheel  to  the  left  or  to  the  right  beneath 
that  flag  under  which  they  elected  to  serve.  At 
the  head  of  the  Irish  marched  the  foot  guards — 
the  finest  regiment  in  the  service — fourteen  hun- 
dred strong.  All  eyes  were  fixed  on  this  splen- 
did body  of  men.  On  they  came,  amid  breath- 
less silence  and  acute  suspense ;  for  well  both  the. 
English  and  Irish  generals  knew  that  the  choice 
of  the  first  regiment  would  powerfully  influence 
all  the  rest.  The  guards  marched  up  to  the 
critical  spot  and — in  a  body  wheeled  to  the  colors, 
of  France ;  barely  seven  men  turning  to  the  Eng- 
lish side!  Ginckel,  we  are  told,  was  greatly 
agitated  as  he  witnessed  the  proceeding.  The- 
next  regiment,  however  (Lord  Iveagh's),  marched 
as  unanimously  to  the  Williamite  banner,  as  did 
also  portions  of  two  others.  But  the  bulk  of  the: 
Irish  army  defiled  under  the  Fle.ur  de  lis  of  King 
Louis;  only  one  thousand  and  forty-six,  out  of 
nearly  fourteen  thousand  men,  preferring  the 
service  of  England ! 

A  few  days  afterward  a  French  fleet  sailed  up^ 
the  Shannon  with  an  aiding  army,  and  bringing 
money,  arms,  ammunition,  stores,  food,  and 
clothing.  Ginckel,  affrighted,  imagined  the 
Irish  would  now  disclaim  the  articles,  and  renew 
the  war.  But  it  was  not  the  Irish  who  were  to 
break  the  Treaty  of  Limerick.  Sarsfield,  when 
told  that  a  powerful  fleet  was  sailing  up  the 
river,  seemed  stunned  by  the  news!  He  waa 
silent  for  a  moment,  and  then,  in  mournful  ac- 
cents, replied :  "Too  late.  The  treaty  is  signed; 
our  honor  is  pledged — the  honor  of  Ireland. 
Though  a  hundred  thousand  Frenchmen  offered 
to  aid  us  now,  we  must  keep  our  plighted  troth!" 


198 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


He  forbade  tlie  expedition  to  laud,  with  a 
scrupulous  sense  of  honor  contending  that  the 
spirit  if  not  the  letter  of  the  capitulation  ex- 
tended to  any  such  arrival.  The  French  ships, 
accordingly,  were  used  only  to  transport  to 
France  the  Irish  army  that  had  volunteered  for 
foreign  service.  Soldiers  and  civilians,  nobles, 
gentry,  and  clergy,  there  sailed  in  all  nineteen 
thousand  and  twenty-five  persons.  Most  of  the 
officers,  like  their  illustx'ious  leader,  Sarsfield,* 
gave  up  fortune,  family,  home,  and  friends,  re- 
fusing the  most  tempting  offers  from  "William, 
whose  anxiety  to  enroll  them  in  his  own  service 
was  earnestly  and  perseveringly  i>ressed  upon 
them  to  the  last.  Hard  was  their  choice ;  great 
was  the  sacrifice.  Full  of  anguish  was  that  part- 
ing, whose  sorrowful  spirit  has  been  so  faithfully 
•expressed  by  Mr.  Aubrey  de  Yere,  in  the  follow- 
ing simple  and  touching  verses — the  soliloquy  of 
a  brigade  soldier  sailing  away  from  Limerick: 

"I  snatched  a  stone  from  the  bloodied  brook, 
And  hurled  it  at  my  household  door! 
No  farewell  of  my  love  I  took : 
I  shall  see  my  friend  no  more. 

"I  dashed  across  the  churchyard  bound: 
I  knelt  not  by  my  parents'  grave : 
There  rang  from  my  heart  a  clarion's  sound, 
That  summoned  me  o'er  the  wave. 

"No  land  to  me  can  native  be 

That  strangers  trample,  and  tyrants  stain : 
When  the  valleys  I  loved  are  cleansed  and 
free, 

They  are  mine,  they  are  mine  again! 

"Till  then,  in  sunshine  or  sunless  weather. 
By  Seine  and  Loire,  and  the  broad  Garonne 
My  warhorse  and  I  roam  on  together 
Wherever  God  will.    On!  on!" 

These  were  not  wholly  lost  to  L-eland,  though 
not  a  man  of  them  ever  saw  Ireland  more.  They 
served  her  abroad  when  they  could  no  longer 
strike  for  her  at  home.  They  made  her  sad  yet 
glorious  story  familiar  in  the  courts  of  Christen- 
dom.   They  made  her  valor  felt  and  respected 

*His  patrimonial  estates  near  Lucan,  county  Dublin, 
were,  even  at  that  day,  worth  nearly  three  thousand  pounds 
,per  annum. 


on  the  battlefields  of  Europe.  And  as  they  bad 
not  quitted  her  soil  until  they  exacted  terms 
from  the  conqueror  which,  if  observed,  might 
have  been  for  her  a  charter  of  protection,  so  did 
they  in  their  exile  take  a  terrible  vengeance  upon 
that  conqueror  for  his  foul  and  treacherous  viola- 
tion of  that  treaty. 

No !  These  men  were  not,  in  all,  lost  to  Ire- 
land. Their  deeds  are  the  proudest  in  her  story. 
History  may  parallel,  but  it  can  adduce  nothing 
to  surpass,  the  chivalrous  devotion  of  the  men 
who  comprised  this  second  great  armed  migra- 
tion of  Irish  valor,  faith,  and  patriotism. 


CHAPTER  LXXin. 

HOW  THE  TREATY  OF  LIMERICK  WAS  BROKEN  AND 
TRAMPLED  UNDER  FOOT  BY  THE  "  PROTESTANT  IN- 
TEREST, ' '  YELLING  FOR  MORE  PLUNDER  AND  MORE 
PERSECUTION. 

There  is  no  more  bitter  memory  in  the  Irish 
breast  than  that  which  tells  how  the  Treaty  of 
Limerick  was  violated ;  and  there  is  not  probably 
on  record  a  breach  of  public  faith  more  nakedly 
and  confessedly  infamous  than  was  that  viola- 
tion. 

None  of  this  damning  blot  touches  William — 
now  king  de  facto  of  the  two  islands.  He  did 
his  part;  and  the  truthful  historian  is  bound  on 
good  evidence  to  assume  for  him  that  he  saw 
with  indignation  and  disgust  the  shameless  and 
dastardly  breach  of  that  treaty  by  the  dominant 
and  all-powerful  Protestant  faction.  We  have 
seen  how  the  lords  justices  came  down  from 
Dublin  and  approved  and  signed  the  treaty  at 
Limerick.*  The  king  bound  public  faith  to  it 
still  more  firmly,  formally,  and  solemnly,  by  the 

*Here  it  may  be  well  to  note  an  occurrence  which  some 
writers  regard  as  a  deliberate  and  foul  attempt  to  overreach 
and  trick  Sarsfield  in  the  treaty,  but  which  might,  after 
all,  have  been  accident.  The  day  after  the  treaty  was 
signed  in  "  fair  copy,"  it  was  discovered  that  one  line — 
containing  however  one  of  the  most  important  stipulations 
in  t'.ie  entire  treaty — had  been  omitted  in  the  "fair  copy" 
by  the  Williamites,  though  duly  set  out  in  the  "  first  draft" 
signed  by  both  parties.  The  instant  it  was  discovered, 
Sarsfield  called  on  Ginckel  to  answer  for  it.  The  latter 
and  all  the  Williamite  "contracting  parties,"  declared  the 
omission  purely  accidental — inserted  the  line  in  its  right 
place,  and,  by  a  supplemental  agreement,  solemnly  cove- 
nanted that  this  identical  line  should  have  a  special  con- 
firmation from  the  king  and  parliament.  The  king  honor- 
ably did  so.    The  parliament  tore  it  into  shreds  ! 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


199 


issue  of  royal  letters  pateut  confirmatory  of  all 
its  articles,  issued  from  Westminster  Februarj' 
24,  1692,  in  the  name  of  himself  and  Queen 
Mary. 

We  shall  now  see  how  this  treaty  was  kej)t  to- 
"ward  the  Irish  Catholics. 

The  "Protestant  interest"  of  Ireland,  as  they 
called  themselves,  no  sooner  found  the  last  of  the 
Irish  regiments  shipped  from  the  Shannon  than 
they  openly  announced  that  the  treaty  would 
not,  and  ought  not  to  be  kept.  It  was  the  old 
story.  Whenever  the  English  sovereign  or  gov- 
ernment desired  to  pause  in  the  work  of  perse- 
cution and  plunder,  if  not  to  treat  the  native 
Irish  in  a  spirit  of  conciliation  or  justice,  the 
"colony,"  the  "plantation,"  the  garrison,  the 
"Protestant  interest, "  screamed  in  frantic  resist- 
ance. It  was  so  in  the  reign  of  James  the  First; 
it  was  so  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  First;  it  was 
so  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second ;  it  was  so 
in  the  reign  of  James  the  Second ;  it  was  so  in 
the  reign  of  William  and  Mary.  Any  attempt  of 
king  or  government  to  mete  to  the  native  Catho- 
lic population  of  Ireland  any  measure  of  treat- 
ment save  what  the  robber  and  murderer  metes 
out  to  his  helpless  victim,  was  denounced — abso- 
lutely complained  of — as  a  daring  wrong  and 
grievance  against  what  was  and  is  still  called 
the  "Protestant  interest,"  or  "our  glorious 
rights  and  liberties."*  Indeed,  no  sooner  had 
the  lords  justices  returned  from  Limerick  than 
the  Protestant  pulpits  commenced  to  resound 
with  denunciations  of  those  who  would  observe 
the  treaty;  and  Dopping,  titular  Protestant 
bishop  of  Meath,  as  Protestant  historians  record, 
preached  before  the  lords  justices  themselves  a 
notable  sermon  on  "the  crime  of  keeping  faith 
with  Papists. " 

The  "Protestant  interest"  party  saw  with  in- 
dignation that  the  king  meant  to  keep  faith  with 
the  capitulated  Catholics;  nay,  possibly  to  con- 
solidate the  country  by  a  comparatively  concilia- 


*  An  occurrence  ever  "repeating  itself."  Even  so  re- 
•cently  as  tlie  year  1867,  on  the  rumor  tbat  the  English  gov- 
ernment intended  to  grant  some  modicum  of  civil  and 
religious  equality  in  Ireland,  this  same  "Protestant  inter- 
est" faction  screamed  and  yelled  after  the  old  fashion, 
complained  of  such  an  intention  as  a  grievance,  and  went 
through  the  usual  vows  about  "our  glorious  rights  and 
liberties." 


tory,  just,  and  generous  policy;  which  was,  they 
contended,  monstrous.  It  quickly  occurred  to 
them,  however,  that  as  they  were  sure  to  be  a 
strong  majority  in  the  parliament,  they  could 
take  into  their  own  hands  the  work  of  "recon- 
struction," when  they  might  freely  wreak  their 
will  on  the  vanquished,  and  laugh  to  scorn  all 
treaty  faith. 

There  was  some  danger  of  obstruction  from  the 
powerful  Catholic  minority  entitled  to  sit  in  both 
houses  of  parliament;  but,  for  this  danger  the 
dominant  faction  found  a  specific.  By  an  un- 
constitutional straining  of  the  theory  that  each 
house  was  judge  of  the  qualification  of  its  mem- 
bers, they  framed  test  oaths  to  exclude  the  minor- 
ity. 

In  utter  violation  of  the  Treaty  of  Limerick 
— a  clause  in  which,  as  we  have  seen,  covenanted 
that  no  oath  should  be  required  of  a  Catholic 
other  than  the  oath  of  allegiance  therein  set  out 
— the  parliamentary  majority  framed  a  test  oath 
explicitly  denying  and  denouncing  the  doctrines 
of  transubstantiation,  invocation  of  saints,  and 
the  sacrifice  of  the  mass,  as  "damnable  and  idol- 
atrous."  Of  course  the  Catholic  peers  and  com- 
moners retired  rather  than  take  these  tests,  and 
the  way  was  now  all  clear  for  the  bloody  work  of 
persecution. 

In  the  so-called  "Catholic  parliament" — the 
parliament  which  assembled  in  Dublin  in  1690, 
and  which  was  opened  by  King  James  in  person 
— the  Catholics  greatly  preponderated  (in  just 
such  proportion  as  the  population  was  Catholic 
or  Protestant)  yet  no  attempt  was  made  by  that 
majority  to  trample  down  or  exclude  the  minor- 
ity. Nay,  the  Protestant  prelates  all  took  their 
seats  in  the  peers'  chamber,  and  debated  and 
divided  as  stoutly  as  ever  throughout  the  session, 
while  not  a  Catholic  prelate  sat  in  that  "Catholic 
parliament"  at  all.  It  was  the  Catholics'  day  of 
power,  and  they  used  it  generously,  magnani- 
mously, nobly.  Sustainment  of  the  king,  suppres- 
sion of  rebellion,  were  the  all-pervading  senti- 
ments. Tolerance  of  all  creeds — freedom  of  con- 
science for  Protestant  and  for  Catholic — were  the 
watchwords  in  that  "Catholic  parliament." 

And  now,  how  was  all  this  requited?  Alas! 
We  have  just  seen  how!  Well  might  the  Catho- 
lic in  that  hour  exclaim  in  the  language  used  for 
him  by  Mr.  De  Vere  in  his  poem : 


200 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


"We,  too,  had  our  day — it  was  brief:   it  is 
ended — 

When  a  king  dwelt  among  us,  no  strange 

king,  but  ours : 
When  the  shout  of  a  people  delivered  ascended. 
And  shook  the  broad  banner  that  hung  on 

his  tow'rs. 

We  saw  it  like  trees  in  a  summer  breeze  shiver. 
We  read  the  gold  legend  that  blazoned  it  o'er : 

'To-day! — now  or  never!  To-day  and  forever!' 
O  God!  have  we  seen  it,  to  see  it  no  more? 

"How  fared  it  that  season,  our  lords  and  our 
masters. 

In  that  spring  of  our  freedom,  how  fared  it 
with  you? 

Did  we  trample  your  faith  ?    Did  we  mock  your 
disasters  ? 

We  restored  but  his  own  to  the  leal  and  the 
true. 

Te  had  fallen !    'Twas  a  season  of  tempest  and 
troubles. 

But  against  j'ou  we  drew  not  the  knife  ye 
had  drawn; 

In  the  war-field  we  met :  but  your  prelates  and 
nobles 

Stood  up   mid   the  senate  in  ermine  and 
lawn!" 

It  was  even  so,  indeed.  But  now.  What  a 
contrast !  Strangers  to  every  sentiment  of  mag- 
nanimity, justice,  or  compassion,  the  victorious 
majority  went  at  the  work  of  proscription  whole- 
Bale.  The  king,  through  lord  justice  Sydney, 
offered  some  resistance;  but,  by  refusing  to  vote 
him  adequate  supplies,  they  soon  taught  William 
that  he  had  better  not  interfere  with  their  de- 
signs. After  four  years'  hesitancy,  he  yielded  in 
unconcealed  disgust.  Forthwith  ample  supplies 
■were  voted  to  his  majesty,  and  the  parliament 
jjroceeded  to  practice  freely  the  doctrine  of  "no 
faith  to  be  kept  with  Papists." 

Of  course  they  began  with  confiscations. 
Plunder  was  ever  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
their  faith  and  practice.  Soon  1,060,792  acres 
were  declared  "escheated  to  the  crown."  Then 
they  looked  into  the  existing  powers  of  persecu- 
tion, to  see  how  far  they  were  capable  of  exten- 
sion.   These  were  found  to  be  atrocious  enough ; 


nevertheless,  the  new  parliament  added  the  fol- 
lowing fresh  enactments:  "1.  An  act  to  deprive 
Catholics  of  the  means  of  educating  their  chil- 
dren at  home  or  abroad,  and  to  render  them 
incapable  of  being  guardians  of  their  own  or  any 
other  person's  childi-en;  2.  An  act  to  disarm  the 
Catholics;  and  3.  Another  to  banish  all  the 
Catholic  priests  and  prelates.  Having  thus  vio- 
lated the  treaty,  they  gravely  brought  in  a  bill 
'to  confirm  the  Articles  of  Limerick.'  'The  \ery 
title  of  the  bill,'  says  Dr.  Crooke  Taylor,  'con- 
tains evidence  of  its  injustice.  It  is  styled,  "A 
Bill  for  the  confirmation  of  Articles  (not  the 
articles)  made  at  the  surrender  of  Limerick. "  ' 
And  the  preamble  shows  that  the  little  word  ihe 
was  not  accidentally  omitted.  It  runs  thus :  'That 
the  said  articles,  or  so  much  of  them  as  may  con- 
sist with  the  safety  and  welfare  of  your  majest3''s 
subjects  in  these  kingdoms,  may  be  confirmed,' 
etc.  The  parts  that  appeared  to  these  legislators 
inconsistent  with  'the  safety  and  welfare  of  his 
majesty's  subjects,'  was  the  first  article,  w^hich 
provided  for  the  security  of  the  Catholics  from 
all  disturbances  on  account  of  their  religion; 
those  parts  of  the  second  article  which  confirmed 
the  Catholic  gentry  of  Limerick,  Clare,  Cork, 
Kerry,  and  Mayo,  in  the  possession  of  their 
estates,  and  allowed  all  Catholics  to  exercise 
their  trades  and  professions  without  obstruction ; 
the  fourth  article,  which  extended  the  benefit  of 
the  peace  to  certain  Irish  officers  then  abroad ; 
the  seventh  article,  which  allowed  the  Catholic 
gentry  to  ride  armed;  the  ninth  article,  which 
provides  that  the  oath  of  allegiance  shall  be  the 
only  oath  required  from  Catholics,  and  one  or 
two  others  of  minor  importance.  All  of  these 
are  omitted  in  the  bill  for  'The  confirmation  of 
articles  made  at  the  surrender  of  Limerick. ' 

"The  Commons  passed  the  bill  without  much 
difficulty.  The  House  of  Lords,  however,  con- 
tained some  few  of  the  ancient  nobility  and  some 
prelates,  who  refused  to  acknowledge  the  dogma, 
'that  no  faith  should  be  kept  with  Papists,'  as  an 
article  of  their  creed.  The  bill  was  strenuously 
resisted,  and  when  it  was  at  length  carried,  a 
strong  protest  against  it  was  signed  by  lords 
Londonderry,  Tyrone,  and  Duncannon,  the 
barons  of  Ossory,  Limerick,  Killaloe,  Kerry, 
Howth,  Kingston,  and  Strabane,  and,  to  their- 
eternal  honor  be  it  said,  the  Protestant  bishops. 


■'s 


COFVRIGHT,  1898. 


RICHARD  BRINSLEY  vSHERTDAN. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


201 


of  Kildare,  Elphin,  Derry,  Clonfert,  and  Kil- 
lala!"* 

Thus  was  that  solemn  pact,  which  was  in  truth 
the  treatj'  of  the  Irish  nation  with  the  newly-set- 
up  English  regime,  torn  and  trampled  under  foot 
by  a  tyrannic  bigotry. 


CHAPTER  LXXIV. 

"the  penal  times"  HOW  "PROTESTANT  ASCENDENCY" 

BY  A  BLOODY  PENAL  CODE  ENDEAVORED  TO  BRUTI- 
FY  THE  MIND,  DESTROY  THE  INTELLECT,  AND  DE- 
FORM THE  PHYSICAL  AND  MORAL  FEATURES  OF  THE 
SUBJECT  CATHOLICS. 

It  was  now  there  fell  upon  Ireland  that  night 
•of  deepest  horror — that  agony  the  most  awful, 
the  most  prolonged,  of  any  recorded  on  the 
blotted  page  of  human  suffering. 

It  would  be  little  creditable  to  an  Irish  Catho- 
lic to  own  himself  capable  of  narrating  this  chap- 
ter of  Irish  history  with  calmness  and  without 
all-conquering  emotion.  For  my  part  I  content 
myself  with  citing  the  descriptions  of  it  supplied 
by  Protestant  and  English  writers. 

"The  eighteenth  century,"  says  one  of  these, 
writing  on  the  penal  laws  in  Ireland,  "was  the 
era  of  persecution,  in  which  the  law  did  the  work 
of  the  sword  more  effectually  and  more  safely. 
Then  was  established  a  code  framed  with  almost 
diabolical  ingenuity  to  extinguish  natural  affec- 
tion— to  foster  perfidy  and  hypocrisy — to  petrify 
conscience — to  perpetuate  brutal  ignorance — to 
facilitate  the  work  of  tyranny — by  rendering  the 
vices  of  slavery  inherent  and  natural  in  the  Irish 
character,  and  to  make  Protestantism  almost  irre- 
deemably odious  as  the  monstrous  incarnation 
of  all  moral  perversions. 

"Too  well,"  he  continues,  "did  it  accomplish 
its  deadly  work  of  debasement  on  the  intellects, 
morals,  and  physical  condition  of  a  people  sink- 
ing in  degeneracy  from  age  to  age,  till  all  manly 
spirit,  all  virtuous  sense  of  personal  independence 
and  responsibility  was  nearly  extinct,  and  the 
very  features — vacant,  timid,  cunning,  and  unre- 
flective — betrayed  the  crouching  slave  within  !"f 

»M'Gee. 

f  Cassell's  (Qodkin's)  "  History  of  Ireland,"  vol.  ii.,  page 
116. 


In  the  presence  of  the  terrible  facts  he  is  called 
upon  to  chronicle,  the  generous  nature  of  the 
Protestant  historian  whom  I  am  quoting  warms 
into  indignation.  Unable  to  endure  the  reflec- 
tion that  they  who  thus  labored  to  deform  and 
brutify  the  Irish  people  are  forever  reproaching 
them  before  the  world  for  bearing  traces  of  the 
infamous  effort,  he  bursts  forth  into  the  follow- 
ing noble  vindication  of  the  calumniated  victims 
of  oppression : 

"Having  no  rights  or  franchises — no  legal  pro- 
tection of  life  or  property — disqualified  to  handle 
a  gun,  even  as  a  common  soldier  or  a  gamekeeper 
— forbidden  to  acquire  the  elements  of  knowledge 
at  home  or  abroad — forbidden  even  to  render  to 
God  what  conscience  dictated  as  His  due — what 
could  the  Irish  be  but  abject  serfs?  What  nation 
in  their  circumstances  could  have  been  other- 
wise? Is  it  not  amazing  that  any  social  virtue 
could  have  survived  such  an  ordeal? — that  any 
seeds  of  good,  any  roots  of  national  greatness, 
could  have  outlived  such  a  long,  tempestuous 
winter? 

"These  laws,"  he  continues,  "were  aimed  not 
only  at  the  religion  of  the  Catholic,  but  still  more 
at  his  liberty  and  his  property.  He  could  enjoy 
no  freehold  property,  nor  was  he  allowed  to  have 
a  lease  for  a  longer  term  than  thirty-one  years; 
but  as  even  this  term  was  long  enough  to  encour- 
age an  industrious  man  to  reclaim  waste  lands 
and  improve  his  worldly  circumstances,  it  was 
enacted  that  if  a  Papist  should  have  a  farm  pro- 
ducing a  profit  greater  than  one-third  of  the 
rent,  his  right  to  such  should  immediatelj'  cease, 
and  pass  over  to  the  first  Protestant  who  should 
discover  the  rate  of  profit!"* 

This  was  the  age  that  gave  to  Irish  topogra- 
phy the  "Corrig-an-Affrion, "  found  so  thickly 
marked  on  every  barony  map  in  Ireland.  "The 
Mass  Rock!"  What  memories  cling  around  each 
hallowed  moss-clad  stone  or  rocky  ledge  on  the 
mountain  side,  or  in  the  deep  recess  of  some 
desolate  glen,  whereon,  for  years  and  years,  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  was  offered  up  in  stealth  and 
secrecy,  the  death-penalty  hanging  over  priest 
and  worshipper!  Not  unfrequently  mass  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  approach  of  the  bandogs  of  the 
law ;  for,  quickened  by  the  rewards  to  be  earned, 

*  Cassell's  (Godkin's)  "History  of  Ireland,"  vol.  ii.,  page 
119. 


202 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


there  sprang  up  in  those  daj's  the  infamous  trade 
of  priest-hunting,  "five  pounds"  being  equally 
the  government  price  for  the  head  of  a  priest  as. 
for  the  head  of  a  wolf.  The  utmost  care  was 
necessary  in  divulging  intelligence  of  the  night 
on  which  mass  would  next  be  celebrated;  and 
when  the  congregation  had  furtivelj-  stolen  to 
the  spot,  sentries  were  posted  all  around  before 
the  mass  began.  Yet  in  instances  not  a  few,  the 
worshippers  were  taken  by  surprise,  and  the 
blood  of  the  murdered  priest  wetted  the  altar 
stone. 

Well  might  our  Protestant  national  poet, 
Davis,  exclaim,  contemplating  this  deep  night- 
time of  suffering  and  sorrow  : 

"Oh!  weep  those  days — the  penal  days, 
"When  Ii'eland  hopelessly  complained : 
Oh!  weep  those  days — the  penal  days, 
"When  godless  persecution  reigned. 

"They  bribed  the  flock,  they  bribed  the  son, 
To  sell  the  priest  and  rob  the  sire ; 
Their  dogs  were  taught  alike  to  run 
Upon  the  scent  of  wolf  and  friar. 
Among  the  poor. 
Or  on  the  moor, 
"Were  hid  the  pious  and  the  true — 
"W^hile  traitor  knave 
And  recreant  slave 
Had  riches,  rank,  and  retinue; 

And,  exiled  in  those  penal  days. 
Our  banners  over  Europe  blaze." 

A  hundred  years  of  such  a  code  in  active  opera- 
tion, ought,  according  to  all  human  calculations, 
to  have  succeeded  in  accomplishing  its  malefic 
purpose.  But  again,  all  human  calculations,  all 
natural  consequences  and  probabilities,  were  set 
aside,  and  God,  as  if  by  a  miracle,  preserved  the 
faith,  the  virtue,  the  vitality,  and  power  of  the 
Irish  race.  He  decreed  that  they  should  win 
a  victory  more  glorious  than  a  hundred  gained 
on  the  battlefield — more  momentous  in  its  future 
results — in  their  triumph  over  the  penal  code. 
After  three  half-centuries  of  seeming  death,  Irish 
Catholicity  has  rolled  away  the  stone  from  its 
guarded  sepulcher,  and  walked  forth  full  of  life! 
It  could  be  no  human  faith  that,  after  such  a 
crucifixion  and  burial,  could  thus  arise  glorious 


and  immortal!  This  triumph,  the  greatest,  has. 
been  Ireland's;  and  God,  in  His  own  good  time, 
will  assuredly  give  her  the  fullness  of  victory. 


CHAPTER  LXXV. 

THE   IRISH    ARMY   IN    EXILE  HOW   SARSFIELD    FELL  ON 

LANDEN    PLAIN  HOW   THE    REGIMENTS    OF  BUKKE 

AND  o'mAHONY  SAVED  CREMONA,  FIGHTING  IN  "mDS- 

KETS   AND    shirts"  THE    GLORIOUS    VICTORY  OF 

FONTENOy!  HOW  THE  IRISH   EXILES,  FAITHFUL  TO 

THE  END,  SHARED  THE  LAST  GALLANT  EFFORT  OF 
PRINCE  CHARLES  EDWARD. 

The  glorj'  of  Ireland  was  all  abroad  in  those 
years.  Spurned  from  the  portals  of  the  constitu- 
tion established  by  the  conqueror,  the  Irish  slave 
followed  with  eager  gaze  the  meteor  track  of 
"the  Brigade."  Namur,  Steenkirk,  Staffardo, 
Cremona,  Ramillies,  Eontenoj' — each  in  its  tui-n, 
sent  a  thrill  through  the  heart  of  Ireland.  The 
tramiiled  captive  furtively  lifted  his  head  from 
the  earth,  and  looked  eastward,  and  his  face  was 
lighted  up  as  by  the  beam  of  the  morning  sun. 

For  a  hundred  years  that  magnificent  body — 
the  Irish  Brigade — (continuously  recruited  from 
home,  though  death  was  the  penalty  by  English 
law) — made  the  Irish  name  synonymous  with 
heroism  and  fidelity  throughout  Europe.  Sars- 
field  was  among  the  first  to  meet  a  soldier's 
death.  But  he  fell  in  the  arms  of  victory,  and 
died,  as  the  old  annalists  would  say,  with  his 
mind  and  his  heart  turned  to  Ireland.  In  the 
bloody  battle  of  Landen,  fought  July  29,  1693, 
he  fell  mortally  wounded,  while  leading  a  victo- 
rious charge  of  the  Brigade.  The  ball  had  entered 
near  his  heart,  and  while  he  laj-  on  the  field  his 
corslet  was  removed  in  order  that  the  wound 
might  be  examined.  He  himself,  in  a  pang  of 
pain,  put  his  hand  to  his  breast  as  if  to  stanch 
the  wound.  "When  he  took  away  his  hand  it 
was  full  of  blood.  Gazing  at  it  for  a  moment 
sorrowfully,  he  faintly  grasped  out:  "Oh!  that 
this  were  for  Ireland!"    He  never  spoke  again! 

His  place  was  soon  filled  from  the  ranks  of  the 
exiled  Irish  nobles — those  illustrious  men  whose 
names  are  emblazoned  on  the  glory  roll  of  Franc© 
— and  the  Brigade  Avent  forward  in  its  path  of 
victory.  At  Cremona,  1702,  an  Irish  regiment, 
most  of  the  men  fighting  in  their  shirts — (tha 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


203 


place  had  been  surprised  in  the  dead  of  night  by 
treachery) — saved  the  town  under  most  singular 
circumstances.  Duke  Villeroy,  commanding  the 
French  army,  including  two  Irish  regiments 
under  O'Mahony  and  Burke,  held  Cremona;  his 
adversary',  Prince  Eugene,  commanding  the  Ger- 
mans, being  encamped  around  Mantua.  Treason 
was  at  work,  however,  to  betray  Cremona.  One 
night  a  partisan  of  the  Germans  within  the  walls, 
traitorously  opened  one  of  the  gates  to  the  Aus- 
trian troops.  Before  the  disaster  was  discov- 
ered, the  French  general,  most  of  the  officers, 
the  military  chests,  etc.,  were  taken,  and  the 
German  horse  and  foot  were  in  possession  of  the 
town,  excepting  one  place  only — the  Po  Gate, 
which  was  guarded  by  the  two  Irish  regiments. 
In  fact.  Prince  Eugene  had  already  taken  up  his 
headquarters  in  the  town  hall,  and  Cremona  was 
virtually  in  his  hands.  The  Irish  were  called  on 
to  surrender  the  Po  Gate.  They  answered  with 
a  volley.  The  Austrian  general,  on  learning 
they  were  Irish  troops,  desired  to  save  brave 
men  from  utter  sacrifice — for  he  had  Irish  in  his 
own  service,  and  held  the  men  of  Ireland  in  high 
estimation.  He  sent  to  expostulate  with  them, 
and  show  them  the  madness  of  sacrificing  their 
lives  where  they  could  have  no  probability  of 
relief,  and  to  assure  them  that  if  they  would 
enter  into  the  imperial  service,  they  should  be 
directly  and  honorably  promoted.  "The  first 
part  of  this  proposal,"  saj's  the  authority  I  have 
been  following,  "they  heard  with  impatience; 
the  second,  with  disdain.  'Tell  the  prince,'  said 
they,  'that  we  have  hitherto  preserved  the  honor 
of  our  country,  and  that  we  hope  this  day  to 
convince  him  we  are  worthy  of  his  esteem. 
While  one  of  us  exists,  the  German  eagles  shall 
not  be  displayed  upon  these  walls.'  "  The  at- 
tack upon  them  was  forthwith  commenced  by  a 
large  body  of  foot,  supported  by  five  thousand 
cuirassiers.  As  I  have  already  noted,  the  Irish, 
having  been  aroused  from  their  sleep,  had  barelj' 
time  to  clutch  their  arms  and  rush  forth  un- 
dressed. Davis,  in  his  ballad  of  Cremona, 
informs  us,  indeed  (very  probably  more  for 
"rhyme"  than  with  "reason")  that 

"  the  major  is  drest;" 

adding,  however,  the  undoubted  fact: 


"But  muskets  and  shirts  are  the  clothes  of  the 
rest. " 

A  bloody  scene  of  street  fighting  now  ensued, 
and  before  the  morning  sun  had  risen  high,  the 
naked  Irish  had  recovered  nearly  half  the  city. 

"  'In  on  them,'  said  Friedberg — 'and  Dillon  is 
broke. 

Like  forest  flowers  crushed  by  the  fall  of  the 
oak. ' 

Through  the  naked  battalions  the  cuirassiers. 

go; 

But  the  man,  not  the  dress,  makes  the  soldier, 
I  trow. 

Upon  them  with   grapple,  with  bay 'net,  and 
ball. 

Like  wolves  upon  gaze-hourids  the  Irishmen. 

fall- 
Black  Friedberg  is  slain  by  0'Mahon3''s  steel. 
And  back  from  the  bullets  the  cuirassiers  reel. 

"Oh!  hear  you  their  shout  in  your  quarters^ 
Eugene? 

In  vain  on  Prince  Vaudemont  for  succour  you 
lean ! 

The  bridge  has  been  broken,  and  mark !  how 
pell  mell 

Come  riderless  horses  and  volley  and  yell ! 
He's  a  veteran  soldier — he  clinches  his  hands, 
He  springs  on  his  horse,  disengages  his  bands — 
He  rallies,  he  urges,  till,  hopeless  of  aid, 
He  is  chased  through  the  gates  bj'  the  Irish 
Brigade. " 

It  was  even  so.  "Before  evening,"  we  are  told,^ 
"the  enemy  were  completely  expelled  the  town, 
and  the  general  and  military  chests  recovered 
Well  might  the  poet  undertake  to  describe  as 
here  quoted  the  effects  of  the  news  in  Austria, 
England,  France,  and  Ireland : 

"News,  news  in  Vienna! — King  Leopold's  sad. 
News,  news  in  St.  James' — King  William  is 
mad. 

News,  news  in  Versailles ! — 'Let  the  Irish  Bri- 
gade 

Be  loyally  honored,  and  royally  paid. ' 
News,  news  in  old  Ireland! — high  rises  her 
pride. 

And  loud  sounds  her  wail  for  her  children  who- 
died ; 


204 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


And  deep  is  her  prayer — 'God  send  I  may  see 
MacDonuell  and  Mahouy  fighting  for  me ! '  " 

Far  more  memorable,  however,  far  more  im- 
portant, was  the  ever-glorious  day  of  Fontenoy 
— a  name  ■which  to  this  day  thrills  the  Irish  heart 
with  pride.  Of  this  great  battle — fought  May 
11,  1745 — in  which  the  Irish  Brigade  turned  the 
fortunes  of  the  day,  and  saved  the  honor  of 
France,  I  take  the  subjoined  account,  prefixed  to 
Davis'  well-known  poem,  which  I  also  quote : 

"A  French  army  of  seventy-nine  thousand 
men,  commanded  by  Marshal  Saxe,  and  encour- 
•aged  by  the  presence  of  both  the  King  and  the 
Dauphin,  laid  siege  to  Tournay,  early  in  Maj', 
1745.  The  Duke  of  Cumberland  advanced  at  the 
Lead  of  fifty-five  thousand  men,  chiefly  English 
and  Dutch  to  relieve  the  town.  At  the  duke's 
approach,  Saxe  and  the  king  advanced  a  few 
miles  from  Tournay  with  forty-five  thousand 
men,  leaving  eighteen  thousand  to  continue  the 
siege,  and  six  thousand  to  guard  the  Scheldt. 
Saxe  posted  his  army  along  a  range  of  slopes 
thus :  his  center  was  on  the  village  of  Fontenoy, 
his  left  stretched  off  through  the  wood  of  Barri, 
his  right  reached  to  the  town  of  St.  Antoine, 
close  to  the  Scheldt.  He  fortified  his  right  and 
center  by  the  villages  of  Fontenoy  and  St. 
Antoine,  and  redoubts  near  them.  His  extreme 
left  was  also  strengthened  by  a  redoubt  in  the 
wood  of  Barri ;  but  his  left  center,  between  that 
wood  and  the  village  of  Fontenoy,  was  not 
guarded  by  anything  save  slight  lines.  Cumber- 
land had  the  Dutch,  under  AValdeck,  on  his  left, 
and  twice  they  attempted  to  carry  St.  Antoine, 
but  were  repelled  with  heavy  loss.  The  same 
fate  attended  the  English  in  the  center,  who 
thrice  forced  their  way  to  Fontenoy,  but  re- 
turned fewer  and  sadder  men.  Ingoldsby  was 
then  ordered  to  attack  the  wood  of  Barri  with 
Cumberland's  right.  He  did  so,  and  broke  into 
the  wood,  when  the  artillery  of  the  redoubt  sud- 
denly opened  on  him,  which,  assisted  by  a  con- 
stant fire  from  the  French  tirailleurs  (light 
infantry),  drove  him  back. 

"The  duke  now  resolved  to  make  one  great  and 
final  effort.  He  selected  his  best  regiments,  vet- 
eran English  corps,  and  formed  them  into  a 
single  column  of  six  thousand  men.  At  its  head 
were  six  cannon,  and  as  many  more  on  the  flanks. 


which  did  good  service.  Lord  John  Hay  com- 
manded this  great  mass.  Everything  being  now 
ready,  the  column  advanced  slowly  and  evenly 
as  if  on  the  parade  ground.  It  mounted  the 
slope  of  Saxe's  position,  and  pressed  on  between 
the  wood  of  Barri  and  the  village  of  Fontenoy. 
In  doing  so,  it  was  exposed  to  a  cruel  fire  of 
artillery  and  sharpshooters,  but  it  stood  the 
storm,  and  got  behind  Fontenoy. 

"The  moment  the  object  of  the  column  was 
seen,  the  French  troops  were  hurried  in  upon 
them.  The  cavalry  charged;  but  the  English 
hardlj-  paused  to  offer  the  raised  bayonet,  and 
then  poured  in  a  fatal  fire.  On  they  went,  till 
within  a  short  distance,  and  then  threw  in  their 
balls  with  great  precision,  the  officers  actually 
laying  their  canes  along  the  muskets  to  make  the 
men  fire  low.  Mass  after  mass  of  infantry  was 
broken,  and  on  went  the  column,  reduced  but 
still  apparently  invincible!  Due  Richelieu  had 
four  cannon  hurried  to  the  front,  and  he  literally 
battered  the  head  of  the  column,  while  the 
household  cavalry  surrounded  them,  and  in  re- 
peated charges,  wore  down  their  strength.  But 
these  French  were  fearful  sufferers.  The  day 
seemed  virtually  lost,  and  King  Louis  was  about 
to  leave  the  field.  In  this  juncture,  Saxe  ordered 
up  his  last  reserve — the  Irish  Brigade.  It  con- 
sisted that  day  of  the  regiments  of  Clare,  Lally, 
Dillon,  Berwick,  Roth,  and  Buckley,  with  Fitz- 
james'  horse.  O'Brien,  Lord  Clare,  was  in  com- 
mand. Aided  b.y  the  French  regiments  of  Nor- 
mandy and  Vaisseany,  they  were  ordered  to 
charge  upon  the  flank  of  the  English  with  fixed 
bayonets  without  firing.  Upon  the  approach  of 
this  splendid  body  of  men,  the  English  were 
halted  on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  and  up  that  slope 
the  brigade  rushed  rapidly  and  in  fine  order; 
the  stimulating  cry  of  'Cuimhnigidh  ar  Lium- 
neac,  agus  ar  fheile  na  Sacsanach, '  'Remember 
Limerick  and  British  faith,'  being  re-echoed 
from  man  to  man.  The  fortune  of  the  field  was 
no  longer  doubtful.  The  English  were  weary 
with  a  long  day's  fighting,  cut  up  by  cannon, 
charge,  and  musketry,  and  dispirited  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Brigade.  Still  they  gave  their 
fire  well  and  fatally;  but  they  were  literally 
stunned  by  the  shout,  and  shattered  by  the  Irish 
charge.  They  broke  before  the  Irish  bayonets, 
and  tumbled  down  the  far  side  of  the  hill  disor- 


COPYPIGHT,  1898. 


THOMAS  OSBORNE  DAVIS. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


2051 


^anized,  hopeless,  and  falling  by  hundreds.  The 
Tictory  was  bloody  and  complete.  Louis  is  said 
to  have  ridden  down  to  the  Irish  bivouac,  and 
personally  thanked  them;  and  George  the  Sec- 
ond, on  hearing  it,  uttered  that  memorable  im- 
precation on  the  penal  code,  'Cursed  be  the  laws 
which  deprive  me  of  such  subjects.'  The  one 
English  volley  and  the  short  struggle  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill  cost  the  Irish  dear.  One-fourth 
of  the  officers,  including  Colonel  Dillon,  were 
killed,  and  one-third  of  the  men.  The  capture 
of  Ghent,  Bruges,  Ostend,  and  Oudenard,  fol- 
lowed the  victory  of  Fontenoy. " 

■"Thrice,  at  the  huts  of  Fontenoy,  the  English 
column  failed. 

And  thrice  the  lines  of  St.  Antoine  the  Dutch 
in  vain  assailed ; 

For  town  and  slope  were  filled  with  foot  and 
flanking  battery. 

And  well  they  swept  the  English  ranks  and 
Dutch  auxiliary. 

As  vainly,  through  De Barri's  Wood  the  British 
soldiers  burst. 

The  French  artillery  drove  them  back,  dimin- 
ished and  dispersed. 

The  bloody  Duke  of  Cumberland  beheld  with 
anxious  eye. 

And  ordered  up  his  last  reserve,  his  latest 
chance  to  try. 

On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy,  how  fast  his  gen- 
erals ride! 

And  mustering  come  his  chosen  troops,  like 
clouds  at  eventide. 

'"Six  thousand  English  veterans  in  stately  column 
tread ; 

Their  cannon  blaze  in  front  and  flank ;  Lord 

Hay  is  at  their  head ; 
Steady  they  step  adown  the  slope — steady  they 

climb  the  hill. 
Steady  they  load — steady  they  fire,  moving 

right  onward  still. 
Betwixt  the  wood  and  Fontenoy,  as  through  a 

furnace  blast. 
Through  rampart,  trench,  and  palisade,  and 

bullets  showering  fast; 
And  on  the  open  plain  above  they  rose  and  kept 

their  course, 
^ith  ready  fire  and  grim  resolve,  that  mocked 

at  hostile  force. 


Past  Fontenoy,  past  Fontenoy,  while  thinner 

grow  their  ranks — 
They  break  as  broke  the  Zuyder  Zee  through 

Holland's  ocean  banks. 

"More  idly  than  the  summer  flies,  French  tirail- 
leurs rush  round ; 

As  stubble  to  the  lava  tide,  French  squadrons 
strew  the  ground ; 

Bombshell  and  grape,  and  round  shot  tore,  still 
on  they  marched  and  fired— 

Fast  from  each  volley  grenadier  and  voltigeur 
retired. 

'Push  on  my  household  cavalry!'  King  Louis 

madly  cried. 
To  death  they  rush,  but  rude  their  shock — not 

unavenged  they  died. 
On  through  the  camp  the  column  trod — King 

Louis  turns  his  rein  : 
'Not  yet,  my  liege,'  Saxe  interposed,  'the  Irish 

troops  remain ;' 
And  Fontenoy,  famed  Fontenoy,  had  been  a 

Waterloo, 

Were  not  these  exiles  ready  then,  fresh,  vehe- 
ment, and  true. 

"  'Lord  Clare,'  he  says,  'you  have  your  wish: 
there  are  j^our  Saxon  foes!' 
The  Marshal  almost  smiles  to  see,  so  furiously 

he  goes! 

How  fierce  the  smile  these  exiles  wear,  who  're 

wont  to  look  so  gay ; 
The  treasured  wrongs  of  fifty  years  are  in  their 

hearts  to-day. 
The  treaty  broken  ere  the  ink  wherewith  'twas 

writ  could  dry. 
Their  plundered  homes,  their  ruined  shrines, 

their  women's  parting  cry. 
Their  priesthood  hunted  down  like  wolves, 

their  country  overthrown ! 
Each  looks  as  if  revenge  for  all  were  staked  on 

him  alone. 

On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy,  nor  ever  j^et  else- 
where, 

Pushed  on  to  fight  a  nobler  band  than  those 
proud  exiles  were. 

"  O'Brien's  voice  is  hoarse  with  joy,  as  halting 
he  commands, 
'Fix  bay 'nets — charge!' — Like  mountain  storm 
rush  on  these  fiery  bands! 


'206  THE  STORY 

Thiu  is    the  English  column  now,  and  faint 

tlieir  volleys  grow. 
Yet  must 'ring  all  the  strength  they  have,  they 

made  a  gallant  show. 
They  dress  their  ranks  upon  the  hill  to  face 

that  battle  wind! 
Their  bayonets  the  breakers'  foam ;  like  rocks 

the  men  behind! 
One   volley    crashes   from   their   line,  when 

through  the  surging  smoke, 
"\A'ith  empty  guns  clutched  in  their  hands,  the 

headlong  Irish  broke. 
On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy,  hark  to  that  fierce 

huzza! 

'Kevenge!  remember  Limerick!  dash  down  the 
Sassenagh !' 

*'Like  lions  leaping  at  a  fold  when  mad  with 

hunger's  pang. 
Right  up  against  the  English  line  the  Irish 

exiles  sprang. 
Bright  was  their  steel,  'tis  bloody  now,  their 

guns  are  filled  with  gore ; 
Through  shattered  ranks,  and  severed  piles, 

and  trampled  flags  they  tore; 
The  English  strove  with  desperate  strength, 

paused,  rallied,  staggered,  fled — 
.  The  green  hillside  is  matted  close  with  dying 

and  with  dead. 
Across  the  plain  and  far  away  passed  on  that 

hideous  wrack. 
While  cavalier  and  fantassin  dash  in  upon  their 

track. 

On  Fontenoy,  on  Fontenoy,  like  eagles  in  the 
sun, 

"With  bloody  plumes  the  Irish  stand — the  field 
is  fought  and  won!" 

In  the  year  of  Fontenoy,  1745,  Prince  Charles 
Edward  made  his  bold  and  romantic  attempt  to 
recover  the  lost  crown  of  the  Stuarts.  His  expe- 
dition, we  are  told,  "was  undertaken  and  con- 
ducted by  Irish  aid,  quite  as  much  as  by  French 
or  Scottish."  His  chief  of  command  was  Colo- 
nel O'Sullivan;  the  most  of  the  funds  were  sup- 
plied by  the  two  Waters — father  and  son — Irish 
bankers  at  Paris,  "who  advanced  one  hundred 
and  eighty  thousand  livres  between  them;" 
another  Irishman,  Walsh,  a  merchant  at  Nantes, 
putting  "a  privateer  of  eighteen  guns  into  the 
venture."     Indeed,  one  of   Charles'  English 


OF  IRELAND. 

adherents,  Lord  Elcho,  who  kept  a  journal  of  the- 
campaign,  notes  complainingly  the  Irish  influence 
under  which  the  prince  acted.  On  the  19th  of 
Julj',  he  landed  near  Moidart,  in  the  north  of 
Scotland.  "Clanronald,  Cameron  of  Lochiel, 
the  Laird  of  M'Leod,  and  a  few  others  having 
arrived,  the  royal  standard  was  unfurled  on  the 
19th  of  August  at  Glenfinan,  where,  that  even- 
ing, twelve  thousand  men — the  entire  army,  so 
far — were  formed  into  camp  under  the  orders  of 
O'Sullivan.  From  that  day  until  the  day  of  Col- 
loden,  O'Sullivan  seems  to  have  maneuvered  the 
prince's  forces.  At  Perth,  at  Edinburgh,  at 
Manchester,  at  Culloden,  he  took  command  in 
the  field  or  in  the  garrison;  and  even  after  the 
sad  result,  he  adhered  to  his  sovereign's  son 
with  an  honorable  fidelity  which  defied  despair.  "* 
In  Ireland  no  corresponding  movement  took 
place.  Yet  this  is  the  period  which  has  given  to 
native  Irish  minstrelsy,  as  it  now  survives,  its, 
abiding  characteristic  of  deep,  fervent,  un- 
changeable, abiding  devotion  to  the  Stuart  cause. 
The  Gaelic  harp  never  gave  forth  richer  melody, 
Gaelic  poetry  never  found  nobler  inspiration, 
than  in  its  service.  In  those  matchless  songs, 
which,  under  the  general  designation  of  "Jacob- 
ite Relics,"  are,  and  ever  will  be,  so  potential  to 
touch  the  Irish  heart  with  sadness  or  enthusiasm, 
under  a  thousand  forms  of  allegory  the  coming 
of  Prince  Charles,  the  restoration  of  the  ancient, 
faith,  and  the  deliverance  of  Ireland  by  the 
"rightful  prince,"  are  prophesied  and  apostro- 
phied.  Now  it  is  "Dark  Eosaleen;"  now  it  is. 
"Kathaleen-na-Houlahan  ;"  now  it  is  the  "Black- 
bird," the  "Drimin  Don  Deelish,"  the  "Silk  of 
the  Kine,"  or  "Ma  Chrevin  Evin  Algan  Og." 
From  this  rich  store  of  Gaelic  poetry  of  the 
eighteenth  century  I  quote  one  specimen,  a  poem 
written  about  the  period  of  Charles  Edward 's. 
landing  at  Moidart,  by  William  Heffernan  "Dall" 
("the  Blind")  of  Shronehill,  county  Tipperary, 
and  addressed  to  the  Prince  of  Ossorj"-,  Michael 
Mac  Giolla  Kerin,  known  as  Mehal  Dhu,  or  Dark 
Michael.  The  translation  into  English  is  by- 
Man  gan  : 

"Lift  up  the  dooping  head, 

Meehal  Dhu  Mac-Giolla-Kierin ; 
Her  blood  yet  boundeth  red 

Through  the  myriad  veins  of  Erint 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


^U7 


No!  no!  she  is  not  dead — 

Meehal  Dhu  Mac-Giolla-Kierin ! 
Lo!  she  redeems 
The  lost  years  of  bygone  ages — 

New  glory  beams 
Henceforth  on  her  history's  pages! 
Her  long  penitential  Night  of  Sorrow 
Yields  at  length  before  the  reddening  mor- 
row ! 

"You  heard  the  thunder-shout, 

Meehal  Dhu  Mac-Giolla-Kierin, 
Saw  the  lightning  streaming  out 
O'er  the  purple  hills  of  Erin! 
And  bide  j'ou  still  in  doubt, 

Meehal  Dhu  Mac-Giolla-Kierin? 
Oh !  doubt  no  more ! 
Through  Ulidia's  voiceful  valleys. 

On  Shannon's  shore. 
Freedom's  burning  spirit  rallies. 
Earth  and  heaven  unite  in  sign  and  omen 
Bodeful  of  the  downfall  of  our  foemen. 

"Charles  leaves  the  Grampian  hills, 
Meehal  Dhu  Mac-Giolla-Kierin. 
Charles,  whose  appeal  yet  thrills 

Like  a  clarion-blast  through  Erin. 
Charles,  he  whose  image  fills 

Thy  soul  too,  Mac-Giolla-Kierin! 
Ten  thousand  strong 
His  clans  move  in  brilliant  order, 

Sure  that  ere  long 
He  will  march  them  o'er  the  border. 
While  the  dark-haired  daughters  of  the 
Highlands 

Crown  with  wreaths  the  monarch  of  these 
Islands. ' ' 

Bat  it  was  only  in  the  passionate  poesy  of  the 
native  minstrels  that  any  echo  of  the  shouts  from 
Moidart  resounded  amid  the  hills  of  Erin.  Dur- 
ing all  this  time  the  hapless  Irish  Catholics  re- 
signed themselves  utterly  to  the  fate  that  had 
befallen  them.  For  a  moment  victory  gleamed 
on  the  Stuart  banner,  and  the  young  prince 
marched  southward  to  claim  his  own  in  London. 

Still  Ireland  made  no  sign.  Hope  had  fled. 
The  prostrate  and  exhausted  nation  slept  heavily 
in  its  blood-clotted  chain ! 


CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

HOW  IRELAND  BEGAN  TO  AWAKEN  FROM  THE  SLEEP  OF 
SLAVERY  THE  DAWN  OF  LEGISLATIVE  INDEPEND- 
ENCE. 

Ireland  lay  long  in  that  heavy  trance.  The 
signal  for  her  awakening  came  across  the  western 
ocean.  "A  voice  from  America, "  says  Flood, 
"shouted 'Liberty and  every  hill  and  valley  of 
this  rejoicing  island  answered,  'Liberty!'  " 

For  two  centuries  the  claim  of  the  English 
parliament  to  control,  direct,  and  bind  the  Irish 
legislature,  had  been  the  subject  of  bitter  dispute. 
The  claim  was  first  formally  asserted  and  im- 
posed in  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Seventh,  when  a 
servile  "parliament,"  gathered  at  Drogheda,  in 
November,  1495,  by  lord  deputy  Poynings, 
among  other  acts  of  self-degradation,  at  the  bid- 
ding of  the  English  official,  enacted  that  hence- 
forth no  law  could  be  originated  in  tlie  Irish 
legislature,  or  proceeded  with,  until  the  heads  of 
it  had  first  been  sent  to  England,  submitted  to 
the  king  and  council  there,  and  returned  with 
their  approbation  under  seal.  This  was  the  cele- 
brated "Poynings'  Act, "  or  "Poj^nings'  Law," 
which  readers  of  Grattan's  "Life  and  Times" 
will  find  mentioned  so  frequently.  It  was  im- 
posed as  a  most  secure  chain — a  ponderous  curb 
■ — at  a  crisis  when  resistance  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. It  was,  in  moments  of  like  weakness  or 
distraction,  submitted  to ;  but  ever  and  anon  in 
flashes  of  spirit,  the  L-ish  parliaments  repudiated 
the  claim  as  illegal,  unconstitutional,  and  unjust. 
On  February  16,  1640,  the  Irish  House  of  Com- 
mons submitted  a  set  of  queries  to  the  judges, 
the  nature  of  which  may  be  inferred  from  the 
question — "'^Tiether  the  subjects  of  this  king- 
dom be  a  free  people,  and  to  be  governed  only 
by  the  common  law  of  England  and  statues 
passed  in  this  kingdom?"  When  the  answers 
received  were  deemed  insufficient,  the  House 
turned  the  questions  into  the  form  of  resolu- 
tions, and  proceeded  to  vote  on  them,  one  by 
one,  affirming  in  every  point  the  rights,  the  lib- 
erties, and  the  privileges  of  their  constituents. 
The  confederation  of  Kilkenny  still  more  explic- 
itb'  and  boldly  enunciated  and  asserted  the 
doctrine  that  Ireland  was  a  distinct,  free,  sover- 
eign, and  independent  nation,  subject  only  to  the; 
triple  crown  of  the  three  kingdoms.    The  Croiu- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


w  ellian  rebellion  tore  down  this,  as  it  trampled 
upon  so  many  other  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of 
all  three  kingdoms.  The  "restoration"  came; 
but  in  the  reign  of  the  second  Charles,  the  Dub- 
lin parliament  was  too  busy  in  scrambling  for 
retention  of  plunder  and  resistance  of  restitution, 
to  utter  an  aspiration  for  liberty ;  it  bowed  the 
neck  to  "Poynings'  Law."  To  the  so-called 
"Catholic  Parliament"  of  Ireland  in  James  the 
Second's  reign  belongs  the  proud  honor  of  jnak- 
ing  the  next  notable  declaration  of  independ- 
ence; among  the  first  acts  of  this  legislature 
being  one  declaring  the  complete  and  perfect 
freedom  of  the  Irish  parliament.  "Though  they 
were  'Papists,'  "  saj'S  Grattan,  "these  men  were 
not  slaves;  they  wrung  a  constitution  from 
Eing  James  befoi-e  they  accompanied  him  to  the 
field."  Once  more,  however,  came  successful  re- 
bellion to  overthrow  the  sovereign  and  the  parli- 
ament, and  again  the  doctrine  of  national  inde- 
pendence disappeared.  The  Irish  legislature  in 
the  first  years  of  the  new  regime  sank  into  the 
abject  condition  of  a  mere  committee  of  the 
English  parliament. 

Soon,  however,  the  spirit  of  resistance  began 
to  appear.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  Prot- 
estant party  had  been  so  busy  at  the  work  of 
persecution — so  deeply  occupied  in  forging 
chains  for  their  Catholic  fellow-countrymen — 
that  they  never  took  thought  of  the  political 
thraldom  being  imposed  upon  themselves  by  the 
English  parliament.  "The  Irish  Protestant," 
says  Mr.  Wyse,  "had  succeeded  in  excluding  the 
Catholics  from  power,  and  for  a  moment  held 
triumphant  and  exclusive  possession  of  the  con- 
quest ;  but  he  was  merely  a  locum  tenenfi  for  a  more 
powerful  conqueror,  a  jackal  for  the  lion,  an 
Irish  steward  for  an  English  master.  The  ex- 
clusive system  was  turned  against  him ;  he  made 
the  executive  exclusively  Protestant;  the  Whigs 
of  George  the  First  made  it  almost  entirely  Eng- 
lish. His  victory  paved  the  way  for  another  far 
easier  and  far  more  important.  Popery  fell,  but 
Ireland  fell  with  it."*  In  1719,  the  question 
came  to  a  direct  issue.  In  a  lawsuit  between 
Hester  Sherlock,  appellant,  and  Maurice  Annes- 
ley,  respondent,  relating  to  some  property  in  the 
county  Kildare,  the  Irish  Court  of  Exchequer 


*"Hi8.  Cath.  Association,"  page  27. 


decided  in  favor  of  the  respondent.  On  an  ap- 
peal to  the  Irish  House  of  Peers,  this  judgment 
was  reversed.  The  respondent,  Annesley,  now 
appealed  to  the  English  House  of  Peers  in  Eng- 
land, which  body  annulled  the  decision  of  the 
Irish  peers,  and  confirmed  that  of  the  Ex- 
chequer Court.  The  sheriff  of  Kildare,  however, 
recognizing  the  decision  of  the  Irish  peers,  and 
declining  to  recognize  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
English  tribunal,  refused  to  obey  an  order  call- 
ing on  him  to  put  Annesley  into  possession  of 
the  estate.  The  Irish  Court  of  Exchequer  there- 
upon inflicted  a  fine  upon  the  sheriff.  The  Irish 
peers  removed  the  fine,  and  voted  that  the  sheriff 
"had  behaved  with  integrity  and  courage." 
This  bold  course  evoked  the  following  galling 
enactment  by  the  Engli.sh  House  : 

"Whereas,  .  .  .  the  lords  of  Ireland 
have  of  late,  against  law,  assumed  to  themselves 
a  power  and  jurisdiction  to  examine  and  amend 
the  judgments  and  decrees  of  the  courts  of  jus- 
tice in  Ireland;  therefore,  etc.,  it  is  declared  and 
enacted,  etc.  .  .  .  that  the  king's  majesty, 
by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  lords 
spiritual  and  temporal  and  commons  of  Great 
Britain  in  parliament  assembled,  had,  hath,  and 
of  right  ought  to  have,  full  power  and  authority 
to  make  laws  and  statutes  of  suflficient  force  and 
validity  to  bind  the  people  of  the  kingdom  of 
Ireland.  And  it  is  further  enacted  and  declared 
that  the  House  of  Lords  of  Ireland  have  not,  nor 
of  right  ought  to  have,  any  jurisdiction  to  judge 
of,  affirm,  or  reverse  any  judgment,  etc.,  made  in 
any  court  in  the  said  kingdom. " 

Here  was  "Poynings'  Law"  re-enacted  with 
savage  explicitness ;  a  heavy  bit  set  between  the 
jaws  of  the  restive  Irish  legislature. 

This  rough  and  insulting  assertion  of  subjuga- 
tion stung  the  Protestants  to  the  quick.  They 
submitted ;  but  soon  there  began  to  break  forth 
from  among  them  men  who  commenced  to  utter 
the  words  Country  and  Patriotism.  These 
"rash"  and  "extreme"  doctrinaires  were  long 
almost  singular  in  their  views.  Wise  men  con- 
sidered them  insane  when  they  "raved"  of  recov- 
ering the  freedom  of  parliament.  "Repeal 
Poynings'  Law! — restore  the  heptarchy!"  cried 
one  philosopher.  "Liberate  the  parliament! — a 
splendid  phantom!"  cried  another.  Neverthe- 
less, the  so-called  doctrinaires  grew  in  popularity. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


209 


Their  leader  was  the  Very  Rev.  Jonathan  Swift, 
Protestant  dean  of  St.  Patrick's.  His  precursor 
was  William  Molyneux,  member  for  the  Dublin 
University,  who,  in  1G91,  published  the  first 
great  argumentative  vindication  of  Irish  legisla- 
tive independence — "The  Case  of  Ireland  Stated. " 
Immediately  on  its  appearance,  the  English  i^ar- 
liament  took  alarm,  and  ordered  the  book  to  be 
"burned  by  the  hands  of  the  common  hangman. " 
Swift  took  up  the  doctrines  and  arguments  of 
Molyneux,  and  made  them  all-prevalent  among 
the  masses  of  the  people.  But  the  "upper 
classes"  thought  them  "visionary"  and  "im- 
practicable;" nay,  seditious  and  disloyal.  Later 
on,  in  the  middle  of  the  century.  Dr.  Charles 
Lucas,  a  Dublin  apothecary,  became  the  leader 
of  the  anti-English  party.  Of  course,  he  was  set 
down  as  disaffected.  A  resolution  of  the  servile 
Irish  House  of  Commons  declared  him  "an 
enemy  to  his  country;"  and  he  had  to  fly  from 
Ireland  for  a  time.  His  popularity,  however, 
increased,  and  the  popular  suspicion  and  detes- 
tation of  the  English  only  required  an  opportu- 
nity to  exhibit  itself  in  ovei't  acts.  In  1759  a 
rumor  broke  out  in  Dublin  that  a  legislative 
union  (on  the  model  of  the  Scotto-English  amal- 
gamation just  accomplished)  was  in  contempla- 
tion. "On  December  3d  the  citizens  rose  en 
masse  and  surrounded  the  houses  of  parliament. 
They  stopped  the  carriages  of  members,  and 
obliged  them  to  swear  opposition  to  such  a  meas- 
ure. Some  of  the  Protestant  bishops  and  the 
chancellor  were  roughly  handled ;  a  privy  coun- 
cilor was  thrown  into  the  river;  the  attorney- 
general  was  wounded  and  obliged  to  take  refuge 
in  the  college ;  Lord  Inchiquin  was  abused  till 
he  said  his  name  was  O'Brien,  when  the  rage  of 
the  people  was  turned  into  acclamations.  The 
speaker,  Mr.  Ponsonby,  and  the  chief  secretary, 
Mr.  Rigby,  had  to  appear  in  the  porch  of  the 
House  of  Commons,  solemnly  to  assure  the  citi- 
zens that  no  union  was  dreamed  of,  and  if  it  was 
proposed  that  they  would  be  the  first  to  oppose 
it."* 

The  union  scheme  had  to  be  abandoned ;  and 
Lucas  soon  after  returned  from  exile  to  wield 
increased  power.  The  "seditious  agitator,"  the 
solemnly  declared  "enemy  of  his  country,"  was 


*  M'Gee. 


triumphantly  returned  to  parliament  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Dublin,  having  as  fellow-laborers,  re- 
turned at  the  same  time,  Hussey  Burgh  and 
Henrj'  Flood.  Lucas  did  not  live  to  enjoy  many 
years  his  well-earned  honors.  In  1770  he  was 
followed  to  the  grave  by  every  demonstration  of 
national  regret.  "At  his  funeral  the  pall  was 
borne  by  the  Marquis  of  Kildare,  Lord  Charle- 
mont,  Mr.  Flood,  Mr.  Hussey  Burgh,  Sir  Lucius 
O'Brien,  and  Mr.  Ponsonby."  And  the  citizens 
of  Dublin,  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  once 
banished  "disloyalist,"  set  up  his  marble  statue 
in  their  civic  forum,  where  it  stands  to  this 
day.* 

While  the  country  was  thus  seething  with  dis- 
content, chafing  under  the  "Poyning"  j'oke, 
there  rolled  across  the  Atlantic  the  echoes  of 
Bunker's  Hill ;  Protestant  domiuaucy  paused  in 
its  work  of  persecution,  and  bowed  in  homage  to 
the  divine  spirit  of  Liberty ! 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

HOW  THE  IRISH  VOLUNTEERS  ACHIEVED  THE  LEGISLATIVE 
INDEPENDENCE  OF  IRELAND :  OR,  HOW  THE  MORAL 
FORCE  OF  A  CITIZEN  ARMY  EFFECTED  A  PEACEFUL, 
LEGAL,  AND  CONSTITUTIONAL  REVOLUTION. 

The  first  e&ovt  of  the  "patriot  party,"  as  for 
some  years  past  they  had  been  called,  was  to 
limit  the  duration  of  parliaments  (at  this  time 
elected  for  the  life  of  the  king),  so  that  the  con- 
stituents might  oftener  have  an  opportunity — 
even  by  such  cumbrous  and  wretchedly  ineffec- 
tive means  as  the  existing  electoral  system  pro- 
vided— of  judging  the  conduct  of  their  members. 
In  1760,  Lucas  and  his  fellow-nationalists  suc- 
ceeded in  carrying  resolutions  for  "heads  of  a 
bill,"  limiting  the  parliaments  to  seven  years. 
In  accordance  with  "Poynings'  Law,"  the 
"heads"  were  transmitted  to  London  for  sanc- 
tion, but  were  never  heard  of  more.  In  17G3, 
they  were  again  carried  in  the  Irish  house,  again 

*  Lucas  was,  politicall}-,  a  thorough  nationalist,  but,  re- 
ligiously,  a  bigot.  The  Irish  nation  he  conceived  to  be  the 
Irish  Protestants.  The  idea  of  admitting  the  Catholics — 
the  mass  of  the  population — within  the  constitution,  found 
in  him  a  rabid  opponent.  Yet  the  Catholics  of  Ireland,  to 
their  eternal  honor,  have  ever  condoned  his  rabid  bigotry 
against  themselves,  remembering  Lis  labors  for  the  princi- 
ple of  nationality. 


210 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


sent  to  London,  again  canceled  there.  Irish 
popular  feeling  now  began  to  be  excited.  Again, 
a  third  time,  the  "Septennial  Bill"  was  carried 
through  the  Irish  Parliament,  again  sent  to  Lou- 
don, aud  again  ignominiously  Tctoed  there. 
But  now  the  infatuation  of  England  had  over- 
leaped itself.  A  spirit  was  aroused  in  Ireland 
before  which  the  government  quailed.  A  fourth 
time,  amid  ominous  demonstrations  of  popular 
determination,  the  thrice-rejected  "heads  of  a 
bill"  were  sent  across.  This  time  they  were  re- 
turned approved ;  but  the  seven  years  were 
altered  to  eight  years,  a  paltry  and  miserable 
assertion  of  mastery,  even  while  yielding  under 
fear.  But  the  impartial  student  will  note  that 
by  some  malign  fatal  itj'  it  happens  that  even  up 
to  the  present  hour  every  concession  granted  by 
England  to  Irish  demands  was  invariably  refused 
till  passion  was  inflamed,  and  has  been  conceded 
only  on  compulsion.  The  concession  that,  had 
it  been  made  cheerfullj'  and  graciously  at  first, 
might  have  elicited  good  will  and  gratitude,  has 
always  been  denied  as  long  as  it  durst  for  safety 
be  withheld,  and  been  granted  only  when  some 
home  or  foreign  difficulty  rendered  Irish  discon- 
tent full  of  danger. 

Concessions  thus  made  are  taken  without 
thanks,  and  onb'  give  strength  aud  deterzuina- 
tion  to  further  demands.  The  patriot  party  fol- 
lowed up  their  first  decisive  victory  by  cam- 
paigns upon  the  pension  list,  the  dependence  of 
the  judges,  the  voting  of  supply,  etc: ;  the  result 
being  continuous,  violent,  and  bitter  conflict  be- 
tween the  parliament  and  the  viceroy ;  popular 
feeling  rising  and  intensifying,  gaining  strength 
and  force  every  hour. 

Meanwhile  America,  on  issues  almost  identical, 
bad  taken  the  field,  and,  aided  by  France,  was 
holding  England  in  deadly  struggle.  Toward 
the  close  of  the  year  1779,  while  Ireland  as  well 
as  England  was  denuded  of  troops,  government 
sent  warning  that  some  French  or  American  pri- 
vateers might  be  expected  on  the  Irish  coast,  but 
confessing  that  no  regular  troops  could  be  spared 
for  local  defense.  The  people  of  Belfast  were 
the  first  to  make  a  significant  answer  to  this 
warning  by  enrolling  volunteers  corps.  The 
movement  spread  rapidb'  throughout  the  island, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  government  with  dismay 
beheld  the  patriot  party   in   parliament  sur- 


rounded by  a  volunteer  army  filled  with  patriotie 
ardor  and  enthusiasm.  Every  additional  battal- 
ion of  volunteers  enrolled  added  to  the  moral 
power  wielded  by  those  leaders,  whose  utterances 
grew  in  boldness  amid  the  flashing  swords  and 
bayonets  of  a  citizen  army  one  hundred  thou- 
sand strong.  The  nation  by  this  time  had  be- 
come unanimous  in  its  resolution  to  be  free;  a 
corrupt  or  timid  group  of  courtiers  or  placemen 
alone  making  a  sullen  aud  half-hearted  fight 
against  the  now  all-powerful  nationalists.  Under 
the  healing  influence  of  this  sentiment  of  patri- 
otism, the  gaping  wounds  of  a  century  began  to 
close.  The  Catholic  slave,  though  still  outside 
the  pale  of  the  constitution,  forgot  his  griefs  and 
his  wrongs  for  the  moment,  and  gave  all  his 
energies  in  aid  of  the  national  movement.  He 
bought  the  musket  which  law  denied  to  himself 
the  right  to  bear,  and  placing  it  in  the  hand  of 
his  Protestant  fellow-countryman,  bade  him  go 
forward  in  the  glorious  work  of  liberating  their 
common  fatherland. 

Free  trade  became  now  the  great  object  of  en- 
deavor. The  trade  of  Ireland  at  this  time  had 
been  almost  extinguished  by  repressive  enact- 
ments passed  by  the  English  parliament  in  Lon- 
don, or  by  its  shadow  in  Dublin  in  bj'-gone 
years.  Immediately  on  the  accession  of  William 
the  Third,  the  English  lords  and  commons  ad- 
dressed the  king,  praying  his  majestj'  to  declare 
to  his  Irish  subjects  that  "the  growth  aud  in- 
crease of  the  wollen  manufacture  hath  long  been, 
and  will  ever  be  looked  upon  with  great  jeal- 
ousy," aud  threatening  very  plainly  that  they 
might  otherwise  have  to  enact  "very  strict  laws 
totally  to  abolish  the  same."*  William  answered 
them,  promising  to  do  "all  that  in  him  lay"  to 
"discourage  the  woollen  manufacture  there." 
'Twere  long  to  trace  and  to  recapitulate  the  mul- 
tifarious laws  passed  to  crush  manufacture  and 
commerce  of  all  kinds  in  Ireland  in  accordance 
with  the  above-cited  address  and  royal  promise. 
Englishmen  in  our  day  are  constant^'  reproach- 
ing Ireland  with  absence  of  manufactures  and 
commerce,  and  inviting  this  country  to  "wake 
up"  and  compete  with  England  in  the  markets 
of  the  world.  This  may  be  malignant  sarcasm, 
or  it  may  be  the  ignorance  of  defective  informa- 


*  "  English  Lords'  Journal,"  1698,  pages  314,  315. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


2U 


^ion.  When  one  country  has  been  by  law  for- 
bidden to  engage  in  manufactures  or  commerce 
until  the  other  has  protected  and  nursed  her  own 
into  vigor  and  maturitj',  and  has  secured  posses- 
sion of  the  world's  markets,  the  invitation  to  the 
long-restricted  and  now  crippled  country  to 
""compete"  on  the  basis  of  free  trade,  is  as  much 
■of  a  mockery  as  to  call  for  a  race  between  a 
drained  athlete  and  a  half-crippled  captive, 
who  has,  moreover,  been  forcibly  and  foully 
■detained  till  the  other  has  neared  the  winning 
post. 

To  liberate  Irish  trade  from  such  restraints 
"was  now  the  resolve  of  the  patriot  partj'  in  the 
Irish  parliament.  On  October  12,  1779,  they  car- 
ried an  address  to  the  viceroy,  declaring  that 
"*'by  free  trade  alone"  could  the  nation  be  saved 
from  impending  ruin.  Again  England  ungra- 
ciously and  sourly  complied,  and  once  more 
■clogged  her  compliance  with  embittering  ad- 
xienda.  These  concessions,  which  the  secretary 
•of  state  was  assuring  the  Irish  parliament  were 
freely  bestowed  by  English  generosity,  were  no 
sooner  made  public  in  England  than  Mr.  Pitt 
had  to  send  circular  letters  to  the  manufacturing 
towns,  assuring  them  "that  nothing  effectual 
had  been  granted  in  Ireland." 

But  the  Irish  leaders  were  now  about  to  crown 
their  liberating  efforts  by  a  work  which  would 
henceforth  place  the  destinies  of  Irish  trade  be- 
yond the  power  of  English  jealousy,  and  beneath 
the  protecting  cegU  of  a  free  and  independent 
native  legislature.  On  April  19,  1780,  Grattan 
moved  that  resolution  which  is  the  sum  and  sub- 
stance in  its  simple  completeness  of  the  Irish 
national  constitutional  doctrine  :  "That  no  i^ower 
on  earth,  save  that  of  the  king,  lords,  and  com- 
mons of  Ireland,  has  a  right  to  make  laws  to  bind 
this  kingdom. " 

The  motion  was  unsuccessful;  but  this  was 
the  commencement  of  the  great  struggle;  and 
over  the  vital  issue  now  raised — complete  legis- 
lative independence — the  government  fought  with 
an  unscrupulous  energy.  Throughout  two  years 
the  contest  was  pursued  with  unintermitting 
severity,  when  suddenly  Europe  was  electrified 
by  the  intelligence  that  the  British  armies  had 
capitulated  to  the  "rebel  colonists,"  and  the 
"star-spangled  banner"  appeared  on  the  western 
iorizon,  proclaiming  the  birth  of  a  new  power 


destined  to  be  the  terror  of  tyrants,  the  hope  of 
the  oppressed,  all  over  the  world. 

It  was  England's  day  of  humiliation  and  dis- 
may. By  clutching  at  the  right  of  oppression  in 
her  hour  of  fancied  strength,  she  had  lost  Amer- 
ica. It  was  not  clear  that  through  the  same 
course  she  was  not  about  to  drive  Ireland  also 
from  the  demand  for  legislative  independence 
into  the  choice  of  complete  separation. 

The  Ulster  volunteers  now  decided  to  hold  a 
national  convention  of  delegates  from  every  citi- 
zen regiment  in  the  province.  On  the  day  fixed 
— Friday,  February  15,  1782 — and  at  the  ap- 
pointed place  of  meeting — the  Protestant  church 
of  Dungannon,  county  Tyrone,  the  convention 
assembled;  and  there,  amid  a  scene  the  most 
glorious  witnessed  in  Ireland  for  years,  the 
delegates  of  the  citizen  army  solemnly  swore 
allegiance  to  the  charter  of  national  liberty,  de- 
nouncing as  "unconstitutional,  illegal,  and  a 
grievance,"  "the  claim  of  any  body  of  men, 
other  than  the  king,  lords,  and  commons  of  Ire- 
land to  make  laws  to  bind  this  kingdom."  The 
Dungannon  resolutions  were  enthusiastically 
ratified  and  reasserted  by  the  several  volunteer 
corps,  the  municipal  corporations,  and  public 
meetings,  all  over  the  island ;  and  soon,  outside 
the  circle  of  corrupt  and  servile  castle  placemen, 
no  voice  durst  be  raised  against  the  demand  for 
liberty. 

A  conciliatory,  that  is,  a  temporizing,  ministry, 
now  came  into  power  in  London,  and  in  their 
choice  of  lord  lieutenant  for  Ireland — the  Duke 
of  Portland — ^they  found  a  very  suitable  man, 
apparently,  for  their  designs  or  experiments. 
But  the  duke  "on  his  arrival  found  the  nation  in 
a  state  in  which  neither  procrastination  nor  eva- 
sion was  any  longer  practicable."  He  reported 
to  England  the  danger  of  resistance  and  the  ad- 
visability of  temporizing,  that  is,  of  yielding  as 
little  as  possible,  but  j'ielding  all  if  necessary. 
Accordingly,  a  message  was  delivered  by  the 
king  to  the  British  parliament,  setting  forth 
"that  mistrusts  and  jealousies  had  arisen  in  Ire- 
land, and  that  it  was  highly  necessary  to  take 
the  same  into  immediate  consideration  in  order 
to  a  final  adjustment. "  Meanwhile  the  viceroy 
in  Dublin  was  plausibly  endeavoring  to  wheedle 
Grattan  and  the  other  patriot  leaders  into  pro- 
crastination, or,  failing  this,  to  tone  down,  to 


TUE  STOKY  OF  lUELAJND. 


"moderate,"  the  terms  of  the  popular  demand. 
Happily  Grattan  was  sternly  firm.  He  would 
not  consent  to  even  a  day's  postponement  of  the 
question,  and  he  refused  to  alter  a  jot  of  the  na- 
tional ultimatum.  An  eyewitness  has  described 
for  us  the  great  scene  of  April  16,  1782 : 

""Whoever  has  individually  experienced  the 
sensation  of  ai'dent  expectation,  trembling  sus- 
pense, burning  impatience,  and  determined  reso- 
lution, and  can  suppose  all  those  sensations  pos- 
sessing an  entire  nation,  may  form  some,  but  yet 
an  inadequate,  idea  of  the  feelings  of  the  Irish 
people  on  April  16,  1782,  which  was  the  day  i>er- 
emptorily  fixed  by  Mr.  Grattan  for  moving  that 
declaration  of  rights  which  was  the  proximate 
cause  of  Ireland's  short-lived  prosperity,  and  the 
remote  one  of  its  final  overthrow  and  annexation. 
So  high  were  the  minds  of  the  public  wound  up 
on  the  eve  of  that  momentous  day,  that  the 
volunteers  flew  to  their  arms  without  having  an 
enemy  to  encounter,  and,  almost  breathless  with 
impatience,  inquired  eagerly  after  the  probability 
of  events,  which  the  close  of  the  same  day  must 
certainly  determine. 

Early  on  April  16,  1782,  the  great  street  before 
the  house  of  parliament  was  thronged  by  a  multi- 
tude of  people  of  every  class  and  description, 
though  many  hours  must  elapse  before  the  house 
would  meet,  or  business  be  proceeded  with.  The 
parliament  had  been  summoned  to  attend  this 
momentous  question  by  an  unusual  and  special 
call  of  the  house,  and  by  four  o'clock  a  full 
meeting  took  place.  The  body  of  the  House  of 
Commons  was  crowded  with  its  members,  a  great 
proportion  of  the  peerage  attended  as  auditors, 
and  the  capacious  gallei-y  which  surrounded  the 
interior  magnificent  dome  of  the  house  contained 
above  four  hundred  ladies  of  the  highest  distinc- 
tion, who  partook  of  the  same  national  fire  which 
had  enlightened  their  parents,  their  husbands, 
and  their  relatives,  and  by  the  sympathetic  in- 
fluence of  their  presence  and  zeal  they  communi- 
cated an  instinctive  chivalrous  impulse  to  elo- 
quence and  patriotism. 

"A  calm  but  deep  solicitude  was  apparent  on 
almost  every  countenance  when  Mr.  Grattan 
entered,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Brownlow  and  sev- 
eral others,  the  determined  and  important  advo- 
cates for  the  declaration  of  Irish  independence. 
Mr.  Grattan's  preceding  exertions  and  anxiety 


had  manifestly  injui'ed  his  health;  his  tottering 
frame  seemed  barely  sufficient  to  sustain  his 
laboring  mind,  replete  with  the  unprecedented 
importance  and  responsibility  of  the  measure  he 
was  about  to  bring  forward."* 

"For  a  short  time,"  continues  Sir  Jonah  Bar- 
rington,  "a  profound  silence  ensued."  It  was 
expected  that  Grattan  would  rise;  but,  to  the 
mortification  and  confusion  of  the  government 
leaders,  he  kept  his  seat,  putting  on  them  the 
responsibility  of  opening  the  proceedings  and  of 
fixing  their  attitude  before  being  allowed  to 
"feel  their  way,"  as  they  greatly  desired  to  do. 
The  secretary  of  state,  resigning  himself  to  the 
worst,  thought  it  better  to  declare  for  conces- 
sion. He  announced  that  "his  majestj',  being 
concerned  to  find  that  discontents  and  jealousies 
were  prevailing  among  his  loj-al  subjects  in  Ire- 
land upon  matters  of  great  weight  and  impor- 
tance, recommended  to  the  house  to  take  the 
same  into  their  most  serious  consideration,  in 
order  to  effect  such  a  final  adjustment  as  might 
give  satisfaction  to  both  kingdoms. "  The  secre- 
tary, however,  added  that  he  was  not  officially 
authorized  to  say  more  than  to  deliver  the  mes- 
sage. 

After  an  interval  of  embarrassing  silence  and 
curiosity,  Mr.  George  Ponsonby  rose,  and  moved 
a  weak  and  procrastinating  reply,  "thanking  the 
king  for  his  goodness  and  condescension."  But 
it  would  not  do.  The  national  determination 
was  not  to  be  trifled  with.  At  length,  after  a 
solemn  pause,  Grattan,  slowly  rising  from  his 
seat,  commenced  "the  most  luminous,  brilliant, 
and  eflfective  oration  ever  delivered  in  the  Irish 
parliament;"  a  speech  which,  "rising  in  its 
progTess,  applied  equally  to  the  sense,  the  pride, 
and  the  spirit  of  the  nation."  "Amid  an  uni- 
versal cry  of  approbation,"  he  concluded  by 
moving  as  an  amendment  to  Mr.  Ponsonby's 
inconsequential  motion,  the  ever-memorable 
declaration  of  Irish  independence : 

"That  the  kingdom  of  Ireland  is  a  distinct 
kingdom,  with  a  parliament  of  her  own,  the  sole 
legislature  thereof ;  that  there  is  no  body  of  men 
competent  to  make  laws  to  bind  the  nation,  but 
the  king,  lords,  and  commons  of  Ireland,  nor  any 

*  Sir  Jonah  Barrington's  "  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Irislh 
Nation." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


213 


parliament  which  hath  any  authority  or  power  of 
any  sort  whatever  in  this  country,  save  only  the 
parliament  of  Ireland;  to  asure  his  majesty  that 
we  humbly  conceive  that  in  this  right  the  very 
essence  of  our  liberty  exists,  a  right  which  we, 
on  the  part  of  all  the  people  of  Ii'eland,  do  claim 
as  their  birthright,  and  which  we  cannot  yield 
but  with  our  lives." 

Grattan's  amendment  was  seconded  by  Mr. 
Brownlow,  member  for  Armagh  County,  in  point 
of  wealth  and  reputation  one  of  the  tirst  country 
gentlemen  in  Ireland.  "The  whole  house, "says 
Barrington,  "in  a  moment  caug^ht  the  patriotic 
flame.  All  further  debate  ceased;  the  speaker 
put  the  question  on  IVIi*.  Grattan's  amendment; 
an  unanimous  shout  of  'ay'  burst  from  everj- 
quarter  of  the  house.  He  repeated  the  question. 
The  applause  redoubled.  A  moment  of  tumult- 
ous exultation  followed;  and  after  centuries  of 
oppression,  Ireland  at  length  declared  herself  an 
independent  nation." 

Word  of  the  event  no  sooner  reached  the  im- 
patient crowd  outside  the  building  than  a  cry  of 
joy  and  triumph  burst  forth  all  over  the  city. 
"The  news  soon  spread  through  the  nation,  and 
the  rejoicings  of  the  people  wei'e  beyond  all  de- 
scription ;  every  city,  town,  and  village  in  Ire- 
land blazed  with  the  emblems  of  exultation,  and 
resounded  with  the  shouts  of  triumph." 

"Never  was  a  new  nation  more  nobly  heralded 
into  existence.  Never  was  an  old  nation  more 
reverently  and  tenderly  lifted  up  and  restored. 
The  houses  adjourned  to  give  England  time  to 
consider  Ii-eland's  ultimatum.  Within  a  month 
it  was  accepted  by  the  new  British  administra- 
tion."  The  "visionary"  and  "impracticable" 
idea  had  become  an  accomplished  fact.  The 
"splendid  phantom"  had  become  a  glorious 
reality.  The  heptarchy  had  not  been  restored; 
yet  Ireland  had  won  complete  legislative  in- 
dependence ! 


CHAPTER  LXXVm. 

WHAT  NATIONAL  INDEPENDENCE  ACCOMPLISHED  FOR  IRE- 
LAND HOW  ENGLAND  ONCE  MORE  BROKE  FAITH  WITH 

IRELAND,  AND  REPAID  GENEROUS  TRUST  WITH  BASE 
BETRAYAL. 

If  mankind  needed  at  so  late  a  period  of  the 
■world's  age  as  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 


tury, any  experiment  to  prove  the  substantial 
benefits  of  national  freedom,  the  progress  of  Ii-e- 
land  during  this  brief  but  bright  and  glorious 
era  of  independence  would  suffice  to  establish 
the  fact  forever.  Happily,  when  referring  to  the 
events  of  that  time,  we  treat  of  no  remote  period 
of  histoiy.  Living  men  remember  it.  Ii-ishmen 
of  this  generation  have  listened  at  their  parent's 
knee  to  reminiscences  and  relations,  facts  and 
particulars,  that  mark  it  as  the  day  of  Ireland's 
true,  real,  and  visible  prosperity.  Statistics — 
invulnerable — irrefragable — full  of  eloquence — 
momentous  in  their  meaning — attest  the  same 
truth.  Manufacture,  trade,  and  commerce  de- 
veloped to  a  greater  extent  in  ten  j'ears  of  native 
rule  than  thej-  had  done  in  the  previous  hundred 
under  English  mastei'y,  and  in  a  much  greater 
pi'oportion  than  they  have  developed  in  the  sixty- 
seven  years  of  subsequent  "union"  legislation. 

Ireland's  freedom  and  prosperitj''  did  not  mean 
England's  injury,  nor  England's  pause  in  the 
like  onward  march.  The  history  of  the  period 
we  are  now  treating  of  disposes  of  more  than  one 
fallacy  used  bj'  the  advocates  of  Irish  national 
extinction.  It  proves  that  Ireland's  i-ight  does 
not  involve  England's  wrong.  Never  before 
were  the  two  countries  more  free  from  jealousy, 
rivaliT,  or  hostilitj-.  Never  before  was  discon- 
tent banished  from  Ii'eland — as  never  since  has 
disaffection  been  absent. 

Lust  of  dominion — sheer  covetousness  of  mas- 
tery— has  in  all  ages  been  the  source  and  origin 
of  the  most  wanton  invasions  and  most  wicked 
subjugations.  Not  even  among  Englishmen 
themselves  does  any  writer  now  hesitate  to  char- 
acterize as  nefarious,  treacherous,  and  abomin- 
able, the  scheme  by  which  England  invaded  and 
overthrew  in  1800  the  happily  established  free- 
dom of  Ireland.* 


*  English  readers  as  yet  uninformed  on  tbe  subject,  and 
disposed  to  receive  with  hesitation  the  statemenls  of  Irish 
writers  as  to  the  infamous  means  resorted  to  by  the  Eng- 
lish government  to  overthrow  the  Irish  constitution  in  1800, 
may  be  referred  to  the  Castlereagh  Papers  and  tbe  Corn- 
wallis  Correspondence — the  private  letters  of  the  chief 
agents  in  the  scheme.  Mr.  Massey,  chairman  of  commit- 
tees in  the  English  House  of  Commons,  published  a  few 
rears  ago,  a  volume  which  exposes  and  characterizes  that 
nefarious  transaction  in  language  which  might  be  deemed 
too  strong  if  used  by  an  Irishman  feeling  the  wrong  and 
su&ering  from  it. 


•214 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Scarcely'  had  the  rusty  chain  of  "Poj'iiings' 
Act"  been  wrenched  off  than  the  English  minis- 
ter began  to  consider  how  a  stronger  one  might 
be  forged  and  bound  on  the  Jiberated  Irish 
nation.  The  king's  voice  characterized  the 
i>apP3'  and  amicable  settlement  just  concluded  as 
"linal. "  The  British  minister  and  the  British 
parliament  in  the  most  solemn  manner  declared 
"the  same;  and  surely  nothing  but  morbid  sus- 
piciousness could  discover  fair  ground  for  credit- 
ing that  England  would  play  Ireland  false  upon 
that  promise — that  she  would  seize  the  earliest 
■opportunity  of  not  merely  breaking  that  "final 
adjustment,"  and  shackling  the  Irish  parliament 
anew,  but  of  destroying  it  utterly  and  forever. 
Yet  there  were  men  among  the  Irish  patriots  who 
did  not  hesitate  to  express  such  suspicions  at  the 
moment,  and  foremost  among  these  was  Flood. 
He  pressed  for  further  and  more  specific  and 
formal  renunciation.  Grattan,  on  the  other 
hand,  violently  resisted  this,  as  an  ungenerous 
effort  to  put  England  "on  her  knees" — to  humil- 
iate her — to  plainly  treat  her  as  a  suspected 
blackleg.  On  this  issue  the  two  patriot  leaders 
violently,  acrimoniously,  and  irreconcilably  quar- 
reled ;  Flood  and  his  following  contending  that 
England  would  surely  betray  Ireland  on  the 
"final  adjustment,"  and  Grattan,  with  the  bulk 
of  the  national  party,  vehemently  refusing  to  put 
such  ungenerous  insult  and  indignity  on  Eng- 
land as  to  suppose  her  capable  of  such  conduct. 

Alas!  At  that  very  moment — as  the  now  pub- 
lished correspondence  of  the  English  statesmen 
engaged  in  the  transaction  discloses — the  British 
ministers  were  discussing,  devising,  and  direct- 
ing preparations  for  accomplishing,  by  the  most 
iniquitous  means,  that  crime  against  Ireland  of 
which  Grattan  considered  it  ungenerous  and 
wicked  to  express  even  a  suspicion. 

It  was  with  good  reason  the  national  partj', 
soon  after  the  accomplishment  of  legislative  in- 
dependence, directed  their  energies  to  the  ques- 
tion of  parliamentary  reform.  The  legislative 
body,  which  in  a  moment  of  great  public  excite- 
ment and  enthusiasm,  had  been  made  for  a 
moment  to  reflect  correctly  the  national  will,  was 
after  all  returned  by  an  antique  electoral  system 
which  was  a  gross  farce  on  representation. 
Boroughs  and  seats  were  at  the  time  openly  and 
literally  owned  by  particular  families  or  persons. 


the  voting  "constituency"  sometimes  not  being 
more  than  a  dozen  in  number.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  less  than  a  hundred  persons  owned  seats  or 
boroughs  capable  of  making  a  majority  in  the 
commons. 

The  patriot  party  naturally  and  wisely  judged 
that  with  such  a  parliament  the  retention  of  free- 
dom would  be  precarious,  and  the  representation 
of  the  national  will  uncertain ;  so  the  question  of 
parliamentary  reform  came  to  be  agitated  with  a 
vehemence  second  only  to  that  of  parliamentary  in- 
dependence in  the  then  recent  campaign.  By  this 
time,  however,  the  British  minister  had  equally 
detected  that  while  with  such  a  parliament  he 
might  accomplish  his  treacherous  designs,  with 
a  parliament  really  amenable  to  the  people,  he 
never  could.  Concealing  the  real  motive  and 
the  remote  object,  the  government,  through  its 
myriad  devious  channels  of  influence,  as  well  as 
openly  and  avowedly,  resisted  the  demand  for 
reform.  Apart  from  the  government,  the 
"vested  interests"  of  the  existing  sj'stem  were 
able  to  make  a  protracted  fight.  Ere  long  both 
these  sections  were  leagued  together,  and  they 
hopelessly  outnumbered  the  popular  party. 

The  government  now  began  to  feel  itself 
strong,  and  it  accordingly  commenced  the  work 
of  deliberately  destroying  the  parliament  of  Ire- 
land. Those  whom  it  could  influence,  purchase, 
or  corrupt,  were  one  by  one  removed  or  bought 
in  market  overt.  Those  who  were  true  to  honor 
and  duty,  it  insolently  threatened,  insulted,  and 
assailed.  The  popular  demands  Avere  treated 
with  defiance  and  contumely  by  the  minister 
and  his  co-conspirators.  Soon  a  malign  oppor- 
tunity presented  itself  for  putting  Ireland  utterly, 
hopelessly,  helplessly  into  their  hands^ — the 
sheep  committed  to  the  grasp  of  the  wolf  for 
security  and  protection! 


CHAPTER  LXXIX. 

HOW  THE  ENGLISH  MINISTER  SAW  HIS  ADVANTAGE  IN  PRO- 
VOKING IRELAND  INTO  AN  ARMED  STRUGGLE :  AND 
HOW  HEARTLESSLY  HE  LABORED  TO  THAT  END. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  in  Ireland 
the  French  revolution  had  burst  forth,  shaking 
the  whole  fabric  of  European  society,  rending 
old  systems  with  the  terrible  force  of  a  newly- 


THEOBALD  WOLFE  TONE. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


215 


appeared  explosive  power.  Everywhere  its  effects 
were  felt.  Everywhere  men  were  struck  with 
^wonder.  Everywhere  the  subtle  intoxication  of 
the  revolutionary  doctrines  symbolized  by  the 
terrible  drapeau  rouge,  fired  the  blood  of  polit- 
ical enthusiasts.  Some  hailed  the  birth  of  the 
French  republic  as  the  avatar  of  freedom  ;* 
others  saw  in  it  the  incarnation  of  anarchj'  and 
infidelity ;  an  organized  war  upon  social  order 
and  upon  the  Christian  religion.  It  instantly 
arrayed  all  Europe  in  two  fiercely  hostile  camps. 
Each  side  spoke  and  acted  with  a  passionate  en- 
-ergy.  Old  parties  and  schools  of  political 
thought  were  broken  up;  old  friendships  and 
alliances  were  sundered  forever,  on  the  question 
whether  the  French  revolution  was  an  emanation 
irom  hell  or  an  inspiration  from  heaven. 

Ireland,  so  peculiarly  circumstanced,  could 
not  fail  to  be  powerfully  moved  by  the  great 
drama  unfolded  before  the  world  in  Paris.  Side 
by  side  with  the  march  of  events  there,  from 
1789  to  1795,  was  the  revelation  of  England's 
treason  against  the  "final  adjustment"  of  Irish 
national  rights,  and  the  exasperating  demeanor, 

*Tbe  sentiments  evoked  in  the  breasts  of  most  Irish  pa- 
triots by  the  first  outburst  and  subsequent  proceedings  of 
the  French  revolution — enthusiasm,  joy,  and  hope,  fol- 
lowed by  grief,  horror,  and  despair — have  been  truthfully 
expressed  by  Moore  in  the  following  matchless  verses: 

■"  'Tis  gone  and  forever — the  light  we  saw  breaking 

Like  heaven's  first  dawn  o'er  the  sleep  of  the  dead  ; 
When  man  from  the  slumber  of  ages  awaking, 

Looked  upward  and  blessed  the  pure  ray  ere  it  fled. 
'Tis  gone — and  the  gleams  it  has  left  of  its  burning 
But  deepen  the  long  night  of  bondage  and  mourning 
That  dark  o'er  the  kingdoms  of  earth  is  returning, 
And  darkest  of  all,  hapless  Erin,  o'er  thee. 

For  high  was  thy  hope  when  those  glories  were  darting 
Around  thee  through  all  the  gross  clouds  of  the  world  : 

When  Truth,  from  her  fetters  indignantly  starting, 
At  once  like  a  sunburst  her  banner  unfurled  1 

Oh  !  never  shall  earth  see  a  moment  so  splendid. 

Then — then — had  one  Hymn  of  Deliverance  blended 

The  tongues  of  all  nations,  how  sweet  had  ascended 
The  first  note  of  liberty,  Erin,  from  thee  ! 

But  shame  on  those  tyrants  who  envied  the  blessing, 
And  shame  on  the  light  race  unworthy  its  good, 

Who  at  Death's  reeking  altar,  like  furies  caressing 
The  young  hope  of  Freedom,  baptized  it  in  blood  ! 

Then  vanished  forever  that  fair  sunny  vision 

Which,  spite  of  the  slavish,  the  cold  heart's  derision, 
Shall  long  be  remembered — pure,  bright,  and  elysian. 
As  first  it  arose,  my  lost  Erin,  on  thee  !" 


language,  and  action  of  the  government  in  its 
now  avowed  determination  to  conquer  right  by 
might.  At  the  close  of  1791,  Theobald  Wolfe 
Tone — a  young  Protestant  barrister  of  great  abil- 
ity, who  had  devoted  himself  to  the  service  of 
the  Catholics  in  their  efforts  for  emancipation — 
visiting  Belfast  (then  the  center  and  citadel  of 
democratic  and  liberal,  if  not  indeed  of  repub- 
lican opinions),*  met  there  some  of  the  popular 
leaders.  They  had  marked  the  treacherous  con- 
duct of  the  government,  and  they  saw  no  hope 
for  averting  the  ruin  designed  for  Ireland  save 
in  a  union  of  all  Irishmen,  irrespective  of  creed 
or  class,  in  an  open,  legal,  and  constitutional 
organization  for  the  accomplishment  of  parlia- 
mentary reform  and  Catholic  emancipation. 
Such  an  organization  they  forthwith  established. 
Tone,  on  his  return  to  Dublin,  pushed  its  opera- 
tions there,  and  it  soon  embraced  every  man  of 
note  on  the  people's  side  in  politics.  The  asso- 
ciation thus  established  was  called  the  Society  of 
United  Irishmen.  For  some  time  it  pursued  its 
labors  zealously,  and,  as  its  first  principles  ex- 
acted, openly,  legally,  and  constitutionally 
toward  the  attainment  of  its  most  legitimate 
objects.  But  the  government  was  winning 
against  the  United  Irish  leaders  by  strides — 
pandering  to  the  grossest  passions  and  vices  of 
the  oligarchical  party,  now  sedulously  inflamed 
against  all  popular  opinions  by  the  mad-dog  cry 
of  "French  principles."  One  by  one  the  popu- 
lar leaders,  tired  in  the  hopeless  struggle,  were 
overpowered  by  despair  of  resisting  the  gross 
and  naked  tyranny  of  the  government,  which  was 
absolutely  and  designedly  pushing  them  out  of 
constitutional  action.  Some  of  them  retired 
from  public  life.  Others  yielde  d  to  the  convic- 
tion that  outside  the  constitution,  if  not  within  it, 
the  struggle  might  be  fought,  and  the  United 
Irishmen  became  an  oath-bound  secret  society. 

From  the  first  hour  when  an  armed  struggle 
came  to  be  contemplated  by  the  United  Irish 
leaders,  they  very  naturally  fixed  their  hopes  on 
France;  and  envoys  passed  and  repassed  between 
them  and  the  French  Directory.  The  govern- 
ment had  early  knowledge  of  the  fact.  It  was  to 
them  news  the  most  welcome.  Indeed  they  so 

*  In  July  of  that  year  (1791),  the  French  revolution  was 
celebrated  with  military  pomp  in  Belfast  by  the  armed  vol- 
unteers and  townspeople. 


216 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


clearlj'  saw  their  advantage — their  certain  suc- 
cess— in  arraying  ou  their  side  all  who  feared  a 
Jacobin  revolution,  and  in  identifying  in  the 
minds  of  the  proi^erty  classes  anti-Englishism 
with  revolution  and  infidelity,  that  their  greatest 
anxiety  was  to  make  sui'O  that  the  United  Irish- 
men would  go  far  enough  and  deep  enough  into 
the  scheme.  And  the  government  left  nothing 
undone  to  secure  that  result. 

Meanwhile  the  society  in  its  new  character  ex- 
tended itself  with  marvelous  success.  Its  orga- 
nization was  ingenious,  and  of  course  its  leaders 
believed  it  to  be  "spy-proof. "  Nearb'  half  a 
million  of  earnest  and  determined  men  were  en- 
rolled, and  a  considerable  portion  of  them  were 
armed  either  with  pikes  or  muskets.  Indeed, 
for  a  moment  it  seemed  not  unlikely  that  the 
government  conspirators  might  find  they  had 
overshot  their  own  purpose,  and  had  allowed 
the  organization  to  develop  too  far.  Up  to  1796 
they  never  took  into  calculation  as  a  serious 
probability  that  France  would  really  cast  her 
powerful  aid  into  the  scale  with  Ireland.  In  the 
instant  when  England,  startled  beyond  concep- 
tion, was  awakened  to  her  error  on  this  point  by 
the  appearance  in  Bantry  Bay,  in  December, 
1796,  of  a  formidable  expedition  under  Hoche* 
— a  sense  of  danger  and  alarm  possessed  her,  and 
it  was  decided  to  burst  up  the  insurrectionaiT 
design — to  force  it  into  conflict  at  once — the 
peril  now  being  that  the  armed  and  organized 
Irish  might  "bide  their  time." 

To  drive  the  Irish  into  the  field — to  goad  them 
into  action  in  the  hour  of  England's  choice,  not 
their  own — was  the  problem.  Its  accomplish- 
ment was  arrived  at  by  proceedings  over  which 
the  historical  writer  or  student  shudders  in 
horror.  Early  in  1796,  an  Insurrection  Act  was 
passed,  making  the  administration  of  an  oath 
identical  with  or  similar  to  that  of  the  United 
Irishmen  punishable  with  death.  An  army  of 
fifty  thousand  men,  subsequently  increased  to 
eighty  thousand,  was  let  loose  upon  the  country 
on  the  atrocious  system  of  "free  quarters."  Ir- 


*Tbi.s  expedition  liad  been  obtained  from  tbe  French 
Directory  by  tbe  energy  and  j>erseverance  of  Wolfe  Tone, 
who  bad  been  obliged  to  fly  from  Ireland.  It  was  dispersed 
by  a  storm — a  hurricane — as  it  lay  in  Bantry  Bay  waiting 
the  arrival  of  the  comniander's  ship.  This  storm  saved  the 
English  power  in  Ireland. 


responsible  power  was  conferred  on  the  military 
officers  and  local  magistracy.  The  yeomanry, 
mainly  composed  of  Orangemen,  were  quartered 
on  the  most  Catholic  districts,  while  the  Irish 
militia  regiments  suspected  of  any  sympathy 
with  the  population  were  shipped  ofif  to  England 
in  exchange  for  foreign  troops.  "The  military 
tribunals  did  not  wait  for  the  idle  formalities  of 
the  civil  courts.  Soldiers  and  civilians,  yeomen 
and  townsmen,  against  whom  the  informer 
pointed  his  finger,  were  taken  out  and  summarily 
executed.  Ghastly  forms  hung  upon  the  thick- 
set gibbets,  not  only  in  the  market  places  of  the 
country  towns  and  before  the  public  prisons,  but 
on  all  the  bridges  of  the  metropolis.  The  hor- 
rid torture  of  picketing,  and  the  bloodstained 
lash,  were  constantly  resorted  to  to  extort  ac- 
cusations or  confessions."*  Lord  Holland  gives 
us  a  like  picture  of  "bm-ning  cottages,  tortured 
backs,  and  frequent  executions."  "The  fact  ia 
incontrovertible,"  he  says,  "that  the  people  of 
Ireland  were  driven  to  resistance  (which,  possi- 
bly, thej'  meditated  before)  by  the  free  quarters 
and  excesses  of  the  soldiery,  which  were  such  as 
are  not  permitted  in  civilized  warfare  even  in  an 
enemy's  country.  Dr.  Dickson,  Lord  Bishop  of 
Down,  assured  me  that  he  had  seen  families  re- 
turning peaceably  from  mass,  assailed  without 
provocation  by  drunken  troops,  and  yeomanry 
and  their  wives  and  daughters  exposed  to  every 
species  of  indignity,  brutality,  and  outrage, 
from  which  neither  his  (the  bishop's)  remon- 
strances nor  those  of  other  Protestant  gentle- 
men could  rescue  them,  "f 

No  wonder  the  gallant  and  humane  Sir  John 
Moore — appalled  at  the  infamies  of  that  lustful 
and  brutal  soldiei'y,  and  unable  to  repress  his 
sympathy  with  the  hapless  Irish  peasantry — 
should  have  exclaimed,  "If  I  were  an  Irishman,  I 
would  be  a  rebel !" 


CHAPTER  LXXX. 

HOW  THE   BRITISH    MINISTER   FORCED   ON   THE  RISING  

THE  FATE  OF  THE  BRAVE  LORD   EDWARD  HOW  THE 

BROTHERS  SHEARES  DIED  HAND  IN  HAND  THE  RIS- 
ING OF  NINETY-EIGHT. 

While  the  government,  by  such  frightful 
agencies,  was  trying  to  force  an  insurrection,  the 

*  M'Gee.    f  Lord  Holland,  "  Memoirs  of  the  Whig  Party." 


LORD  EDWARD  FITZGERALD. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


United  Irish  leaders  were  straining  every  energy 
to  keep  the  people  in  restraint  until  such  time  as 
they  could  strike  and  not  strike  in  vain.  But  in 
this  dreadful  game  the  government  was  sure  to 
•win  eventually.  By  a  decisive  blow  at  the  Soci- 
ety, on  March  12,  1798,  it  comi)elled  the  United 
Irishmen  to  take  the  field  forthwith  or  perish. 
This  was  the  seizure,  on  that  day,  in  one  swoop, 
of  the  Supreme  Council  or  Directory,  with  all  its 
returns,  lists,  and  muster-rolls,  while  sitting  in 
deliberation  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Oliver  Bond 
(one  of  the  council)  in  Bridge  Street,  Dublin. 

This  terrible  stroke  was  almost  irreparable. 
One  man,  however,  escaped  by  the  accident  of 
not  having  attended,  as  he  intended,  that  day's 
council  meeting ;  and  him  of  all  others  the  gov- 
ernment desired  to  capture.  This  was  Lord 
Edward  Fitzgerald,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Leiuster, 
commander-in-chief  of  the  United  Irish  military' 
organization. 

Of  all  the  men  who  have  given  their  lives  in 
the  fatal  struggle  against  the  English  yoke,  not 
■one  is  more  endeared  to  Irish  popular  affection 
than  "Lord  Edward. "  While  he  lived  he  was 
idolized;  and  with  truth  it  may  be  said  his 
memory  is  embalmed  in  a  nation's  tears.  He 
had  every  quality  calculated  to  win  the  hearts  of 
a  people  like  the  Irish.  His  birth,  his  rank,  his 
noble  lineage,  his  princely  bearing,  his  hand- 
some person,  his  frank  and  chivalrous  manner, 
his  generous,  warm  hearted  nature,  his  un- 
daunted courage,  and,  above  all,  his  ardent 
patriotism,  combined  to  render  Lord  Edward  the 
beau  ideal  of  a  popular  leader.  "He  was,"  says 
a  writer  whose  labors  to  assure  the  fame  and  vin- 
dicate in  history  the  gallant  band  of  whom  the 
youthful  Geraldine  was  among  the  foremost 
should  never  be  forgotten  by  Irishmen — "as 
playful  and  humble  as  a  child,  as  mild  and  timid 
as  a  lady,  and,  when  necessary,  as  brave  as  a 
lion.  "* 

Such  was  the  man  on  whose  head  a  price  of 
one  thousand  pounds  was  now  set  by  the  govern- 
ment. On  the  arrest  of  the  directory  at  Bond's, 
three  men  of  position  and  ability  stepped  for- 
ward into  the  vacant  council-seats;  the  brothers 
John  and  Henry  Sheares,  and  Dr.  Lawless;  and 
upon  these  and  Lord  Edward  now  devolved  the 

*  Dr.  R.  R.  Madden,  "Lives  aud  Times  of  the  United 
Irishmen." 


responsibility  of  controlling  the  organization. 
Lord  Edward  insisted  on  an  immediate  rising. 
He  saw  that  by  the  aid  of  spies  and  informers 
the  government  was  in  possession  of  their  inmost 
secrets,  and  that  every  day  would  be  ruining 
their  organization.  To  wait  further  for  aid 
from  France  would  be  utter  destruction  to  all 
their  plans.  Accordingly,  it  was  decided  that  on 
the  23d  of  May  next  following,  the  standard  of 
insurrection  should  be  unfurled,  and  Ii-eland 
appeal  to  the  ultima  ratio  of  oppressed  nations. 

The  government  heard  this,  through  their 
spies,  with  a  sense  of  relief  and  of  diabolical  sat- 
isfaction. Efforts  to  secure  Lord  Edward  were 
now  pursued  with  desperate  activity;  yet  he 
remained  in  Dublin  eluding  his  enemies  for 
eight  weeks  after  the  ai-rests  at  Bond's,  guarded, 
convoyed,  sheltered  by  the  people  with  a  devo- 
tion for  which  history  has  scarcely  a  parallel. 
The  23d  of  May  was  approaching  fast,  and  still 
Lord  Edward  was  at  large.  The  castle  conspira- 
tors began  to  fear  that  after  all  their  machina- 
tions they  might  find  themselves  face  to  face  with 
an  Irish  Washington.  Within  a  few  days,  how- 
ever, of  the  ominous  23d,  treason  gave  them  the 
victory,  and  placed  the  noble  Geraldine  within 
their  grasp. 

On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  May  he  was 
brought  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Nicholas  Murphy, 
a  feather  merchant,  of  153  Thomas  Street.  He 
had  been  secreted  in  this  same  house  before,  but 
had  been  removed,  as  it  was  deemed  essential  to 
change  his  place  of  concealment  very  frequently. 
After  spending  some  short  time  at  each  of  several 
other  places  in  the  interval,  he  was,  on  the  night 
already  mentioned,  a  second  time  brought  to  Mr. 
Murphy's  house.  On  the  evening  of  the  next 
day.  Lord  Edward,  after  dining  with  his  host, 
retired  to  his  chamber,  intending  to  lie  down 
for  awhile,  being  ill  with  a  cold.  Mr.  Murphy 
followed  him  upstairs  to  speak  to  him  about 
something,  when  the  noise  of  feet  softly  but 
quickly  springing  up  the  stair  caught  his  ear, 
and  instantly  the  door  was  thrown  open  and  a 
police  magistrate  named  Swan,  accompanied  by 
a  soldier,  rushed  into  the  room.  Lord  Edward 
was  lying  on  the  bed  with  his  coat  and  vest  off. 
He  sprang  from  the  bed,  snatching  from  under 
the  pillow  a  dagger.  Swan  thrust  his  right 
hand  into  an  inside  breast  pocket  where  his  pis- 


218 


THE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


tols  vcere;  but  Lord  Edward,  divining  the 
object,  struck  at  that  spot,  and  sent  his  dagger 
through  Swan's  hand,  penetrating  his  body. 
Swan  shouted  that  he  was  "murdered ;"  never- 
theless, with  his  wounded  hand  he  managed  to 
draw  his  iiistol  and  fire  at  Lord  Edward.  The 
shot  missed ;  but  at  this  moment  another  of  the 
police  party,  named  Eyan  (a  yeomanry  captain), 
rushed  in,  armed  with  a  drawn  cane-sword,  and 
Major  Sirr,  with  half  a  dozen  soldiers,  hurried 
upstairs.  Ej'an  flung  himself  on  Lord  Edward, 
and  tried  to  hold  him  down  on  the  bed,  but  he 
could  not,  and  the  pair,  locked  in  deadly  combat, 
rolled  upon  the  floor.  Lord  Edward  received 
some  deadly  thrusts  from  Ryan's  sword,  but  he 
succeeded  in  freeing  his  right  hand,  and  quick 
as  he  could  draw  his  arm,  plunged  the  dagger 
again  and  again  into  Ryan's  body.  The  j'eo- 
manry  captain,  though  wounded  mortally  all 
over,  ■«  as  still  struggling  with  Lord  Edward  on 
the  floor  when  Sirr  and  the  soldiers  arrived. 
Sirr,  pistol  in  hand,  feared  to  grapple  with  the 
enraged  Geraldine ;  but,  watching  his  oppor- 
tunity, took  deliberate  aim  at  him  and  fired. 
The  ball  struck  Lord  Edward  in  the  right  shoul- 
der; the  dagger  fell  from  his  grasp,  and  Sirr  and 
the  soldiers  flung  themselves  upon  him  in  a 
body.  Still  it  required  their  .utmost  efforts  to 
hold  him  down,  some  of  them  stabbing  and  hack- 
ing at  him  with  shortened  swords  and  clubbed 
pistols,  while  others  held  him  fast.  At  length, 
■weakened  from  wounds  and  loss  of  blood,  he 
fainted.  They  took  a  sheet  off  the  bed  and 
rolled  the  almost  inanimate  body  in  it,  and 
dragged  their  victim  down  the  narrow  stair. 
The  floor  of  the  room,  all  over  blood,  an  eye- 
witness says,  resembled  a  slaughter-house,  and 
even  the  walls  were  dashed  with  gore. 

Meantime  a  crowd  had  assembled  in  the  street, 
attracted  by  the  presence  of  the  soldiers  around 
the  house.  The  instant  it  became  known  that  it 
was  Lord  Edward  that  had  been  captured,  the 
peojjle  flung  themselves  on  the  military,  and 
after  a  desperate  struggle  had  overpowered  them 
but  for  the  aiTival  of  a  large  body  of  cavalry, 
who  eventually  succeeded  in  bringing  off  Lord 
Edward  to  the  castle. 

Here  his  wounds  were  dressed.  On  being  told 
by  the  doctor  that  they  were  not  likely  to  prove 
fatal,  he  exclaimed:  "I  am  sorry  to  hear  it. "  i 


He  was  removed  to  Newgate,  none  of  his  friends 
being  allowed  access  to  him  until  the  3d  of  June, 
when  they  were  told  that  he  was  dying.  His 
aunt.  Lady  Louisa  Connolly,  and  his  brother. 
Lord  Henry  Fitzgerald,  were  then  permitted  to 
see  him.  They  found  him  delirious.  As  he  lay 
on  his  fever  pallet  in  the  dark  and  narrow  cell  of 
that  accursed  bastile,  his  ears  were  dinned  with 
horrid  noises  that  his  brutal  jailers  took  care  to 
tell  him  were  caused  by  the  workmen  erecting 
barriers  around  the  gallows  fixed  for  a  forthcom- 
ing execution. 

Next  day,  June  4,  1798,  he  expired.  As  he 
died  unconvicted,  his  body  was  given  up  to  his 
friends,  but  onlj'  on  condition  that  no  funeral 
would  be  attempted.  In  the  dead  of  night  thej- 
conveyed  the  last  remains  of  the  noble  Lord  Ed- 
ward from  Newgate  to  the  Kildare  vault  beneath 
St.  Werburgh's  Protestant  Church,  Dublin,, 
where  they  now  repose. 

A  few  days  after  Lord  Edward's  capture — on 
Monday,  21st  of  May — the  brothers  Sheares 
were  arrested,  one  at  his  residence  in  Lower 
Baggot  Street,  the  other  at  a  friend's  house  in 
French  Street,  having  been  betraj'ed  by  a  gov- 
ernment agent  named  Armstrong,  who  had 
wormed  himself  into  their  friendship  and  confi- 
dence for  the  purpose  of  effecting  their  ruin. 
On  the  evening  previous  to  their  capture  he  was 
a  guest  in  the  bosom  of  their  family,  sitting  at 
their  fireside,  fondling  on  his  knee  the  infant 
child  of  one  of  the  victims,  whose  blood  was  to 
drip  from  the  scaffold  in  Green  Street,  a  few 
weeks  later,  through  his  unequalled  infamy! 

On  the  12th  of  July,  John  and  Henry  Sheares. 
were  brought  to  trial,  and  the  fiend  Armstrong 
appeared  on  the  witness  table  and  swore  away 
their  lives.  Two  days  afterward  the  martyr- 
brothers  were  executed,  side  by  side.  Indeed 
they  fell  through  the  drop  hand  clasped  in  hand, 
having,  as  they  stood  blindfolded  on  the  trap,  in 
the  brief  moment  before  the  bolt  was  drawn,  by 
an  instinct  of  holy  affection  strong  in  death, 
each  one  reached  out  as  best  he  could  his  pin~ 
ioned  hand,  and  grasped  that  of  his  brother! 

The  capture  of  Lord  Edward,  so  quickly  fol- 
lowed by  the  arrest  of  the  brothers  Sheares,  was 
a  death-blow  to  the  insurrection,  as  far  as  con- 
cerned any  preconcerted  movement.  On  the 
night  of  the  appointed  day  an  abortive  rising 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


219: 


took  place  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  metropo- 
lis. On  the  same  day  Kildare,  Lord  Edward's 
county,  took  the  field,  and  against  hopeless  dis- 
advantages made  a  gallant  stand.  Meath  also 
kept  its  troth,  as  did  Down  and  Antrim  in  the 
north  keep  theirs,  but  only  to  a  like  bloody  sac- 
rifice, and  in  a  few  days  it  seemed  that  all  was 
over.  But  a  county  almost  free  from  complicity 
in  the  organization,  a  county  in  which  no  one  on 
either  side  had  apprehended  revolt,  was  now 
about  to  show  the  world  what  L-ish  peasants, 
driven  to  desperation,  defending  their  homes  and 
altars,  could  dare  and  do.  Wexford,  heroic  and 
glorious  Wexford,  was  now  about  to  show  that 
even  one  county  of  Ireland's  thirty-two  could 
engage  more  than  half  the  available  army  of 
England! 

Wexford  rose,  not  in  obedience  to  any  call 
from  the  United  Irish  organization,  but  purely 
and  solely  from  the  instinct  of  self-preservation. 
Although  there  was  probably  no  district  in  Ire- 
land so  free  from  participation  in  the  designs  of 
that  association  (there  were  scarcely  two  hun- 
dred enrolled  United  Irishmen  among  its  entire 
population),  all  the  horrors  of  free  quarters  and 
martial  law  had  been  let  loose  on  the  county. 
Atrocities  that  sicken  the  heart  in  their  contem- 
plation, filled  with  terror  the  homes  of  that 
peaceful  and  inoffensive  people.  The  midnight 
skies  were  reddened  with  the  flames  of  burning 
cottages,  and  the  glens  resounded  with  shrieks 
of  agony,  vengeance,  and  despair.  Homes  deso- 
lated, female  virtue  made  the  victim  of  crimes 
that  cannot  be  named,  the  gibbet  and  the  triangle 
erected  in  every  hamlet,  and  finally,  the  temples 
of  God  desecrated  and  given  to  the  torch,  left 
manhood  in  Wexford  no  choice  but  that  which  to 
its  eternal  honor  it  made. 

Well  and  brave-ly  Wexford  fought  that  fight. 
It  was  the  wild  rush  to  arms  of  a  tortured  peas- 
antry, unprepai-ed,  unorganized,  unarmed.  Yet 
no  Irishman  has  need  to  "hang  his  head  for 
shame"  when  men  speak  of  gallant  Wexford  in 
Ninety-eight.  Battle  for  battle,  the  men  of  that 
county  beat  the  best  armies  of  the  king,  until 
their  relative  forces  became  out  of  all  proportion. 
Neither  Tell  in  Switzerland  nor  Hofer  in  the 
Tyrol  earned  immortality  more  gloriously  than 
that  noble  band  of  "the  sister  counties, "  Wex- 
ford and  Wicklow — Beauchamp  Bagenal  Harvey ; 


Colclough  of  Tintern  Abbey ;  Fitzgerald  of  New- 
park;  Miles  Bj'rne,  and  Edmond  Kyan,  m  the 
one;  and  the  patriot  brothers  Byrne  of  Bally- 
manus,  with  Holt,  Hackett,  and  "brave  Michael 
Dwyer, ' '  in  the  other.  And,  as  he  who  studies 
the  history  of  this  country  will  note,  in  all  its- 
struggles  for  seven  hundred  years,  the  priests  of 
Ireland,  ever  fearless  to  brave  the  anger  of  the 
maddened  people,  restraining  them  while  con- 
flict might  be  avoided,  were  ever  readiest  to  diet 

Whether  on  the  scaffold  high 
Or  in  the  battle's  van — 

side  by  side  with  the  people,  when  driven  to  the- 
last  resort.  Fathers  John  and  Michael  Murphy, 
Father  Roche,  and  Father  Clinch,  are  names  that 
should  ever  be  remembered  by  Irishmen  when 
tempters  whisper  that  the  voice  of  the  Catholic 
pastor,  raised  in  warning  or  restraint,  is  the  ut- 
terance of  one  who  cannot  feel  for,  who  would 
not  die  for,  the  flock  he  desires  to  save. 

Just  as  the  short  and  bloody  struggle  had  ter- 
minated, there  appeared  in  Killala  Bay  the  first 
instalment  of  that  aid  from  France  for  which  the 
United  Irish  leaders  had  desired  to  wait.  If 
they  could  have  resisted  the  government  endeav- 
ors to  precipitate  the  rising  for  barely  three  or 
four  months  longer,  it  is  impossible  to  say  how 
the  movement  might  have  resulted.  On  the  22d 
of  August  the  French  general,  Humbert,  landed 
at  Killala  with  barely  one  thousand  men.  Miser- 
able as  was  this  force,  a  few  months  earlier  it 
would  have  counted  for  twenty  thousand ;  but 
now,  ten  thousand,  much  less  ten  hundred, 
would  not  avail  They  came  too  late,  or  the  ris- 
ing was  too  soon.  Nevertheless,  with  this  hand- 
ful of  men,  joined  by  a  few  thousand  hardy  Maj-o 
peasantry,  Humbert  literally  chased  the  govern- 
ment troops  before  him  across  the  island;  and  it 
was  not  until  the  viceroy  himself,  Lord  Corn- 
wallis,  hurrying  from  Dublin,  concentrated 
around  the  Franco-Irish  army  of  three  thousand 
men  a  force  of  nearly  thirty  thousand,  envelop- 
ing them  on  all  sides — and,  of  course,  hopelessly 
overpowering  them — that  the  victorious  march 
of  the  daring  Frenchman  was  arrested  by  the 
complete  defeat  and  capitulation  of  Ballinamuck, 
on  the  morning  of  September  8,  1798. 

It  was  the  last  battle  of  the  insurrection. 
Within  a  fortnight  subsequently  two  further  and 


2-20  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


smaller  expeditions  from  France  reached  the 
northern  coast ;  one  accompanied  by  Napper 
Tandj-  (an  exiled  United  Irish  leader),  and 
another  under  Admiral  Bompart  with  Wolfe 
Tone  on  board.  The  latter  one  was  attacked  bj' 
a  x^owerfiil  English  fleet  and  captured.  Tone, 
the  heroic  and  indefatigable,  was  sent  in  irons  to 
Dublin,  where  he  was  tried  by  court-martial  and 
sentenced  to  be  hung.  He  pleaded  hard  for  a 
soldier's  death;  but  his  judges  were  inexorable. 
It  turned  out,  however,  that  his  trial  and  convic- 
tion were  utterly  illegal,  as  martial  law  had 
ceased,  and  the  ordinary  tribunals  were  sitting 
at  the  time.  At  the  instance  of  the  illustrious 
Irish  advocate,  orator,  and  patriot,  Curran,  an 
order  was  obtained  against  the  military  authori- 
ties to  deliver  Tone  over  to  the  civil  court.  The 
order  was  at  first  resisted,  but  ultimately  the 
official  of  the  court  was  informed  that  the  pris- 
oner "had  committed  suicide."  He  died  a  few 
days  after,  of  a  wound  in  his  throat,  possibly  in- 
flicted by  himself,  t©  avert  the  indignity  he  so 
•earnestly  deprecated;  but  not  improbably,  as 
popular  conviction  has  it,  the  work  of  a  murder- 
ous hand ;  for  fouler  deeds  were  done  in  the  gov- 
ernment dungeons  in  "those  dark  and  evil  days. " 

The  insurrection  of  '98  was  the  first  rebellion 
on  the  part  of  the  Irish  people  for  hundreds  of 
;y'ears.  The  revolt  of  the  Puritan  colonists  in 
1641,  and  that  of  their  descendants,  the  Protes- 
tant rebels  of  1690,  were  not  Irish  movements  in 
any  sense  of  the  phrase.  It  was  only  after  1605 
that  the  English  government  could,  by  any  code 
of  moral  obligations  whatever,  be  held  entitled 
to  the  obedience  of  the  Irish  people,  whose 
struggles  previous  to  that  date  were  lawful  efforts 
in  defense  of  their  native  and  legitimate  rulers 
againsi  the  English  invaders.  And  never,  sub- 
sequently to  1605,  up  to  the  period  at  which  we 
have  now  arrived — 1798 — did  the  Irish  people 
revolt  or  rebel  against  the  new  sovereignty.  On 
the  contrary,  in  1641,  thej'  fought  for  the  king, 
and  lost  heavily  by  their  loyalty.  In  1690  once 
more  they  fought  for  the  king,  and  again  they 
paid  a  terrible  penalty  for  their  fidelity  to  the 
sovereign.  In  plain  truth,  the  Irish  are,  of  all 
people,  the  most  disposed  to  respect  constituted 
authority  where  it  is  entitled  to  respect,  and  the 
most  ready  to  repay  even  the  shortest  measure  of 
justice  on  the  part  of  the  sovereign  by  generous, 


faithful,  enduring,  and  self-sacrificing  loyalty. 
They  are  a  law-abiding  people — or  rather  a  jus- 
tice-loving people;  for  their  contempt  for  law 
becomes  extreme  when  it  is  made  the  antithesis 
of  justice.  Nothing  but  terrible  provocation 
could  have  driven  such  a  people  into  rebellion. 

Rebellion  against  just  and  lawful  government 
is  a  great  crime.  Rebellion  against  constituted 
government  of  any  character  is  a  terrible  respon- 
sibility. There  are  circumstances  under  which 
resistance  is  a  duty,  and  where,  it  may  be  said, 
the  crime  would  be  rather  in  slavish  or  cowardly 
acquiescence ;  but  awful  is  the  accountability  of 
him  who  undertakes  to  judge  that  the  measure  of 
justification  is  full,  that  the  moral  duty  of  resist- 
ance is  established  by  the  circumstances,  and 
that  not  merely  in  figure  of  speech,  but  in  solemn 
reality,  no  other  resort  remains. 

But,  however  all  this  may  be,  the  public  code 
of  which  it  is  a  part  rightly  recognizes  a  great 
distinction  in  favor  of  a  people  who  are  driven 
into  the  field  to  defend  their  homes  and  altars 
against  brutal  military  violence.  Such  were  the 
heroic  men  of  Wexford ;  and  of  the  United  Irish- 
men it  is  to  be  remembered  that  if  they  pursued 
an  object  unquestionably  good  and  virtuous 
itself,  outside,  not  within,  the  constitution,  it 
was  not  by  their  own  choice.  They  were  no 
apostles  of  anarchy,  no  lovers  of  revolution,  no 
"rebels  for  a  theory."  They  were  not  men  who 
decried  or  opposed  the  more  peaceful  action  of 
moral  force  agencies.  They  would  have  pre- 
ferred them,  had  a  choice  fairly  been  left  them. 
There  was  undoubtedly  a  French  Jacobinical 
spirit  tingeing  the  views  of  many  of  the  Dublin 
and  Ulster  leaders  toward  the  close,  but  under  all 
the  circumstances  this  was  inevitable.  With 
scarcely  an  exception,  they  were  men  of  exemplary 
moral  characters,  high  social  position,  of  unsul- 
lied integrity,  of  brilliant  intellect,  of  pure  and 
lofty  patriotism.  They  were  men  who  honestly 
desired  and  endeavored,  while  it  was  permitted 
to  them  so  to  do,  by  lawful  and  constitutional 
means,  to  save  and  serve  their  country,  but  who, 
by  an  infamous  conspiracy  of  the  government, 
were  deliberately  forced  upon  resistance  as  a 
patriot's  duty,  and  who  at  the  last  sealed  with 
their  blood  their  devotion  to  Ireland. 

"More  than  twenty  years  have  passed  away," 
says  Lord  Holland;  "many  of  my  political  opin- 


THE  STORY 

"ions  are  softened,  my  predilections  for  some  men 
"weakened,  my  prejudices  against  others  re- 
moved; but  my  approbation  of  Lord  Edward 
Fitzgerald's  actions  remains  unaltered  and  un- 
shaken. His  country  was  bleeding  under  one  of 
the  hardest  tyrannies  that  our  times  have  wit- 
nessed. He  who  thinks  that  a  man  can  be  even 
■excused  in  such  circumstances  by  any  other  con- 
^sideration  than  that  of  despair  from  opposing  by 
force  a  pretended  government,  seems  to  me  to 
sanction  a  principle  which  would  insure  impunitj^ 
to  the  greatest  of  all  human  delinquents,  or  at 
least  to  those  who  produce  the  greatest  misery 
:among  mankind."* 


CHAPTEE  LXXXI. 

HOW   THE  GOVERNMENT  CONSPIRACY  NOW  ACHIEVED  ITS 

PURPOSE  HOW  THE  PARLIAMENT   OF  IRELAND  WAS 

EXTINGUISHED. 

"Horrors,"  says  Sir  Jonah  Barrington,  "were 
•everywhere  recommenced,  executions  were  multi- 
piled.  The  government  had  now  achieved  the 
very  climax  of  public  terror  on  which  they  had 
■so  much  counted  for  inducing  Ireland  to  throw 
herself  into  the  arms  of  the  'protecting'  country. 
Mr.  Pitt  conceived  that  the  moment  had  arrived 
to  try  the  effect  of  his  previous  measures,  to 
promote  a  legislative  union,  and  annihilate  the 
parliament  of  Ireland." 

"On  January  22,  1799,  the  Irish  legislature 
TQet  under  circumstances  of  great  interest  and 
excitement.  The  city  of  Dublin,  always  keenly 
•alive  to  its  metropolitan  interests,  sent  its  eager 
thousands  by  every  avenue  toward  College 
-Green.  The  viceroy  went  down  to  the  houses 
with  a  more  than  ordinary  guard,  and  being 
seated  on  the  throne  in  the  House  of  Lords,  the 
Commons  were  summoned  to  the  bar.  The  vice- 
regal speech  congratulated  both  houses  on  the 
suppression  of  the  late  rebellion,  on  the  defeat 
of  Bompart's  squadron,  and  the  recent  French 
victories  of  Lord  Nelson ;  then  came,  amid  pro- 
found expectation,  this  concluding  sentence : 

"  'The  unremitting  industry,'  said  the  vice- 
roy, 'with  which  our  enemies  persevere  in  their 
avowed  design  of  endeavoring  to  effect  a  separa- 


OF  IRELAND.  221 

tion  of  this  kingdom  from  Great  Britain  must 
have  engaged  your  attention,  and  his  majesty 
commands  me  to  express  his  anxious  hope  that 
this  consideration,  joined  to  the  sentiment  of 
mutual  affection  and  common  interest,  may  dis- 
pose the  parliaments  in  both  kingdoms  to  pro- 
vide the  most  effectual  means  of  maintaining  and 
improving  a  connection  essential  to  their  com- 
mon security,  and  of  consolidating,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, into  one  firm  and  lasting  fabric,  the 
strength,  the  power,  and  the  resources  of  the 
British  empire.' 

"On  the  paragraph  of  the  address  re-echoing 
this  sentiment  (which  was  carried  by  a  large 
majority  in  the  Lords)  a  debate  ensued  in  the 
Commons  which  lasted  till  one  o'clock  of  the  fol- 
lowing day — above  twenty  consecutive  hours. 
The  galleries  and  lobbies  were  crowded  all  night 
by  the  first  people  of  the  city,  of  both  sexes,  and 
when  the  division  was  being  taken  the  most  in- 
tense anxiety  was  manifested  within  doors  and 
without.  "* 

"One  hundred  and  eleven  members  had  de- 
clared against  the  Union  and  when  the  doors 
were  opened,  one  hundred  and  five  were  discov- 
ered to  be  the  total  number  of  the  minister's 
adherents.  The  gratification  of  the  anti-Union- 
ists was  unbounded;  and  as  they  walked  deliber- 
ately in,  one  by  one,  to  be  counted,  the  eager 
spectators,  ladies  as  well  as  gentlemen,  leaning 
over  the  galleries  ignorant  of  the  result,  were 
panting  with  expectation.  Lady  Castlereagh, 
then  one  of  the  finest  women  of  the  court,  ap- 
peared in  the  sergeant's  box,  palpitating  for  her 
husband's  fate.  The  desponding  appearance  and 
fallen  crests  of  the  ministerial  benches,  and  the 
exulting  air  of  the  opposition  members  as  they 
entered,  were  intelligible.  The  murmurs  of  sup- 
pressed anxiety  would  have  excited  an  interest 
even  in  the  most  unconnected  stranger,  who  had 
known  the  objects  and  importance  of  the  contest. 
How  much  more,  therefore,  must  every  Irish 
breast  which  panted  in  the  galleries,  have  experi- 
enced that  thrilling  enthusiasm  which  accom- 
panies the  achievement  of  patriotic  actions,  when 
the  minister's  defeat  was  announced  from  the 
chair !    A  due  sense  of  respect  and  decorum  re- 


*Lord  Holland,  "Memoirs  of  ♦be  Whig  Party. 


*  M'Gee. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


stxained  the  galleries  within  proper  bounds ;  but 
a  low  cry  of  satisfaction  from  the  female  audi- 
ence could  not  be  prevented,  and  no  sooner  was 
the  event  made  known  out  of  doors  than  the 
crowds  that  had  waited  during  the  entire  night 
with  increasing  impatience  for  the  vote  which 
was  to  decide  on  the  independence  of  their  coun- 
try, sent  forth  loud  and  reiterated  shouts  of  ex- 
ultation, which,  resounding  through  the  corri- 
dors, and  penetrating  to  the  bodj'  of  the  house, 
added  to  the  triumph  of  the  conquerors,  and  to 
the  misery  of  the  adherents  of  the  conquered 
minister.  "* 

The  minister  was  utterly  and  unexpectedly 
worsted  in  his  first  attack ;  but  he  was  not 
shaken  from  his  purpose.  He  could  scarcely 
have  credited  that,  notwithstanding  his  previous 
laborious  machinations  of  terror  and  seduction, 
there  could  still  be  found  so  much  of  virtue, 
courage,  and  independence  in  the  parliament. 
However,  this  bitter  defeat  merely  caused  him  to 
fall  back  for  the  purpose  of  approaching  by  mine 
the  citadel  he  had  failed  to  carry  by  assault. 
The  majority  against  him  was  narrow.  The 
gaining  of  twenty  or  thirty'  members  would  make 
a  difference  of  twice  that  number  on  a  division. 
"All  the  weapons  of  seduction  were  in  his 
hands,"  says  Sir  Jonah  Barriugton,  "and  to 
acquire  a  majority,  he  had  only  to  overcome  the 
wavering  and  the  feeble."  "Thirtj'-two  new 
county  judgeships,"  says  another  writer,  "were 
created ;  a  great  number  of  additional  inspector- 
ships were  also  i)laced  at  the  minister's  disposal ; 
thirteen  members  had  peerages  for  themselves  or 
for  their  wives,  with  remainder  to  their  children, 
and  nineteen  others  were  presented  to  various 
lucrative  offices." 

Both  parties — Unionists  and  anti-Unionists, 
traitors  and  patriots — felt  that  during  the  jiarlia- 
meutary  recess  the  issue  would  really  be  decided ; 
for  by  the  time  the  next  session  opened  the  min- 
ister would  have  secured  his  majority  if  such  an 
end  was  possible.  The  interval,  accordingly, 
was  one  of  painfully  exciting  struggle,  each 
party  straining  every  energy.  The  government 
had  a  persuasive  storj-  for  every  sectional  inter- 
est in  the  country.  It  secretly  assured  the 
Catholic  bishops,  nay,  solemnly  pledged  itself, 

*Sir  Jonab  Barrington,  "Rise  and  Fall  of  tLe  Irish 
Nation." 


that  if  the  Union  were  carried,  one  of  the  first, 
acts  of  the  imperial  parliament  should  be  Catholic 
emancipation.  "An  Irish  parliament  will  never 
grant  it,  can  never  affoi'd  to  grant  it,"  said  the 
castle  tempter.  "The  fears  of  the  Protestant 
minority  in  this  country  will  make  them  too 
much  afraid  of  you.  We  alone  can  afford  to  rise 
above  this  miserable  diead  of  your  numbers." 
To  the  Protestants,  on  the  other  hand,  the  min- 
ister held  out  arguments  just  as  insidious,  as 
treacherous,  and  as  fraudulent.  "Behold  the 
never-ceasing  efforts  of  these  Catholics!  Do 
what  you  will,  some  day  they  must  overwhelm 
you,  being  seven  to  one  against  you.  There  is. 
no  safety  for  you,  no  security  for  the  Irish  Prot- 
estant Church  Establishment,  unless  in  a  union 
with  us.  In  Ireland,  as  a  kingdom,  you  are  in  a 
miserable  minority,  sure  to  be  some  day  over- 
whelmed and  destroj-ed.  United  to  Great  Bri- 
tain, you  will  be  an  indivisible  part  of  one  vast 
Protestant  majority,  and  can  afford  to  defy  the 
Papists." 

Again,  to  the  landed  gentry,  the  terrors  of 
"French  principles,"  constant  plots  and  rebel- 
lions ,  were  artfully  held  forth.  "No  safety  for 
society,  no  security  for  property,  except  in  a 
union  with  Great  Britain."  Even  the  populace, 
the  peasantry,  were  attempted  to  be  overreached 
also,  by  inflaming  them  against  the  landlords  as. 
base  yeomanry  tj'rants,  whose  fears  of  the  people 
would  ever  make  them  merciless  oppressors. 

And  it  is  curious  to  note  that  in  that  day — 
1799  and  1800 — the  identical  great  things  that  in 
our  own  time  are  still  about  to  happen,  and  have 
always  been  about  to  happen  (but  are  never  hap- 
pening) since  1800,  were  loudly  proclaimed  as 
the  inevitable  first  fruits  of  a  union.  "English 
capital"  was  to  flow  into  Ireland  by  the  million, 
"owing, "  as  the  ministerialists  sagaciously  put 
it,  "to  the  stability  of  Irish  institutions  when, 
guaranteed  hy  the  union."  Like  infallible 
arguments  were  ready  to  show  that  commerce 
must  instantaneously  expand  beyond  calculation, 
and  manufactures  spring  up  as  if  by  magic,  all 
over  the  island.  Peace,  tranquillitj',  prosperity, 
contentment,  and  loj-alty,  must,  it  was  likewise 
sagely  argued,  flow  from  the  measure;  for  the 
Irish  would  see  the  uselessness  of  rebelling 
against  an  united  empire,  and  would  be  so  happy 
that  disaffection  must  become  utterly  unknown. 


HENRY  GRATTAN, 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


223 


Kay,  -whosoever  consults  the  joumals  of  that 
period  will  find  even  the  "government  dockyard 
at  Cork,"  and  other  stock  jobs  of  promised  "con-  j 
cession,"  figuring  then  just  as  they  figure  now.* 

But  the  endeavor  to  influence  public  opinion 
proved  futile,  and  the  minister  found  he  must 
make  up  his  mind  to  go  through  with  a  naked, 
unsparing,  unscrupulous,  and  unblushing  cor- 
ruption of  .individuals.    Many  of  the  Catholic  | 
bishops  were  overreached  by  the  solemn  pledge 
of  emancipation;  but  the  overwhelming  majority  : 
of  the  clergy,  and  the  laitj'  almost  unanimously,  [ 
scouted  the  idea  of  expediting  their  emancipa- 
tion by  an  eternal  betrayal  of  their  countrj-. 
The  Orangemen  on  the  other  hand  were  equally  j 
patriotic.     All  the  Protestant  bishops  but  two 
were  gained  over  by  the  minister;  yet  the  Prot- , 
estant  organizations  everywhere  passed  resolu-  j 
tious,  strong  almost  to  sedition,  against  the  union. 

Most  important  of  all  was  the  patriotic  con 
duct  of  the  Irish  Bar.  They  held  a  meeting  to 
discuss  the  pi'oposition  of  a  "union,"  and  not- 
withstanding the  open  threats  of  government  ven- 
geance, and  public  offers  of  "reward"  or  bribe, 
there  were  found  but  thirtj'-two  members  of  the 
bar  to  support  the  ministerial  proposition,  while 
one  hundred  and  sixty-six  voted  it  a  treason  j 
against  the  country.  ^ 

The  next  session,  the  last  of  the  Ii-ish  parlia- 
ment, assembled  on  January  15,  1800.  The 
minister  had  counted  every  man,  and  by  means 
the  most  iniquitous  secured  the  requisite  major- 
ity. Twenty-seven  new  peers  had  been  added  to 
the  House  of  Lords,  making  the  union  project  all 
safe  there.  In  the  Commons  some  thirty  or  forty 
seats  had  been  changed  by  bargain  with  the , 
owners  of  the  boroughs.  It  was  doubtful  that 
any  bona  fide  constituency  in  Ii'eland — even  one 
— could  be  got  to  sanction  the  union  scheme ;  so 
the  minister  had  to  cai'ry  on  his  operations  with 
what  were  called  "patronage  boroughs,"  or 
' '  pocket-boroughs. ' '  j 

The  patriot  party  felt  convinced  that  they 
were  outnumbered,  but  they  resolved  to  fight  the 
battle  vehemently  while  a  chance  remained.  At 

*Tbe  vote  of  Mr  Robert  Fitzgerald,  of  Corkabeg,  was 
secured  by  "Lord  Cornwallis  assuring  liim  tbat  in  tbe 
event  of  tbe  union  a  royal  dockyard  would  be  built  at  Cork, 
wliich  would  double  tbe  value  of  bis  estates." — Barring- 
ton's  "Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Irish  Nation." 


the  worst,  if  overborne  in  such  a  cause,  they 
could  expose  the  real  nature  of  the  transaction, 
and  cause  its  illegality,  iufamj-,  and  fraud,  to  be 
confessed ;  so  that  posterity  might  know  and  feel 
the  right  and  the  duty  of  appealing  against,  and 
recovering  against,  the  crime  of  that  hour. 
They  persuaded  Grattan  to  re-enter  parliament* 
to  aid  them  in  this  last  defense  of  his  and  their 
country's  liberties.  He  was  at  the  moment  lying 
on  a  bed  of  sickness,  yet  he  assented,  and  it  was 
decided  to  have  him  returned  for  Wicklow  town, 
that  borough  being  the  property  of  a  friend. 
The  writ  was  duly  applied  for,  but  the  govern- 
ment withheld  its  i.ssue  up  to  the  last  moment 
allowed  by  law,  designing  to  prevent  Grattan's 
return  in  time  for  the  debate  on  the  address  to 
the  throne,  the  first  trial  of  strength.  Neverthe- 
less, by  a  feat  almost  unprecedented  in  parlia- 
mentary annals,  that  object  was  attained.  "It 
was  not  until  the  day  of  the  meeting  of  parlia- 
ment that  the  wi-it  was  delivered  to  the  returning 
ofiicer.  By  extraordinary  exertions,  and  perhaps 
bj-  following  the  example  of  government  in  over- 
straining the  law,  the  election  was  held  immedi- 
ately on  the  arrival  of  the  writ;  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  votes  were  collected  to  return  Mr.  Grattan 
before  midnight.  By  one  o'clock  the  return  was 
on  its  road  to  Dublin  ;  it  arrived  by  five ;  a  party 
of  Mr.  Grattan's  friends  repaired  to  the  house  of 
the  proper  officer,  and  making  him  get  out  of 
bed,  compelled  him  to  present  the  writ  in  parlia- 
ment before  seven'  in  the  morning,  when  the 
House  was  in  warm  debate  on  the  Union.  A 
whisper  ran  through  every  party  that  Mr.  Grat- 
tan was  elected,  and  would  immediately'  take  his 
seat.  The  ministerialists  smiled  with  incredu- 
lous derision,  and  the  opposition  thought  the 
news  too  good  to  be  true. 

"Mr.  Egan  was  speaking  strongly  against  the 
measure  when  Mr.  George  Ponsonby  and  ilr. 
Ai'thur  Moore  walked  out,  and  immediately  re- 
turned, leading,  or  rather  helping,  Mr.  Grattan, 
in  a  state  of  feebleness  and  debility.  The  effect 
was  electric.  Mr.  Grattan's  illness  and  deep 
chagrin  had  reduced  a  form  never  sj-mmetrical, 
and  a  visage  at  all  times  thin,  nearly  to  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  specter.  As  he  feebly  tottered 
into  the  House,  every  member  simultaneously 


*  Three  years  before,  he  and  many  others  of  the  patriot, 
party  had  quitted  parliament  in  despair. 


THE  STORY 


OF  IRELAND. 


rose  from  his  seat.  He  moved  slowly  to  the 
table;  his  languid  countenauce  seemed  to  revive 
as  he  took  those  oaths  that  restored  him  to  his 
pre-emiuent  station ;  the  smile  of  inward  satis- 
faction obviously  illuminated  his  features,  and 
re-animation  and  energy  seemed  to  kindle  by  the 
labor  of  his  mind.  The  House  was  silent.  Mr. 
Egau  did  not  resume  his  speech.  Mr.  Grattan, 
almost  breathless,  as  if  by  instinct  attempted  to 
rise,  but  was  unable  to  stand;  he  paused  and 
with  difficulty  requested  permission  of  the 
House  to  deliver  his  sentiments  without  moving 
from  his  seat.  This  was  acceded  to  by  acclama- 
tion, and  he  who  had  left  his  bed  of  sickness  to 
accord  as  he  thought  his  last  words  in  the  parlia- 
ment of  his  country,  kindled  gradually  till  his 
language  glowed  with  an  energy  and  feeling 
which  he  had  seldom  surpassed.  After  nearly 
two  hours  of  the  most  powerful  eloquence,  he 
concluded  with  an  undiminished  vigor  miracu- 
lous to  those  who  were  unacquainted  with  his 
intellect. " 

The  debate  lasted  for  sixteen  consecutive 
hours.  It  commenced  at  seven  o'clock  on  the 
evening  of  the  15th,  continued  throughout  the 
entire  night,  and  did  not  terminate  until  eleven 
o'clock  of  the  forenoon  on  the  16th,  when  the 
division  was  taken.  Then  the  minister's  triumph 
•was  made  clear.  The  patriots  reckoned  one  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  votes ;  the  government  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-eight.  There  were  twenty-seven 
absent  from  various  causes,  nearly  every  man  an 
anti-Unionist;  but  even  these,  if  present,  could 
not  have  turned  the  scale.  The  discussion  clearly 
showed  that  Ireland's  doom  was  sealed. 

There  now  commenced  that  struggle  in  the 
Ii'ish  Senate  House  in  College  Green  over  which 
the  Ii-ish  reader  becomes  irresistibly  excited. 
The  minister  felt  that  the  plunge  was  taken,  and 
now  there  must  be  no  qualms,  no  scruples,  as  to 
the  means  of  success.  Strong  in  his  purchased 
majority,  he  grew  insolent,  and  the  patriot 
minority  found  themselves  subjected  to  every 
conceivable  mode  of  ass;iult  and  menace.  The 
houses  of  parliament  were  invariably  surrounded 
with  soldiery.  The  debates  were  protracted 
throughout  the  entire  night,  and  far  into  the 
forenoon  of  the  next  day.  In  all  this,  the  calcu- 
lation was,  that  in  a  wearying  and  exhausting 
struggle  of  this  kind,  men  who  were  on  the  weak 


and  losing  side,  and  who  had  no  personal  inter- 
est to  advance,  must  surely  give  way  before  the 
perseverance  of  men  on  the  strong  and  winning 
side,  who  had  each  a  large  money  price  from  the 
minister.  But  that  gallant  band,  with  Grattan, 
Ponsonby,  Parsons,  and  Plunkett  at  their  head, 
fought  the  struggle  out  with  a  tenacity  that 
seemed  to  experience  no  exhaustion.  In  order 
to  be  at  hand  in  the  House,  and  to  sit  out  the 
eighteen  and  twenty  hour  debates,  the  minister- 
ialists formed  a  "dining  club,"  and  ate,  drank, 
dined,  slept,  and  breakfasted,  like  a  military 
guard,  in  one  of  the  committee  rooms.  The 
patriot  party  followed  the  same  course;  and 
through  various  other  maneuvers  met  the  enemy 
move  for  move. 

But  the  most  daring  and  singular  step  of  all 
was  now  taken  by  the  government  party — the 
formation  of  a  dueling  club.  The  premier  (Lord 
Castlereagh)  invited  to  a  dinner  party  at  his  own 
residence  a  picked  band  of  twenty  of  the  most 
noted  duelists  among  the  ministerial  followers, 
and  then  and  there  it  was  decided  to  form  a 
club,  the  members  of  which  should  be  bound  to 
"call  out"  any  anti-Unionist  expressing  himself 
"immoderately'"  against  the  conduct  of  the  gov- 
ernment. In  plain  words,  Grattan  and  his  col- 
leagues were  to  be  shot  down  in  designedly  pro- 
voked duels. 

Even  this  did  not  appall  the  patriot  minority. 
With  spirit  undaunted  they  I'esolved  to  meet 
force  by  force.  Grattan  proposed  that  they 
should  not  give  the  ministerial  "shooting  club" 
any  time  for  choosing  its  men,  but  that  they 
themselves  should  forestall  the  government  by  a 
bold  assumption  of  the  offensive.  He  was  him- 
self the  first  to  lead  the  way  in  the  daring  course 
he  counseled.  On  the  17th  of  February  the 
House  went  into  committee  on  the  articles  of 
union,  which,  after  a  desperate  struggle,  as 
usual,  were  carried  through  by  a  majority  of 
twenty  votes ;  one  hundred  and  sixty  to  one  hun- 
dred and  forty.  It  was  on  this  occasion  Corry, 
the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  made,  for  the 
third  or  fourth  time  that  session,  a  virulent 
attack  on  the  enfeebled  and  almost  prostrate 
Grattan.  But  soon  Corry  found  that  though 
physically  prostrated,  the  glorious  intellect  of 
Grattan  was  as  proud  and  strong  as  ever,  and 
that  the  heart  of  a  lion  beat  in  the  patriot  leader's 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


225 


breast.  Grattan  answered  the  chancellor  by 
"that  famous  philippic,  unequaled  in  our  lan- 
guage for  its  well-suppressed  passion  and  finely 
condensed  denunciation."  A  challenge  passed 
on  the  instant,  and  Grattan,  having  the  choice 
of  time,  insisted  on  fighting  that  moment  or 
rather  that  morning,  as  soon  as  daylight  would 
admit.  Accordingly,  leaving  the  House  in  full 
debate,  about  day  dawn  the  principals  and  their 
seconds  drove  to  the  Phoenix  Park.  Before  half 
an  hour  Grattan  had  shot  his  man,  terminating, 
in  one  decisive  encounter,  the  Castlereagh  cam- 
paign of  "fighting  down  the  opposition."  The 
ministerial  "dueling  club"  was  heard  of  no 
more. 

"Throughout  the  months  of  February  and 
March,  with  an  occasional  adjournment,  the  con- 
stitutional battle  was  fought  on  every  point  per- 
mitted by  the  forms  of  the  House. ' '  On  the 
25th  of  March  the  committee  finally  reported  the 
Union  resolutions,  which  were  passed  in  the 
House  by  forty-seven  of  a  majority.  After  six 
weeks  of  an  interval,  to  allow  the  British  Parlia- 
ment to  make  like  progress,  the  Union  Bill  was 
(May  25,  1800)  introduced  into  the  Irish  Com- 
mons, and  on  the  7th  of  June  the  Irish  Parlia- 
ment met  for  the  last  time.  "The  closing 
scene,"  as  Mr.  M'Gee  truly  remarks,  "has  been 
often  described,  but  never  so  graphically  as  by 
the  diamond  pen  of  Sir  Jonah  Barrington." 
That  description  I  quote  unabridged : 

"The  Commons  House  of  Parliament  on  the 
last  evening  afforded  the  most  melancholy  ex- 
ample of  an  independent  people,  betrayed, 
divided,  sold,  and  as  a  state  annihilated.  Brit- 
ish clerks  and  officers  were  smuggled  into  her 
parliament  to  vote  away  the  constitution  of  a 
country  to  which  they  were  strangers,  and  in 
which  they  had  neither  interest  nor  connection. 
They  were  employed  to  cancel  the  royal  charter 
of  the  Irish  nation,  guaranteed  by  the  British 
government,  sanctioned  by  the  British  legislature, 
and  unequivocally  confirmed  by  the  words,  the 
signature,  and  the  great  seal  of  their  monarch! 

"The  situation  of  the  speaker  on  that  night 
was  of  the  most  distressing  nature.  A  sincere 
and  ardent  enemy  of  the  measure,  he  headed  its 
opponents,  he  resisted  it  with  all  the  power  of 
his  mind,  the  resources  of  his  experience,  his 
influence,  and  his  eloquence. 


"It  was,  however,  through  his  voice  that  it 
was  to  be  proclaimed  and  consummated.  His 
only  alternative  (resignation)  would  have  been 
unavailing,  and  could  have  added  nothing  to  his 
character.  His  expressive  countenance  bespoke 
the  inquietude  of  his  feelings ;  solicitude  was  per- 
ceptible in  every  glance,  and  his  embarrassment 
was  obvious  in  every  word  he  uttered. 

"The  galleries  were  full,  but  the  change  was 
lamentable ;  they  were  no  longer  crowded  with 
those  who  had  been  accustomed  to  witness  the 
eloquence  and  to  animate  the  debates  of  that  de- 
voted assembly.  A  monotonous  and  melancholy 
murmur  ran  through  the  benches,  scarcely  a 
word  was  exchanged  among  the  members,  no- 
body seemed  at  ease, no  cheerfulness  was  apparent, 
and  the  ordinary  business  for  a  short  time  pro- 
ceeded in  the  usual  manner. 

"At  length  the  expected  moment  arrived,  the 
order  of  the  day  for  the  third  reading  of  the  bill 
for  a  'Legislative  Union  between  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland,'  was  moved  by  Lord  Castlereagh. 
Unvaried,  tame,  cold-blooded,  the  words  seemed 
frozen  as  they  issued  from  his  lips,  and  as  if  a 
simple  citizen  of  the  world,  he  seemed  to  have  no 
sensation  on  the  subject.  At  that  moment  he 
had  no  countrj',  no  god  but  his  ambition.  He 
made  his  motion,  and  resumed  his  seat,  with  the 
utmost  composure  and  indifference. 

"Confused  murmurs  again  ran  through  the 
House;  it  was  visibly  affected;  every  character 
in  a  moment  seemed  involuntarily  rushing  to  its 
index;  some  pale,  some  flushed,  some  agitated; 
there  were  few  countenances  to  which  the  heart 
did  not  dispatch  some  messenger.  Several  mem- 
bers withdrew  before  the  question  could  be  re- 
peated, and  an  awful  momentary  silence  suc- 
ceeded their  departure.  The  speaker  rose  slowly 
from  that  chair  which  had  been  the  proud  source 
of  his  honors  and  his  high  character;  for  a  mo- 
ment he  resumed  his  seat,  but  the  strength  of 
his  mind  sustained  him  in  his  duty,  though  his 
struggle  was  apparent.  "With  that  dignity 
which  never  failed  to  signalize  his  official  ac- 
tions, he  held  up  the  bill  for  a  moment  in 
silence :  he  looked  steadily  around  him  on  the 
last  agony  of  the  expiring  parliament.  He  at 
length  repeated  in  an  emphatic  tone,  'As  many 
as  are  of  opinion  tljat  this  bill  do  pass,  say  ay. ' 
The  aifirmative  was  languid  but  indisputable: 


TUE  STOKY  OF  IRELAND. 


236 

another  momentary  pause  .ensued,  again  his  lips 
seemed  to  decline  their  office,  at  length  with  an 
eye  averted  from  the  object  which  he  hated,  he 
proclaimed  with  a  subdued  voice,  'The  aj'es  have 
it.'  The  fatal  sentence  was  now  pronounced; 
for  an  instant  he  stood  statue-like,  then  indig- 
nantly, and  Avith  disgust,  flung  the  bill  upon  the 
table,  and  sank  into  his  chair  Avith  an  exhausted 
spirit.  An  independent  country  Avas  thus  de- 
graded into  a  province :  Ireland  as  a  nation  was 
extinguished."* 

The  subjoined  verses,  written  on  the  night  of 
that  sorrowful  scene — by  some  attributed  to  the 
pen  of  Moore,  by  others  to  that  of  Furlong — 
immediately  made  their  appearance ;  a  Dirge  and 
a  Prophecy  Ave  may  assuredly'  call  them : 

"O  Ireland!  mj*  country,  the  hour 

Of  thy  pride  and  thy  splendor  is  past; 
And  the  chain  that  was  spurned  in  thy  mo- 
ment of  power. 
Hangs  heavy  around  thee  at  last. 
There  are  marks  in  the  fate  of  each  clime — 

There  are  turns  in  the  fortunes  of  men; 
But  the  changes  of  realms,  and  the  chances 
of  time. 
Can  never  restore  thee  again. 

"Thou  art  chained  to  the  wheel  of  thy  foe 

By  links  Avhich  the  Avorld  shall  not  sever. 
.  AVith  thy  tj'rant,  thro'  storm  and  thro'  calm 
shalt  thou  go. 
And  thy  sentence  is — bondage  forever. 
Thou  ai't  doom'd  for  the  thankless  to  toil. 

Thou  art  left  for  the  proud  to  disdain. 
And  the  blood  of  thy  sons  and  the  wealth  of 
thy  soil 

Shall  be  Avasted,  and  wasted  in  vain. 

*  In  their  pi'ivate  correspondence  at  tli  Hme  the  minis- 
ters were  very  candid  as  to  the  villainy  of  their  conduct. 
The  letters  of  Lord  C'astlereagh  and  Lord  C'ornwallis  abound 
with  the  most  startling  revelations  and  admissions.  The 
former  (Lord  C'astlereagh)  writing  to  vSecretary  Cook,  June 
21,  1800  (expostulating  against  an  intention  of  the  govern- 
ment to  break  some  of  the  bargains  of  corruption,  as  too 
excessive,  now  that  the  deed  was  accomplished),  says  :  ''It 
will  be  no  secret  what  has  been  promised,  and  by  what 
laeann  tlie  Vnim  had  been  carried.  Disappointment  will 
encourage,  not  prevent  disclosures,  and  the  only  effect  of 
Bucli  a  proceeding  on  their  (the  ministers)  part  will  be  to 
add  the  weight  of  theii  testimony  to  that  of  the  anti- 
Unionists  in  proclaiming  the  projliyacy  of  the  means  by 
uhich  the  measure  was  accomplished  " 


"Thy  riches  with  taunts  shall  be  taken, 
Thy  A'alor  Avith  coldness  repaid; 
And  of  millions  who  see  thee  thus  sunk  and 
forsaken 

Not  one  shall  stand  forth  in  thine  aid. 
In  the  nations  thy  place  is  left  void. 

Thou  art  lost  in  the  list  of  the  free. 
Even  realms  by  the  plague  or  the  earthquake 
destroy 'd 

May  revive:  but  no  hope  is  for  thee." 


CHAPTER  LXXXn. 

IRELAND    AFTER    THE    UNION  THE    STORY  OF  ROBERT 

EMMET. 

The  peasants  of  Podolia,  w-hen  no  Russian 
myrmidon  is  nigh,  chant  aloud  the  national 
hymn  of  their  captivity — "Poland  is  not  dead 
yet."  "Whoever  reads  the  story  of  this  western 
Poland — this  "Poland  of  the  seas" — Avill  be 
powerfully  struck  with  the  one  all-prominent  fact 
of  Ireland's  indestructible  vitality.  Under  cir- 
cumstances where  any  other  people  would  have 
succumbed  foi'ever,  where  any  other  nation 
Avould  have  resigned  itself  to  subjugation  and 
accepted  death,  the  Irish  nation  scorns  to  yield, 
and  refuses  to  die. 

It  survived  the  four  centuries  of  war  from  the 
second  to  the  eighth  Henry  of  England.  It  sur- 
vived the  exterminations  of  Elizabeth,  by  which 
Fi'oude  has  been  so  profoundly  appalled.  It  sur- 
vived the  butcheries  of  Cromwell,  and  the  merci- 
less persecutions  of  the  Penal  times.  It  survived 
the  bloody  policy  of  Ninety-eight.  Confisca- 
tions, such  as  are  to  be  found  in  the  history  of 
no  other  country  in  Europe,  again  and  again 
tore  up  society  by  the  roots  in  Ireland,  trampling 
the  noble  and  the  gentle  into  poverty  and  ob- 
scuritJ^  The  mind  was  sought  to  be  quenched, 
the  intellect  extinguished,  the  manners  debased 
and  brutilied.  "The  perverted  ingenuity  of 
man"  could  no  further  go  in  the  untiring  en- 
deavor to  kill  out  all  aspirations  for  freedom,  all 
instinct  of  nationality  in  the  Irish  breast.  Yet 
this  indestructible  nation  has  risen  under  the 
blows  of  her  murderous  persecutors,  triumphant 
and  immortal.  She  has  survived  even  England's 
latest  and  most  deadly  blow,  designed  to  be  the 
final  stroke — the  Union. 


COPYRIGHT,  1898, 


JOHN  PHILPOT  CURRAN. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHV. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


227 


Almost  on  the  threshold  of  the  new  century, 
i;he  conspiracy  of  Robert  Emmet  startled  the  land 
like  the  sudden  explosion  of  a  mine.  In  the 
place  assigned  in  Irish  memory  to  the  youthful 
and  ill-fated  leader  of  this  enterprise,  is  power- 
fully illustrated  the  all-absorbing,  all-indulging 
love  of  a  people  for  those  who  purely  give  up  life 
on  the  altar  of  country.  Many  considerations 
Tnight  seem  to  invoke  on  Emmet  the  censure  of 
stern  judgment  for  the  apparently  criminal  hope- 
lessness of  his  scheme.  Napoleon  once  said  that 
* 'nothing  consolidates  a  new  dynasty  like  an 
unsuccessful  insurrection ;"  and  unquestionably 
Emmet's  erneute  gave  all  possible  consolidation 
to  the  "Union"  regime.  It  brought  down  on 
-Ireland  the  terrible  penalty  of  a  five  years'  sus- 
pension of  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act,  and  a  con- 
temporaneous continuance  of  the  bloody  "Insur- 
rection Act, "  aggravating  tenfold  all  the  miseries 
of  the  country.  Nevertheless,  the  Irish  nation 
has  canonized  his  memorj' — has  fondly  placed 
his  name  on  the  roll  of  its  patriot  martyrs.  His 
axtreme  youth,  his  pure  and  gentle  nature,  his 
]oft3'  and  noble  aims,  his  beautiful  and  touching 
speech  in  the  dock,  and  his  tragic  death  upon 
the  scaffold,  have  been  all-ellficacious  with  his 
countrymen  to  shield  his  memory  from  breath 
of  blame. 

Robert  Emmet  was  the  youngest  brother  of 
Thomas  Addis  Emmet,  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished and  illustrious  of  the  United  Irish  lead- 
-ers.  He  formed  the  daring  design  of  surprising 
the  castle  of  Dublin,  and,  by  the  seizure  of  the 
capital,  the  inauguration  of  a  rebellion  through- 
out the  provinces.  Indeed,  it  was,  as  Mr. 
M'Gee  remarks,  the  plan  of  Roger  O'More  and 
Lord  Maguire  in  1G41.  In  this  project  he  was 
joined  by  several  of  the  leaders  in  the  recent  in- 
surrection, among  them  being  Thomas  Russell, 
one  of  the  bravest  and  noblest  characters  that 
-ever  appeared  on  the  page  of  history,  and 
Michael  Dwyer,  of  Wicklow,  who  still,  as  for  the 
past  five  j'ears,  held  his  ground  in  the  defiles  of 
Glenmalure  and  Imall,  defying  and  defeating  all 
attempts  to  capture  him.  But,  beside  the  men 
Tvhose  names  were  openly  revealed  in  connection 
"with  the  plot,  and  these  comprised  some  of  the 
best  and  worthiest  in  the  land,  it  is  beyond  ques- 
tion that  there  were  others  not  discovered,  filling 
ihigh  positions  in  Ireland,  in  England,  and  in 


France,  who  approved,  counseled,  and  assisted 
in  Emmet's  design. 

Although  the  conspiracy  embraced  thousands 
of  associates  in  Dublin  alone,  not  a  man  betrayed 
the  secret  to  the  last;  and  Emmet  went  on  with 
his  preparations  of  arms  and  ammunition  in  two 
or  three  depots  in  the  city.  Even  when  one  of 
these  exploded  accidentally,  the  government 
failed  to  divine  what  was  afoot,  though  their 
suspicions  were  excited.  On  the  night  of  July 
23,  1803,  Emmet  sallied  forth  from  one  of  the 
depots  at  the  head  of  less  than  a  hundred  men. 
But  the  whole  scheme  of  arrangements — although 
it  certainly  was  one  of  the  most  ingenious  and 
perfect  ever  devised  by  the  skill  of  man — like 
most  other  conspiracies  of  the  kind,  crumbled  in 
all  its  parts  at  the  moment  of  action.  "There 
was  failure  everywhere;"  and  to  further  insure 
defeat,  a  few  hours  before  the  moment  fixed  for 
the  march  upon  the  castle,  intelligence  reached 
the  government  from  Kildare  that  some  out- 
break was  to  take  place  that  night,  as  bodies  of 
the  disaffected  peasantry  from  that  county  had 
been  observed  making  toward  the  city.  The 
authorities  were  accordingly  on  the  qui  vive,  to 
some  extent,  when  Emmet  reached  the  street. 
His  expected  musters  had  not  appeared;  his  own 
band  dwindled  to  a  score ;  and,  to  him  the  most 
poignant  affliction  of  all,  an  act  of  lawless  blood- 
shed, the  murder  of  Lord  Justice  Kilwarden,  one 
of  the  most  humane  and  honorable  judges, 
stained  the  short-lived  emeute.  Incensed  beyond 
expression  by  this  act,  and  perceiving  the  ruin 
of  his  attempt.  Emmet  gave  peremptory  orders 
for  its  instantaneous  abandonment.  He  himself 
hurried  off  toward  Wicklow  in  time  to  counter- 
mand the  rising  there  and  in  Wexford  and  Kil- 
dare. It  is  beyond  question  that  his  prompt  and 
strenuous  exertions,  his  aversion  to  the  useless 
sacrifice  of  life,  alone  prevented  a  protracted 
struggle  in  those  counties. 

His  friends  now  urged  him  to  escape,  and  sev- 
eral means  of  escape  were  offered  to  him.  He, 
however,  insisted  on  postponing  his  departure 
for  a  few  days.  He  refused  to  disclose  his  rea- 
son for  this  perilous  delay ;  but  it  was  eventually 
discovered.  Between  himself  and  the  young 
daughter  of  the  illustrious  Curran  there  existed 
the  most  tender  and  devoted  attachment,  and  he 
was  resolved  not  to  quit  Ireland  without  bidding 


228 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


her  an  eternal  farewell.  This  resolve  cost  bim 
his  life.  While  awaiting  an  opportunity  for  an 
interview  with  Miss  Curran,  he  was  arrested  on 
August  25,  1803,  at  a  house  on  the  east  side  of 
Harold's  Cross  Road,  a  few  perches  beyond  the 
canal  bridge.  On  the  19th  of  the  following 
month  he  was  tried  at  Green  Street;  upon  which 
occasion,  after  conviction,  he  delivered  that 
speech  which  has,  probably,  more  than  aught 
else,  tended  to  immortalize  his  name.  Next 
morning,  September  20,  1803,  he  was  led  out  to 
die.  There  is  a  story  that  Sarah  Curran  was  ad- 
mitted to  a  farewell  interview  with  her  hapless 
lover  on  the  night  preceding  his  execution ;  but 
it  rests  on  slender  authority,  and  is  oi:iposed  to 
probabilities.  But  it  is  true  that,  as  he  was  be- 
ing led  to  execution,  a  last  farewell  was  ex- 
changed between  them.  A  carriage,  containing 
Miss  Curran  and  a  friend,  was  drawn  up  on  the 
roadside,  near  Kilmainham,  and,  evidently  by 
preconcert,  as  the  vehicle  containing  Emmet 
passed  by  on  the  way  to  the  place  of  execution, 
the  unhappy  pair  exchanged  their  last  greeting 
on  earth.* 

In  Thomas  Street,  at  the  head  of  Bridgefoot 
Street,  and  dii'ectly  opposite  the  Protestant 
Church  of  St.  Catherine,  the  fatal  beam  and 
platform  were  erected.  It  is  said  that  Emmet 
had  been  led  to  expect  a  rescue  at  the  last,  either 
by  Russell  (who  was  in  town  for  that  purpose), 
or  by  Michael  Dwj^er  and  his  mountain  band. 
He  mounted  the  scaffold  with  firmness,  and 
gazed  about  him  long  and  wistfully,  as  if  he  ex- 
pected to  read  the  signal  of  hope  from  some 
familiar  face  in  the  crowd.  He  protracted  all 
the  arrangements  as  much  as  possible,  and  even 
when  at  length  the  fatal  noose  was  placed  upon 
his  neck,  he  begged  a  little  pause.  The  execu- 
tioner again  and  again  asked  him  was  he  readj', 
and  each  time  was  answered:  "Not  yet,  not  yet.  " 
Again  the  same  question,  and,  says  one  who  was 
present,  while  the  words  "Not  yet"  were  still 
being  uttered  by  Emmet,  the  bolt  was  drawn,  and 
he  was  launched  into  eternity.  The  head  was 
severed  from  his  body,  and,  "according  to  law," 
held  up  to  the  public  gaze  by  the  executioner  as 
the  "head  of  a  traitor."  An  hour  afterward,  as 
an  eyewitness  tells  us,  the  dogs  of  the  street  were 


Madden'ij  "  Lives  and  Times  of  the  United  Irisbtnen." 


lapping  from  the  ground  the  blood  of  the  pure; 
and  gentle  Robert  Emmet. 

Moore  was  the  fellow-student  and  companion 
of  Emmet,  and,  like  all  who  knew  him,  ever  spoke 
in  fervent  admiration  of  the  youthful  patriot- 
martj-r  as  the  impersonation  of  all  that  was  virtu- 
ous, generous,  and  exalted.  More  than  once  did 
the  minstrel  dedicate  his  strains  to  the  memory 
of  that  friend  whom  he  never  ceased  to  mourn. 
The  following  verses  are  familiar  to  most  Irish 
readers : 

"Oh!  breathe  not  his  name;  let  it  sleep  in  the 
shade 

"Where  cold  and  unhonored  his  relics  are  laid. 
Sad,  silent,  and  dark  be  the  tears  that  we  shed. 
As  the  night  dew  that  falls  on  the  grass  o'er  his. 
head. 

"But  the  night  dew  that  falls,  though  in  silence- 
it  weeps. 

Shall  brighten  with  verdure  the  grave  where  he 
sleeps ; 

And  the  tear  that  we  shed,  though  in  secret  it 
rolls. 

Shall  long  keep  his  memory  green  in  our  souls!" 

Soon  afterward  the  gallant  and  noble-hearted 
Russell  was  executed  at  Downpatrick,  and  for 
months  subsequently  the  executioner  was  busy  at. 
his  bloody  work  in  Dublin.    Michael  Dwj-er, 
however,  the  guerrilla  of  the  Wicklow  hills,  held 
his   ground   in   the   fastnesses  of  Luggielaw, 
Glendalough,   and  Glenmalure.    In  vain  regi- 
ment  after  regiment    was  sent   against  him. 
Dwyer  and  his  trusty  band  defeated  every  effort, 
of  their  foes.    The  military  detachments,  one  by 
one,  were  wearied  and  worn  out  by  the  priva- 
tions of  campaigning  in  that  wild  region  of" 
dense  forest  and  trackless  mountain.    The  guer- 
rilla chief  was  apparently  ubiquitous,  always  in- 
visible when  wanted  by  his  pursuers,  but  terribly 
visible  when  not  expected  by  them.    In  the  end 
some  of  the  soldiers*  became  nearly  as  friendly 
to  him  as  the  peasantry,  fi-equently  sending  him. 
word  of  any  movement  intended  against  him. 
More  than  a  year  passed  by,  and  the  powerful 

*Tliey  were  Highland  regiments.  Through  the  insur- 
rection.s  of  1798  and  1803,  the  Highland  regiments  behaved 
with  the  greatest  humanity,  and,  where  possible,  kindness- 
toward  the  Irioh  peasantry. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


229 


British  government,  that  could  suppress  the  in- 
surrection at  large  in  a  few  months,  found  itself, 
so  far,  quite  unable  to  subdue  the  indomitable 
Outlaw  of  Glenmalure.  At  length  it  was  decided 
to  "open  up"  the  district  which  formed  his 
stronghold  by  a  series  of  military  roads  and  a 
chain  of  mountain  forts,  barracks,  and  outposts. 
The  scheme  was  carried  out,  and  the  tourist  who 
now  seeks  the  beauties  of  Glencree,  Luggielaw, 
and  Glendalough,  will  travel  by  the  "military 
roads,"  and  pass  the  mountain  forts  or  barracks, 
which  the  government  of  England  found  it  neces- 
sary to  construct  before  it  could  wrest  from 
Michael  Dwyer  the  dominion  of  those  romantic 
scenes. 

The  well-authenticated  stories  of  Dwyer's  hair- 
breadth escapes  by  flood  and  field  would  fill  a 
goodly  volume.  One  of  them  reveals  an  instance 
of  devoted  heroism — of  self-immolation — which 
deserves  to  be  recorded  in  letters  of  gold. 

One  day  the  Outlaw  Chief  had  been  so  closely 
pursued  that  his  little  band  had  to  scatter,  the 
more  easily  to  escape,  or  to  distract  the  pur- 
suers, who,  on  this  occasion,  were  out  in  tremen- 
dous force  scouring  hill  and  plain.  Some  hours 
after  nightfall,  Dwyer,  accompanied  by  only  four 
of  his  party  (and  fully  believing  that  he  had  suc- 
cessfully eluded  his  foes),  entered  a  peasant's 
cottage  in  the  wild  and  picturesque  solitude  of 
Imall.  He  was,  of  course,  joyously  welcomed; 
and  he  and  his  tired  companions  soon  tasted  such 
humble  hospitality  as  the  poor  mountaineer's  hut 
could  afford.  Then  they  gave  themselves  to 
repose. 

But  the  Outlawed  Patriot  had  not  shaken  the 
foe  from  his  track  that  evening.  He  had  been 
traced  to  the  mountain  hut  with  sleuth-hound 
patience  and  certainty ;  and  now,  while  he  slept 
in  fancied  security,  the  little  sheeling  was  being 
stealthily  surrounded  by  the  soldiery. 

Some  stir  on  the  outside,  some  chance  rattle  of 
a  musket,  or  clank  of  a  saber,  awakened  one  of 
the  sleepers  within.  A  glance  through  a  door- 
chink  soon  revealed  all ;  and  Dwyer,  at  the  first 
whisper  si)ringing  to  his  feet,  found  that  after 
nearly  five  years  of  proud  defiance  and  successful 
struggle,  he  was  at  length  in  the  toils!  Pres- 
ently the  officer  in  command  outside  knocked  at 
the  door  "In  the  name  of  the  king."  Dwj'er 
answered,  demanding  his  business.    The  officer 


said  he  knew  that  Michael  Dwyer  the  outlaw  was 
inside.  "Yes,"  said  Dwyer,  "I  am  the  man." 
"Then,"  rejoined  the  officer,  "as  I  desire  to 
avoid  useless  bloodshed,  surrender.  This  house 
is  surrounded;  we  must  take  you,  alive  or  dead.' 

"If  you  are  averse  to  unnecessary  bloodshed," 
said  Dwyei-,  "first  let  the  poor  man  whose  house 
this  is,  and  his  innocent  wife  and  childi-en,  pass 
through.  I  came  into  this  house  unbidden,  un- 
expectedly. They  are  guiltless.  Let  them  ga 
free,  and  then  I  shall  consider  your  proposition 
as  regards  myself." 

The  officer  assented.  The  poor  cottager,  his 
wife,  and  children,  were  passed  through. 

"Now,  then,"  cried  the  officer,  "surrender  in 
the  name  of  the  king." 

"Never!"  shouted  Dwyer;  "we  defy  you  in 
the  name  of  Ireland. ' ' 

The  hills  echoed  to  the  deafening  peals  that, 
followed  on  this  response.  For  nearly  an  hour 
Dwyer  and  his  four  companions  defended  the 
sheeling,  keeping  their  foes  at  bay.  But  by  this 
time  one  of  them  lay  mortally  wounded.  Soon 
a  shout  of  savage  joy  from  the  soldiery  outside 
was  followed  by  a  lurid  glare  all  around.  They 
had  set  the  cabin  on  fire  over  the  heads  of  the 
doomed  outlaws! 

Then  spoke  up  Dwyer's  wounded  companion, 
Alexander  MacAlister:  "My  death  is  near;  my 
hour  is  come.  Even  if  the  way  was  clear,  there 
is  no  hope  for  me.  Promise  to  do  as  I  direct, 
and  I  will  save  you  all. "  Then  the  poor  fellow 
desired  them  to  prop  him  up,  gun  in  hand,  im- 
mediately inside  the  door.  "Now,"  continued 
he,  "they  are  expecting  you  to  rush  out,  and 
they  have  their  rifles  leveled  at  the  door.  Fling- 
it  open.  Seeing  me,  they  will  all  fire  at  me.  Do 
you  then  quicklj'  dash  out  through  the  smoke, 
before  they  can  load  again." 

They  did  as  the  dying  hero  bade  them.  They 
flung  the  door  aside.  There  was  an  instan- 
taneous volley,  and  the  brave  MacAlister  fell 
pierced  by  fifty  bullets.  Quick  as  lightning, 
Dwyer  and  his  three  comrades  dashed  through 
the  smoke.  He  alone  succeeded  in  breaking 
through  the  encircling  soldiers;  and  once  out- 
side in  the  darkness,  on  those  trackless  hills,  he 
was  lost  to  all  pursuit. 

Nor  was  he  ever  captured.  Long  afterward, 
every  effort  to  that  end  having  been  tried  for- 


•230 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


years  in  vain,  he  was  offered  honorable  condi- 
tions of  surrender.  He  accepted  them;  but 
when  was  a  treaty  kept  toward  the  Irish  brave? 
Its  specific  terms  were  basely  violated  by  the 
government,  and  he  was  banished  to  Australia. 

The  mountaineers  of  Wicklow  to  this  day  keep 
up  the  traditions  of  Michael  Dwyer — of  his  hero- 
ism, his  patriotism — of  his  daring  feats,  his  mar- 
velous escapes.  But  it  is  of  the  devoted  Mac- 
Alister  that  they  treasure  the  most  tender 
memory ;  and  around  their  firesides,  in  the  win- 
ter evenings,  the  cottagers  of  Gleumalure,  in 
rustic  ballad  or  simple  story,  recount  with  tear- 
ful eyes  and  beating  hearts  how  he  died  to  save 
his  chief  in  the  sheeling  of  Imall. 

The  following  ballad,  by  Mr.  T.  D.  Sullivan, 
follows  literally  the  story  of  the  hero-martyr 
MacAlister : 

'At  length,  brave  Michael  Dwyer,  you  and 

your  trusty  men 
Are  hunted  o'er  the  mountains  and  tracked  into 
the  glen. 

Sleep  not,  but  watch  and  listen;  keep  ready 

blade  and  ball; 
The  soldiers  know  you're  hiding  to-night  in 

wild  Imaal. ' 

■"The  soldiers  searched  the  valley,  and  toward 
the  dawn  of  day 
Discovered  where  the  outlaws,  the  dauntless 
rebels  lay. 

Around  the  little  cottage  they  formed  into  a 
ring. 

And  called  out,  'Michael  Dwyer!  surrender  to 
the  king!' 

*'Thus  answered   Michael   Dwyer:    'Into  this 
house  we  came. 
Unasked  by  those  who  own  it — they  cannot  be 
to  blame. 

Then  let  these  peaceful  people  unquestioned 

l)a88  you  through. 
And  when  they're  placed  in  safety,  I'll  tell  you 

what  we'll  do. ' 

*"Twas  done.    'And  now,'  said  Dwyer,  'your 
work  3'ou  may  begin  : 
You  are  a  hundred  outside — we're  only  four 
within. 

"We've  heard  your  haughty  summons,  and  this 
is  our  reply : 


We're  true  United  Irishmen,  we'll  fight  until 
we  die. ' 

"Then  burst  the  war's  red  lightning,  then  poured 
the  leaden  rain ; 
The  hills  around  re-echoed  the  thunder  peals 
again. 

The  soldiers  falling  round  him,  brave  Dwyer 

sees  with  pride; 
But,  ah!  one  gallant  comrade  is  wounded  by 

his  side. 

"Yet  there  are  three  remaining  good  battle  for 
to  do; 

Their  hands  are  strong  and  steady,  their  aim 

is  quick  and  true; 
But  hark!   that  furious  shouting  the  savage 

soldiers  raise! 
The  house  is  fired  around  them;  the  roof  is  in 

a  blaze ! 

"And  brighter  every  moment  the  lurid  flame 
arose. 

And  louder  swelled  the  laughter  and  cheering 

of  their  foes. 
Then  spake  the  brave  MacAlister,  the  weak 

and  wounded  man : 
'You  can  escape,  my  comrades,  and  this  shall 

be  your  plan  : 

"  'Place  in  my  hands  a  musket,  then  lie  upon 
the  floor : 

I'll  stand  before  the  soldiers,  and  open  wide 
the  door : 

They'll  pour  into  my  bosom  the  fire  of  their 
array ; 

Then,    whilst   their   guns   are   empty,  dash 
through  them  and  away.' 

"He  stood  before  his  foemen  revealed  amidst  the 
flame. 

From  out  their  leveled  pieces  the  wished-for 

volley  came; 
Up  sprang  the  three  survivors  for  whom  the 

hero  died. 

But  only  Michael  Dwyer  broke  through  the 
ranks  outside. 

"He  baffled  his  pursuers,  who  followed  like  the 
wind ; 

He  swam  the  river  Slaney,  and  left  them  far 
behind; 


COPYRIGHT,  1898. 


DANIEL  O'CONNELL. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


231 


But  many  an  English  soldier  lie  promised  soon 
should  fall, 

Fox  these,  his  gallant  comrades,  who  died  in 
wild  Imaal. " 

The  surrender  of  Michael  Dwyer  was  the  last 
73vent  of  the  insurrection  of  1798—1803.  But, 
for  several  years  subsequently,  the  Habeas  Cor- 
pus Act  continued  suspended  and  an  insurrec- 
tion act  was  in  full  force.  Never,  up  to  the  hour 
of  Napoleon's  abdiction  at  Fontainebleau,  did 
the  specter  of  a  French  invasion  of  Ireland  cease 
to  haunt  the  mind  of  England. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIII. 

HOW  THK  IRISH   CATHOLICS,  UNDER    THE   LEADERSHIP  OF 
O'CONNELL,   WON  CATHOLIC  EMANCIPATION. 

Emmet's  insurrection  riveted  the  Union  chain 
on  Ireland.  It  was  for  a  time  the  death-blow  of 
public  life  in  the  country.  When  political  action 
reappeared,  a  startling  change,  a  complete  revo- 
lution, had  been  wrought.  An  entirely  new 
order  of  things  appeared  in  politics — an  entirely 
new  phase  of  national  life  and  effort ;  new  forces 
in  new  positions  and  with  new  tactics.  Every- 
thing seemed  changed. 

Hitherto  political  Ireland  meant  the  Protestant 
minority  of  the  population  alone.  Within  this 
section  there  were  nationalists  and  anti-national- 
ists, Whigs  and  Tories,  emancipationists  and 
anti-emancipationists.  They  talked  of,  and  at, 
and  about  the  Catholics  (the  overwhelming  mass 
of  the  population)  very  much  as  parties  in 
America,  previous  to  1860,  debated  the  theoret- 
ical views  and  doctrines  relating  to  negro  eman- 
cipation. Some  went  so  far  as  to  maintain  that 
a  Catholic  was  "a  man  and  a  brother."  Others 
declared  this  a  revolutionary  proposition,  sub- 
versive of  the  crown  and  government.  The 
parties  discussed  the  matter  as  a  speculative  sub- 
ject. But  now  the  Catholic  millions  themselves 
appeared  on  the  scene  to  plead  and  agitate  their 
own  cause,  and  alongside  the  huge  reality  of 
their  jiower,  the  exclusively  Protestant  political 
fabric  sank  into  insignificance,  and  as  such  dis- 
appeared forever.  In  theory — legal  theory — no 
doubt  the  Protestant  minority  were  for  a  long 
-time  subsequently  "The  State,"  but  men  ignored 


the  theory  and  dealt  with  the  fact.  From  1810 
to  1829,  the  politics  of  Ireland  were  bound  up  in 
the  one  question — emancipation  or  no  emancipa- 
tion. The  Catholics  had  many  true  and  stanch 
friends  among  the  Protestant  patriots.  Grattan, 
Curran,  Pluukett,  Burke,  are  names  that  will 
never  be  forgotten  by  enfranchized  Catholic  Irish- 
men. But  by  all  British  parties  and  party  lead- 
ers alike  they  found  themselves  in  turnldeceived, 
abandoned,  betraj-ed.  Denounced  by  the  king, 
assailed  by  the  Tories,  betrayed  by  the  Whigs; 
one  moment  favored  by  a  premier,  a  cabinet,  or 
a  section  of  a  cabinet;  the  next,  forbidden  to 
hope,  and  commanded  to  desist  from  further 
effort,  on  the  peril  of  fresh  chains  and  scourges — 
the  enslaved  millions  at  length  took  the  work  of 
their  redemption  out  of  the  hands  of  English 
party  chiefs  and  cliciues  and  resolved  to  make  it 
a  question  of  national  emergency,  not  of  party 
expediency. 

The  great  victory  of  Catholic  Emancipation 
was  won  outside  of  the  Parliament,  but  within 
the  lines  of  constitutional  action.  It  was  mainly 
the  work  of  one  man,  whose  place  in  the  hearts 
of  his  countiymen  was  rarely,  if  ever  before, 
reached,  and  probably  will  be  rarely  reached 
again  by  king  or  commoner.  The  people  called 
him  "Liberator."  Others  styled  him  truly  the 
"Father  of  his  Country  "^ — the  "Uncrowned 
Monarch  of  Ireland."  All  the  nations  of  Chris- 
tendom, as  the  simplest  yet  truest  homage  to  his 
fame,  recognize  him  in  the  world's  history  as 
"O'Connell." 

It  may  well  be  doubted  if  any  other  man  or 
any  other  tactics  could  have  succeeded,  where 
the  majestic  genius,  the  indomitable  energy,  and 
the  protean  strategy  of  O'Connell  were  so 
notably  victorious.  Irishmen  of  this  generation 
can  scarcely  form  an  adequate  conception  of  the 
herculean  task  that  confronted  the  young  barris- 
ter of  1812.  The  condition  of  Ireland  was  un- 
like that  of  any  other  country  in  the  world  in 
any  age.  The  Catholic  nobility  and  old  gentry 
had  read  history  so  mournfully  that  the  soul 
had  quietly  departed  from  them.  They  had 
seen  nothing  but  confiscation  result  from  past 
efforts,  and  they  had  learned  to  fear  nothing 
more  than  new  agitation  that  might  end  simi- 
larly. Like  the  lotus-eater,  their  cry  was  "Let 
us  alone!"    By  degrees  some  of  them  crept  out 


23-3 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


a  little  into  the  popular  movement;  but  at  the 
utterance  of  an  "extreme"  doctrine  or  "violent" 
opinion  by  j'oung  O'Connell,  or  other  of  those 
"inflammatory  politicians/'  they  fled  back  to 
their  retirement  -w  ith  terrified  hearts,  and  called 
out  to  the  government  that  for  their  parts,  they 
reprobated  anything  that  might  displease  the 
king  or  embai-rass  the  ministry. 

Nor  was  it  the  Catholic  nobility  and  gentry 
alone  whose  unexampled  pusillanimity  long 
thwarted  and  retarded  O'Connell.  The  Catholic 
bishops  for  a  long  time  received  him  and  the 
"advanced"  school  of  emancipationists  with  un- 
concealed dislike  and  alarm.  They  had  seen  the 
terrors  and  rigors  of  the  penal  times;  and 
"leave  to  live,"  even  by  mere  connivance,  seemed 
to  them  a  great  boon.  The  "extreme"  ideas  of 
this  young  O'Connell  and  his  party  could  only 
result  in  mischief.  Could  he  not  go  on  in  the 
old  slow  and  prudent  way?  What  could  he  gain 
by  "extreme"  and  "impracticable"  demands? 

In  nothing  did  O'Connell's  supreme  tact  and 
prudence  manifest  itself  more  notably  than  in 
his  dealings  with  the  Catholic  bishops  who  were 
opposed  to  and  unfriendly  to  him.  He  never 
attempted  to  excite  popular  indignation  against 
them  as  "Castle  politicians;"  he  never  allowed  a 
word  disrespectful  toward  them  to  be  uttered; 
he  never  attempted  to  degrade  them  in  public 
estimation  even  on  the  specious  plea  that  it  was 
"only  in  the  capacity  of  politicians"  he  assailed 
them.  Many  and  painful  were  the  provocations 
he  received ;  yet  he  never  was  betrayed  from  his 
impregnable  position  of  mingled  firmness  and 
prudence.  It  was  hard  to  find  the  powers  of  an 
oppressive  government — fines  and  penalties,  proc- 
lamations and  prosecutions — smiting  him  at 
every  step,  and  withal  behold  not  only  the 
Catholic  aristocracy,  but  the  chief  members  of 
the  hierarchy  also  arrayed  against  him,  nega- 
tively sustaining  and  encouraging  the  tyranny 
of  the  government.  But  he  bore  it  all ;  for  he 
■well  knew  that,  calamitous  as  was  the  conduct  of 
those  prelates,  it  proceeded  from  no  corrupt  or 
selfish  consideration,  but  arose  from  weakness  of 
judgment,  when  dealing  with  such  critical  legal 
and  political  questions.  He  bore  their  negative, 
if  not  positive,  opposition  long  and  patiently, 
and  ill  the  end  had  the  triumph  of  seeing  many 
converts  from  among  his  early  opponents  zeal- 


ous in  action  by  his  side,  and  of  feeling  that  no 
word  or  act  of  his  had  weakened  the  respect, 
veneration,  and  affection  due  from  a  Catholic 
people  to  their  pastors  and  prelates. 

From  the  outset  he  was  loyally  sustained  by 
the  Catholic  mercantile  classes,  by  the  body  of 
the  clergy,  and  by  the  masses  of  the  population 
in  town  and  country.  Owing  to  the  attitude  of 
the  bishops,  the  secular  or  parochial  clergy  for 
a  time  deemed  it  prudent  to  hold  aloof  from  any 
very  prominent  participation  in  the  movement, 
though  their  sentiments  were  never  doubted. 
But  the  regular  clergy — the  religious  orders 
flung  themselves  ardently  into  the  people's 
cause.  When  every  other  place  of  meeting, 
owing  to  one  cause  or  another,  was  closed 
against  the  young  Catholic  leaders,  the  Carmelite 
church  in  Clarendon  Street  became  their  ralb'- 
iug  point  and  place  of  assembly  in  Dublin,  freely 
given  for  the  purpose  by  the  community. 

O'Connell  laid  down  as  the  basis  of  his  politi- 
cal action  in  Ireland  this  proposition,  "Ireland 
cannot  fight  England."  From  this  he  evolved 
others.  "If  Ireland  try  to  fight  England,  she 
will  be  worsted.  She  has  tried  too  often.  She 
must  not  try  it  any  more."  That  acumen,  the 
prescience,  in  which  he  excelled  all  men  of  his. 
generation,  taught  him  that  a  change  was  com- 
ing over  the  world,  and  that  superior  might — 
brute  force — would  not  alwaj's  be  able  to  resist 
the  power  of  opinion,  could  not  alwaj's  afford  to 
be  made  odious  and  rendered  morally  weak. 
Above  all,  he  knew  that  there  remained,  at  the 
worst,  to  an  oppressed  people  unable  to  match 
their  oppressors  in  a  military  struggle,  the 
grand  policy  of  Passive  Resistance,  by  which  the 
weak  can  drag  down  the  haughty  and  the  strong. 

Moulding  all  his  movements  on  these  princi- 
ples, O'Connell  resolved  to  show  his  countrymen 
that  they  could  win  their  rights  by  action 
strictly  within  the  constitution.  And,  very 
naturalb',  therefore,  he  regarded  the  man  who 
would  even  ever  so  slightly  tempt  them  outside 
of  it,  as  their  direst  enemy.  He  happily  com- 
bined in  himself  all  the  qualifications  for  guid- 
ing them  through  that  system  of  guerrilla  war- 
fare in  politics  which  alone  could  enable  them 
to  defeat  the  government  without  violating  the 
law;  quick  to  meet  each  dexterous  evolution  of 
the  foe  by  some  equally  ingenious  artifice ;  evad- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


233 


ing  the  ponderous  blow  designed  to  crush  him 
— disappearing  in  one  guise  only  to  start  up  in 
another.  No  man  but  himself  could  have  carried 
the  people,  as  he  did,  safely  and  victoriously 
through  such  a  campaign,  Avith  the  scanty  poli- 
tical resources  then  possessed  by  Irish  Catholics. 
It  was  scarcely  hyperbole  to  call  him  the  Moses 
■of  the  modern  Israel. 

His  was  no  smooth  and  straight  road.  Young 
Irishmen  can  scarcely  realize  the  discourage- 
ments and  difficulties,  the  repeated  failures — 
seeming  failures — the  reverses,  that  often  flung 
him  backward,  apparently  defeated.  But  with 
him  there  was  no  such  word  as  fail.  The  people 
trusted  him  and  followed  him  with  the  docile 
and  trustful  obedience  of  troops  obeying  the 
commands  of  a  chosen  general.  For  them — for 
the  service  of  Ireland — he  gave  up  his  profes- 
sional prospects.  He  labored  for  them,  he 
thought  for  them,  he  lived  but  for  them;  and  he 
was  ready  to  die  for  them.  A  trained  shot — a 
•chosen  bravo — D'Esterre — was  set  on  by  the 
Orange  Corporation  of  Dublin  to  shoot  him 
down  in  a  duel.  O'Connell  met  his  adversary  at 
eighteen  paces,  and  laid  him  mortally  wounded 
on  the  field.  By  degrees  even  those  who  for 
long  years  had  held  aloof  from  the  Catholic 
leader  began  to  bow  in  homage  to  the  sover- 
eignty conferred  by  the  popular  will;  and  Eng- 
lish ministries,  one  by  one,  found  themselves 
powerless  to  grapple  with  the  influence  he 
wielded.  If,  indeed,  they  could  but  goad  or 
•entrap  him  into  a  breach  of  the  law ;  if  they 
could  only  persuade  the  banded  Irish  millions  to 
•obligingly  meet  England  in  the  arena  of  her 
choice — namely,  the  field  of  war — then  the  min- 
isterial anxieties  would  be  over.  They  could 
«ooii  make  an  end  of  the  Catholic  cause  there. 
But,  most  provokingly,  O'Connell  was  able  to 
baffle  this  idea — was  able  to  keep  the  most' high- 
spirited,  impetuous,  and  war -loving  people  in 
the  world  deaf,  as  it  were,  to  all  such  challenges; 
callous,  as  it  were  to  all  such  provocations. 
They  would,  most  vexatiously,  persist  in  choos- 
ing their  own  ground,  their  own  tactics,  their 
own  time  and  mode  of  action,  and  would  noL 
allow  England  to  force  hers  upon  them  at  all. 
Such  a  policy  broke  the  heart  and  maddened  the 
brain  of  English  oppression.  In  vain  the  king 
stormed  and  the  Duke  of  York  swore.    In  vain 


the  old  "saws"  of  "Utopian  dreams"  and 
"splendid  phantoms"  were  flung  at  the  emanci- 
pationists. Men  sagely  pointed  out  that  emanci- 
pation was  "inconsistent  with  the  coronation 
oath;"  was  "incompatible  with  the  British  con- 
stitution; that  it  involved  "the  severance  of 
the  countries,"  "the  dismemberment  of  the 
empire,"  and  that  "England  would  spend  her 
last  shilling,  and  her  last  man,  rather  than  grant 
it."  Others,  equally  profound,  declared  that  in 
a  week  after  emancipation,  Irish  .Catholics,  and 
Protestants  "would  be  cutting  each  others' 
throats;"  that  there  would  be  a  massacre  of 
Protestants  all  over  the  island,  and  that  it  was 
England's  duty,  in  the  interests  of  good  order, 
civilization,  and  humanity,  not  to  afford  an 
opportunity  for  such  anarchy. 

There  is  a  most  ancient  and  fish-like  smell 
about  these  precious  arguments.  They  are,  in- 
deed, very  old  and  much  decayed;  yet  my  young 
readers  will  find  them  always  used  whenever  an 
Irish  demand  for  freedom  cannot  be  encountered 
on  the  merits. 

But  none  of  them  could  impose  upon  or 
frighten  O'Connell.  He  went  on  rousing  the 
whole  people  into  one  mass  of  fierce  earnestness 
and  enthusiasm  until  the  island  glowed  and 
heaved  like  a  volcano.  Peel  and  Wellington 
threatened  war.  Coercion  acts  followed  each 
other  in  quick  succession.  Suddenly  there 
appeared  a  sight  as  horrific  to  English  oppres- 
sion as  the  hand  upon  the  wall  to  Belshazzar — 
Irish  regiments  cheering  for  O'Connell!  Then, 
indeed,  the  hand  that  held  the  chain  shook  with 
the  palsy  of  mortal  fear.  Peal  and  Wellington 
- — those  same  ministers  whose  especial  "plat- 
form" was  resistance  a  I'outrance  to  Catholic 
emancipation — came  down  to  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, and  told  the  assembled  Parliament  that 
Catholic  emancipation  must  be  granted.  "The 
Man  of  the  People"  had  conquered! 


CHAPTER  LXXXIV. 

HOW  THE  IRISH  PEOPLE  NEXT  SOUGHT  TO  ACHIEVE  THE 
RESTORATION  OF  THEIR  LEGISLATIVE  INDEPEND- 
ENCE HOW    ENGLAND    ANSWERED    THEM    WITH  A 

CHALLENGE  TO  THE  SWORD. 

Emancipation  was  won ;  yet  there  was  a  ques- 
tion nearer  and  dear  even  than  emancipation  to 


23i  THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


O'Counell's  heart — the  question  of  national  inde- 
pendence— the  repeal  of  the  iniquitous  Union. 
It  njight  be  thought  that  as  an  emancipated 
Catholic  he  would  be  drawn  toward  the  legisla- 
ture that  had  freed  him  rather  than  to  that 
which  had  forged  the  shackles  thus  struck  off. 
But  O'Counell  had  the  spirit  and  the  manhood 
of  a  patriot.  AVhile  yet  he  wore  those  penal 
chains,  he  publicly  declared  that  he  would  will- 
ingly forfeit  all  chance  of  emancipation  from  the 
British  parliament  for  the  certaiutj'  6i  repeal. 
His  first  public  speech  had  been  made  against 
the  Union ;  and  even  so  early  as  1812,  he  con- 
temjilated  relinquishing  the  agitation  for  eman- 
cipation and  devoting  all  his  energies  to  a  move- 
ment for  repeal,  but  was  dissuaded  from  that 
purpose  by  his  colleagues. 

No  7,  however,  his  hands  were  free,  and 
scarcely  had  he  been  a  year  in  parliamentarv' 
harness  when  he  unfurled  the  standard  of  re- 
peal. His  new  organization  was  instantaneously 
suppressed  by  proclamation — the  act  of  the  Irish 
secretary',  Sir  Henry  Hardinge.  The  proclama- 
tion was  illegal,  yet  O'Connell  bowed  to  it.  He 
denounced  it  however  as  "an  atrocious  Poliguac 
pi'oclamation, "  and  i)lainly  intimated  his  con- 
viction that  Hardinge  designed  to  force  the 
countrj'-  into  a  fight.  Not  that  O'Connell  "ab- 
jured the  sword  and  stigmatized  the  sword"  in 
the  abstract;  but  as  he  himself  expressed  it,  the 
time  had  not  come.  "Why,"  said  he,  "I  would 
rather  be  a  dog  and  bay  the  moon  than  the 
Irishman  who  would  tamely  submit  to  so  in- 
famous a  proclamation.  I  have  not  opposed  it 
hitherto,  because  that  would  implicate  the  peo- 
ple and  give  our  enemies  a  triumph.  But  I  will 
oppose  it,  and  that,  too,  not  in  the  way  that  the 
paltry  Castle  scribe  would  wish — by  force.  No. 
Ireland  is  not  in  a  state  for  repelling  force  by 
force.  Too  short  a  period  has  elapsed  since  the 
cause  of  contention  between  Protestants  and 
Catholics  was  removed — too  little  time  has  been 
given  for  healing  the  wounds  of  factious  conten- 
tion to  allow  Ireland  to  use  physical  force  in 
the  attainment  of  her  rights,  or  her  punishment 
of  wrong. " 

Hardly  had  his  first  repeal  society  been  sup- 
pressed V)y  the  "Polignac  proclamation"  than 
he  established  a  second,  styled  "The  Irish  Vol- 
unteers for  the  Repeal  of  the  Union."  Another 


government  proclamation  as  quickly  appeared 
suppressing  this  body  also.  O'Connell,  ever 
fertile  of  resort,  now  organized  what  he  called 
"Repeal  Breakfasts."  "If  the  government," 
said  he,  "think  fit  to  proclaim  down  breakfasts, 
then  we'll  resort  to  a  political  lunch.  If  the 
luncheon  be  equally  dangerous  to  the  peace  of 
the  great  duke  (the  viceroy),  we  shall  have  poli- 
tical dinners.  If  the  dinners  be  proclaimed 
down,  we  must,  like  certain  sanctified  dames, 
resort  to  'tea  and  tracts.*  "  The  breakfasts  were 
"proclaimed;"  but,  in  defiance  of  the  proclama- 
tion, went  on  as  usual,  whereupon  O'Connell 
was  arrested,  and  held  to  bail  to  await  his  trial. 
He  was  not  daunted.  "Were  I  fated  to- 
morrow," said  he,  "to  ascend  the  scaffold  or  go 
down  to  the  grave,  I  should  bequeath  to  my 
children  eternal  hatred  of  the  Union." 

The  prosecution  was  subsequently  abandoned, 
and  soon  afterward  it  became  plain  that  O'Con- 
nell had  been  persuaded  by  the  English  reform 
leaders  that  the  question  for  Ireland  was  what 
they  called  "the  great  cause  of  reform" — and 
that  from  a  reformed  parliament  Ireland  would 
obtain  full  justice.  Accordingly  he  flung  him- 
self heartily  into  the  ranks  of  the  English  re- 
formers. Reform  was  carried;  and  almost  the 
first  act  of  the  reformed  parliament  was  to  pass 
a  Coercion  Bill  for  Ireland  more  atrocious  than, 
any  of  its  numerous  predecessors. 

All  the  violence  of  the  English  Tories  had 
failed  to  shake  O'Counell.  The  blandishmenta 
of  the  Whigs  fared  otherwise.  "Union  with 
English  liberals"— union  with  "the  great  liberal 
party" — was  now  made  to  appear  to  him  the 
best  hope  of  Ireland.  To  j-oke  this  giant  to  the 
Whig  chariot,  the  Whig  leaders  were  willing  to 
pay  a  high  price.  Place,  pension,  emolument 
to  any  extent,  O'Connell  might  have  had  from 
them  at  will.  The  most  lucrative  and  exalted 
posts — positions  in  which  he  and  all  his  family 
might  have  lived  and  died  in  ease  and  affluence 
—were  at  his  acceptance.  But  O'Connell  was 
neither  corrupt  nor  selfish,  though  in  his  alliance 
with  the  Whigs  he  exhibited  a  lack  of  his  usual 
firmness  and  perspicuity.  He  would  accept 
nothing  for  himself,  but  he  demanded  the  nomina- 
tion in  great  part  of  the  Irish  executive,  and  a 
veto,  on  the  selection  of  a  viceroy.  The  terms 
were  granted,  and  it  is  unquestioned  and  un-u 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


questionable  that  the  Irish  executive  thus  chosen 
— the  administration  of  Lord  Mulgrave — was  the 
only  one  Ireland  had  known  for  nigh  two  hun- 
dred years — the  first,  and  the  only  one,  in  the 
present  century — that  possessed  the  confidence 
and  commanded  the  respect,  attachment,  and 
sympathy  of  the  Irish  people. 

"Men,  not  measures,"  however  was  the  sum 
total  of  advantage  O'Connell  found  derivable 
from  his  alliance  with  the  great  liberal  party. 
Excellent  appointments  were  made,  and  numer- 
ous Catholics  were,  to  the  horror  of  the  Orange 
faction,  placed  in  administrative  positions 
throughout  the  country.  But  this  modicum  of 
good  (which  had,  moreover,  as  we  shall  see,  its 
counterbalancing  evil)  did  not,  in  O'Connell's 
estimation  compensate  for  the  inability  or  indis- 
position of  the  administration  to  pass  adequate 
remedial  measures  for  the  country.  He  had 
given  the  Union  system  a  fair  trial  under  its 
most  favorable  circumstances,  and  the  experi- 
ment only  taught  him  that  in  Home  Rule  alone 
could  Ireland  hope  for  just  or  protective 
government. 

Impelled  by  this  conviction,  on  the  15th  of 
April,  1840,  he  established  the  Loyal  National 
Repeal  Association,  a  body  destined  to  play  an 
important  part  in  Irish  politics. 

The  new  association  was  a  very  weak  and  un- 
promising project  for  some  time.  Men  were  not 
at  first,  convinced  that  O'Connell  was  in  earnest. 
Moreover,  the  evil  that  eventually  tended  so 
much  to  ruin  the  association  was  now,  even  in 
its  incipient  stages,  beginning  to  be  felt.  The 
appointment  by  government  of  popular  leaders 
to  places  of  emolument — an  apparent  boon — a 
flattering  concession,  as  it  seemed  to  the  spirit 
of  emancipation — opened  up  to  the  administration 
an  entirely  new  field  of  action  in  their  designs 
against  any  embarrassing  popular  movement. 
O'Connell  himself  was  a  tower  of  personal  and 
public  integrit3' ;  but  among  his  subordinates 
were  men,  who,  by  no  means,  possessed  his 
admantine  virtue.  It  was  only  when  the  Mel- 
bourne (Whig)  ministry  fell,  and  the  Peel  (Tory) 
ministry  came  into  power,  that  (government 
places  for  Catholic  agitators  being  no  longer  in 
the  market)  the  full  force  of  his  old  following 
raillied  to  O'Connell's  side  in  his  repeal  cam- 
paign.   It  would  have  been  well  for  Ireland  if 


most  of  them  had  never  taken  such  a  step. 
Some  of  them  were  at  best  intrinsically  rude, 
and  almost  worthless,  instruments,  whom  O'Con- 
nell in  past  days  had  been  obliged  in  sheer  neces- 
sity to  use.  Others  of  them,  of  a  better  stamp, 
had  had  their  day  of  usefulness  and  virtue,  but 
now  it  was  gone.  Decay,  physical  and  moral, 
had  set  in.  A  new  generation  was  just  stepping 
into  manhood,  with  severer  ideas  of  personal  and 
public  morality,  with  purer  tastes  and  loftier 
ambitions,  with  more  intense  and  fiery  ardor. 
Yet  there  were  also  among  the  adherents  of  the 
great  tribune,  some  who  brought  to  the  repeal 
cause  a  fidelity  not  to  be  surpassed,  integrity 
beyond  price,  ability  of  the  highest  order,  and  a 
matured  experience,  in  which  of  course,  the  new 
growth  of  men  were  entirely  deficient. 

In  three  years  the  movement  for  national 
autonomy  swelled  into  a  magnitude  that  startled 
the  world.  Never  did  a  nation  so  strikingly 
manifest  its  will.  About  three  millions  of  asso- 
ciates paid  yearly  toward  the  repeal  associatiou 
funds.  As  many  more  were  allied  to  the  cause 
by  sympathy.  Meetings  to  petition  against  the 
Union  were,  at  several  places,  attended  by  six 
hundred  thousand  persons;  by  eight  hundred 
thousand  at  two  places ;  and  by  nearly  a  million 
at  one — Tara  Hill.  All  these  gigantic  demon- 
strations, about  forty  in  number,  were  held 
without  the  slightest  accident,  or  the  slightest 
infringement  of  the  peace.  Order,  sobriety, 
respect  for  the  laws,  were  the  watchwords  of  the 
millions. 

England  was  stripped  of  the  slightest  chance 
of  deceiving  the  world  as  to  the  nature  of  her 
relations  with  Ireland.  TLe  people  of  Israel, 
with  one  voice,  besought  Pharaoh  to  let  them  go 
free;  but  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  was  hard  as 
stone. 

O'Connell  was  not  prepared  for  the  obduracy 
of  tyrannic  strength  which  he  encountered.  So 
completely  was  he  impressed  with  the  convic- 
tion that  the  ministry  must  .yield  to  the  array  of 
an  almost  unanimous  people,  that  in  1843  he 
committed  himself  to  a  specific  promise  and, 
solemn  undertaking  that  "within  six  months" 
repeal  would  be  an  accomplished  fact. 

This  fatal  promise — the  gigantic  error  of  his 
life — suggested  to  the  minister  the  sure  means, 
to  effect  the  overthrow  of  O'Connell  and  hia 


•236 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


movement.  To  break  the  spell  of  his  magic  in- 
fluence over  the  people — to  destroy  their  hitherto 
unshaken  confidence  in  him — to  publicly  dis- 
credit his  most  solemn  and  formal  covenant 
with  them — that  if  they  would  but  keep  the 
peace  and  obey  his  instructions  he  would  as 
surelj''  as  the  sun  shone  on  them  obtain  repeal 
within  six  months) — it  was  now  necessary  merely 
to  hold  out  for  sis  or  twelve  months  longer,  and 
by  some  bold  stroke,  even  at  the  risk  of  a  civil 
war,  to  fall  upon  O'Connell  and  his  colleagues 
"with  all  the  rigors  of  the  law  and  publicly  de- 
grade them. 

This  daring  and  dangerous  scheme  Peel  car- 
ried out.  First  he  garrisoned  the  country  with 
an  overwhelming  force,  and  then,  so  far  from 
yielding  repeal,  trampled  on  the  constitution, 
challenged  the  people  to  war,  prepared  for  a 
massacre  at  Clontarf — averted  only  by  the  utmost 
exertions  of  the  popular  leaders — and,  finally, 
he  had  O'Connell  and  his  colleagues  publicly 
arraigned,  tried,  and  convicted  as  conspirators, 
and  dragged  to  jail  as  criminals. 

O'Connell's  promise  was  defeated.  His  spell 
was  broken  from  that  hour.  All  the  worse  for 
England. 

All  the  worse  for  England,  as  crime  is  always, 
even  where  it  wins  present  advantage,  all  the 
worse  for  those  who  avail  of  it.  For  what  had 
England  done?  Here  was  a  man,  the  corner- 
stones of  whose  policy,  the  first  principles  of 
whose  public  teaching  were — loyalty,  firm  and 
fervent,  to  the  throne;  respect,  strict  and 
scrupulous,  for  the  laws;  confidence  in  the  prev- 
alence of  reasoning  force ;  reliance,  complete, 
and  exclusive,  upon  the  efficacy  of  peaceful, 
legal,  and  constitutional  action. 

Yet  this  was  the  man  whom  England  prose- 
cuted as  a  conspirator!  These  were  the  teach- 
ings she  punished  with  fine  and  imprisonment! 

The  Irish  people,  through  O'Connell,  had  said 
to  England:  "Let  us  reason  this  question.  Let 
there  be  an  end  of  resort  to  force."  England 
answered  by  a  flourish  of  the  mailed  hand.  She 
would  have  no  reasoning  on  the  subject.  She 
Ijointed  to  her  armies  and  fleets,  her  arsenals  and 
dockyards,  her  shotted  gun  and  whetted  saber. 

In  that  hour  a  silent  revolution  was  wrought 
in  the  popular  mind  of  Ireland.  Up  to  that 
moment  a  peaceable,  an  amicable,  a  friendly 


settlement  of  the  question  between  the  two 
countries,  was  easy  enough.    But  now! 

The  law  lords  in  the  British  House  of  Peers, 
by  three  votes  to  two,  decided  that  the  convic- 
tion of  O'Connell  and  his  colleagues  was  wrong- 
ful. Every  one  knew  that.  There  was  what  the 
minister  judged  to  be  a  "state  necessity"  for 
showing  that  the  government  could  and  would 
publicly  defy  and  degrade  O'Connell  by  convic- 
tion and  imprisonment,  innocent  or  guilty;  and 
as  this  had  been  triumphantly  accomplished, 
Peel  cared  not  a  jot  that  the  full  term  of  punish- 
ment was  thus  cut  short.  O'Connell  left  his 
prison  cell  a  broken  man.  Overwhelming 
demonstrations  of  unchanged  affection  and  per- 
sonal attachment  poured  in  upon  him  from  his 
countrymen.  Their  faith  in  his  devotion  to 
Ireland  was  increased  a  hundredfold;  but  their 
faith  in  the  efficacy  of  his  policj',  or  the  surety 
of  his  promises,  was  gone. 

He  himself  saw  and  felt  it,  and  marking  the 
effect  the  government  course  had  wrought  upon 
the  new  generation  of  Irishmen,  he  was  troubled 
in  soul.  England  had  dared  them  to  grapple 
with  her  power.  He  trembled  at  the  thought  of 
what  the  result  might  be  in  years  to  come.  Al- 
ready the  young  crop  of  Irish  manhood  had  be- 
come recognizable  as  a  distinct  political  element 
— a  distinct  school  of  thought  and  action.  At 
the  head  of  this  party  blazed  a  galaxy  of  genius 
— poets,  orators,  scholars,  writers,  and  organi- 
zers. It  was  the  party  of  Youth,  with  its  gener- 
ous impulses,  its  roseate  hopes,  its  classic 
models,  its  glorious  daring,  its  pure  devotion. 
The  old  man  feared  the  issue  between  this  hot 
blood  and  the  cold,  stern  tyranny  that  had  shown 
its  disregard  for  law  and  conscience.  Age  was 
now  heavily  upon  him,  and,  moreover,  there 
were  those  around  him  full  of  jealousy  against 
the  young  leaders  of  the  Irish  Giroude — full  of 
envy  of  their  brilliant  genius,  their  public  fame, 
their  popular  influence.  The  gloomiest  forbod- 
ings  arose  to  the  old  man's  mind,  or  were  sedu- 
lously conjured  up  before  it  by  those  who  sur- 
rounded him. 

Soon  a  darker  shade  came  to  deepen  the  gloom 
that  was  settling  on  the  horizon  of  his  future. 
Famine — terrible  and  merciless — fell  upon  the 
land.  Or  rather,  one  crop  out  of  the  many 
grown  on  Irish  soil — that  one  on  which  the 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


237 


anasses  of  the  people  fed — perished ;  and  it  be- 
•came  plain  the  government  would  let  the  people 
perish  too.  In  1846  the  long  spell  of  conserva- 
tive rule  came  to  a  close,  and  the  Whigs  came 
into  oflSce.  Place  was  once  more  to  be  had  by 
facile  Catholic  agitators;  and  now  the  Castle 
backstairs  was  literally  thronged  with  the  old 
hacks  of  Irish  agitation,  filled  with  a  fine  glowing 
indignation  against  those  "purists"  of  the  new 
school  who  denied  that  it  was  a  good  thing  to 
have  friends  in  office.  Here  was  a  new  source 
■of  division  between  the  old  and  new  elements  in 
Irish  popular  politics.  O'Connell  himself  was 
as  far  as  ever  from  bending  to  the  acceptance  of 
personal  favor  from  the  government ;  but  some 
of  his  near  relatives  and  long-time  colleagues, 
•or  subordinates,  in  agitation,  were  one  by  one 
being  "placed"  by  the  viceroy,  amid  fierce  in- 
vectives from  the  "Young  Ireland"  party,  as 
"they  were  called. 

All  these  troubles  seemed  to  be  shaking  from 
its  foundations  the  mind  of  the  old  Tribune,  who 
•every  day  sunk  more  and  moi-e  into  the  hands  of 
his  personal  adherents.  He  became  at  length 
full  iiersuaded  of  the  necessity  of  fettering  the 
young  party.  He  framed  a  test  declaration  for 
members  of  the  association,  repudiating,  dis- 
claiming, denouncing,  and  abhorring  the  use  of 
physical  force  under  any  possible  circumstances, 
•or  in  any  age  or  country.  This  monstrous 
absurdity  showed  that  the  once  glorious  intellect 
■of  O'Connell  was  gone.  In  his  constant  brood- 
ing over  the  dangers  of  an  insurrection  in  which 
the  people  would  be  slaughtered  like  sheep,  he 
stuck  upon  this  resort,  apparently  unable  to  see 
that  it  was  opposed  to  all  his  own  past  teaching 
and  practice — nay,  opposed  to  all  law,  human 
and  divine — that  it  would  converse  and  enthrone 
the  most  iniquitous  tyrannies,  and  render  man 
the  abject  slave  of  power. 

The  young  party  offered  to  take  this  test  as 
far  as  related  to  the  present  or  the  future  of  Ire- 
land ;  but  they  refused  to  stigmatize  the  patriot 
brave  of  all  history  who  had  bled  and  died  for 
liberty.  This  would  not  suffice,  and  the  painful 
fact  became  clear  enough  that  the  monstrous 
test  resolutions  were  meant  to  drive  them  from 
the  association.  On  the  27th  of  July,  1846,  the 
Young  Ireland  leaders,  refusing  a  test  which  was 

treason  against   truth,  justice,  and  liberty, 


quitted  Conciliation  Hall,  and  Irish  Ireland  was 
rent  into  bitterly  hostile  parties. 

Not  long  afterward  the  insidious  disease,  the 
approach  of  which  was  proclaimed  clearly  enough 
in  O'Connell 's  recent  proceedings — softening  of 
the  brain — laid  the  old  chieftain  low.  He  had 
felt  the  approach  of  dissolution,  and  set  out  on 
a  pilgrimage  that  had  been  his  life-long  dream — 
a  visit  to  Rome.  And  assuredly  a  splendid  wel- 
come awaited  him  there ;  the  first  Catholic  lay- 
man in  Europe,  the  Emancipator  of  seven  mil- 
lions of  Catholics,  the  most  illustrious  Christian 
patriot  of  his  age.  But  heaven  decreed  other- 
wise. A  brighter  welcome  in  a  better  land 
awaited  the  toil-worn  soldier  of  faith  and  father- 
land. At  Marseilles,  on  his  way  to  Rome,  it 
became  clear  that  a  crisis  was  at  hand ;  yet  he 
would  fain  push  onward  for  the  Eternal  City. 
In  Genoa  the  Superb  he  breathed  his  last ;  be- 
queathing, with  his  dying  breath,  his  body  to 
Ireland,  his  heart  to  Rome,  his  soul  to  God.  All 
Christendom  was  plunged  into  mourning.  The 
world  poured  its  homage  of  respect  above  his 
bier.  Ireland,  the  land  for  which  he  had  lived 
and  labored,  gave  him  a  funeral  nobly  befitting 
his  title  of  Uncrowned  Monarch.  But  more 
honoring  than  funeral  pageant,  more  worthy  of 
his  memory,  was  the  abiding  grief  that  fell  upon 
the  people  who  had  loved  him  with  such  a  deep 
devotion. 


CHAPTER  LXXXV. 

HOW  THE  HORROES   OF   THE  FAMINE  HAD  THEIR  EFFECT 

ON  IRISH  POLITICS  HOW  THE  FRENCH  REVOLUTION 

SET    EUROPE   IN   A   FLAME  HOW  IRELAND   MADE  A 

VAIN  ATTEMPT  AT  INSURRECTION. 

Amid  the  horrors  of  "Black  Forty -se ven, "  the 
reason  of  strong  men  gave  way  in  Ireland.  The 
people  lay  dead  in  hundreds  on  the  highways 
and  in  the  fields.  There  was  food  in  abundance 
in  the  country;*  but  the  government  said  it 
should  not  be  touched,  unless  in  accordance  with 
the  teachings  of  Adam  Smith  and  the  "laws  of 
political  economy." 

The  mechanism  of  an  absentee  government 
utterly  broke  down,  even  in  carrying  out  its  own 

*  The  corn  exported  from  Ireland  tbat  year  would,  alonf»- 
it  is  computed.  Lave  sufficed  to  feed  a  larger  populatioa. 


238 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


tardy  and  ineflficient  measures.  The  cLarity  of 
the  English  people  toward  the  end  generously 
endeavored  to  compensate  for  the  ineflSciency,  or 
the  heartlessness  of  the  government.  But  it 
could  not  be  done.  The  people  perished  in 
thousands.    Ireland  was  one  huge  charnel-pit. 

It  is  not  wonderful  that  amid  scenes  like  these 
some  passionate  natures  burst  into  rash  resolves. 
Better,  they  cried,  the  people  died  bravely  with 
arms  in  their  hands,  ridding  themselves  of  such 
an  imbecile  regime;  better  Ireland  was  reduced 
to  a  cinder  than  endure  the  horrible  physical 
and  moral  ruin  being  wrought  before  men's  eyes. 
The  daring  apostle  of  these  doctrines  was  John 
Mitchel.  Men  called  him  mad.  "Well  might  it 
Lave  been  so.  Few  natures  like  his  could  have 
calmly  looked  on  at  a  people  perishing — rotting 
away — under  the  hands  of  blundering  and  in- 
competent, if  not  callous  and  heartless,  foreign 
rulers.  But  he  protested  he  was  "not  mad, 
most  noble  Festus. "  An  unforeseen  circumstance 
came  to  the  aid  of  the  frenzied  leader.  In 
February,  1848,  the  people  rose  in  the  streets  of 
Paris,  and  in  three  days'  struggle  pulled  down 
one  of  the  strongest  military  governments  in 
Europe.  All  the  continent  burst  into  a  flame. 
North,  south,  east,  and  west,  the  people  rose, 
thrones  tottered,  and  rulers  fell.  Once  again 
the  blood  of  Ireland  was  turned  to  fire.  What 
nation  of  them  all,  it  was  asked,  had  such  mad- 
dening wrongs  as  Ireland?  "While  all  around 
her  were  rising  in  appeals  to  the  God  of  battles, 
was  she  alone  to  crouch  and  whine  like  a  beggar? 
Was  England  stronger  than  other  governments 
that  now  daily  crumbled  at  the  first  shock  of 
conflict? 

Even  a  people  less  impulsive  and  hot-blooded 
than  the  Irish  would  have  been  powerless  to 
withstand  these  incitements.  The  Young  Ire- 
land leaders  had  almost  unanimously  condemned 
Mitchel's  policy  when  first  it  had  been  preached; 
but  this  new  state  of  things  was  too  much  for 
them.  They  were  swept  oft  their  feet  by  the 
fierce  billows  of  popular  excitement.  To  resist 
the  cry  for  war  was  deemed  "  cowardly. "  Ere 
long  even  the  calmest  of  the  Young  Ireland  chiefs 
yielded  to  the  epidemic,  and  became  persuaded 
that  the  time  at  length  had  come  when  Ireland 
might  safely  and  righteously  appeal  for  justice 
to  God  and  her  own  strong  right  arm. 


Alas!  all  this  was  the  fire  of  fever  in  the  bloody 
not  the  strength  of  health  in  that  wasted,  famine- 
stricken  nation : 

Nevertheless,  the  government  was  filled  with 
alarm.  It  fell  upon  the  popular  leaders  with 
savage  fury.  Mitchel  was  the  first  victim.  He- 
had  openly  defied  the  government  to  the  issue. 
He  had  openly  said  and  preached  that  English 
government  was  murdering  the  people,  and 
ought  to  be  swept  away  at  once  and  forever. 
So  prevalent  was  this  conviction — at  all  events 
its  first  propositioni — in  Ireland  at  the  time,  that 
the  government  felt  that  according  the  rules  of 
fair  constitutional  procedure,  Mitchel  would  b& 
sustained  in  a  court  of  justice.  That  is  to  say, 
a  "jury  of  his  countrymen"  fairly  impaneled, 
would,  considering  all  the  circumstances,  declare 
him  a  patriot,  not  a  criminal.  So  the  govern- 
ment was  fain  to  collect  twelve  of  its  own  crea- 
tures, or  partisans,  and  send  them  into  a  jury 
box  to  convict  him  in  imitation  of  a  "trial." 
Standing  in  the  dock  where  Emmet  stood  half  a. 
century  before,  he  gloried  in  the  sacrifice  he  was. 
about  to  consummate  for  Ireland, and,  like  another 
Scsevola,  told  his  judges  that  three  hundred  com- 
rades  were  ready  to  dare  the  same  fate.  The 
court  rang  with  shouts  from  the  croAvding 
auditors,  that  each  one  and  all  were  readj'  to  fol- 
low him  —  that  not  three  hundred,  but  three- 
hundred  thousand,  were  his  companions  in  the- 
" crime"  of  which  he  stood  convicted.  Before- 
the  echoes  had  quite  died  away  in  Green  Street, 
John  Mitchel,  loaded  with  irons,  was  hurried 
on  board  a  government  transport  ship,  and  car- 
ried off  into  captivity. 

He  had  not  promised  all  in  vain.  Into  his 
vacant  place  there  now  stepped  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  men — one  of  the  purest  and  most 
devoted  patriots — Ireland  ever  produced.  Gen- 
tle and  guileless  as  a  child,  modest  and  retiring, 
disliking  turmoil,  and  naturally  averse  to  vio- 
lence, his  was,  withal,  true  courage,  and  rarest, 
noblest   daring.    This  was    "John    Martin  of' 

*  So  distressingly  obvious  was  the  callousuess  of  ilie  gov- 
ernment to  the  horrors  of  the  famine — so  inhuman  its  policy 
in  declaring  that  the  millions  should  perish  rather  than  the- 
corn  market  should  be  "disturbed"  by  the  action  of  the 
State — that  coroners'  juries  in  several  places,  impaneled 
in  the  cases  of  famine  victims,  found  as  their  verdict,  on> 
oath,  "Wilful  murder  against  Lord  John  Russell  "  (the- 
premier)  and  his  fellow  cabinet  ministers. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


239 


Loughorne, "  a  Presbyterian  gentleman  of 
Ulster,  who  now,  quitting  the  congenial  tran- 
quillity and  easy  independence  of  his  northern 
home,  took  his  place,  all  calmly,  but  lion-hearted, 
in  the  gap  of  danger.  He  loved  peace,  but  he 
loved  truth,  honor,  and  manhood,  and  he  hated 
tyranny,  and  was  ready  to  give  his  life  for  Ire- 
land. He  now  as  boldlj'  as  Mitchel  proclaimed 
that  the  English  usurpation  was  murderous  in 
its  result,  and  hateful  to  all  just  men.  Martin 
was  seized  also,  and  like  Mitchel,  was  denied 
real  trial  by  jury.  He  was  brought  before 
twelve  government  partisans  selected  for  the 
purpose,  convicted,  sentenced,  and  hurried  off 
in  chains. 

Seizures  and  convictions  now  multiplied 
rapidly.  The  people  would  have  risen  in  insur- 
rection immediately  on  Mitchel's  conviction  but 
for  the  exhortations  of  other  leaders,  who  pointed 
out  the  ruin  of  such  a  course  at  a  moment  when 
the  food  question  alone  would  defeat  them.  In 
harvest,  it  was  resolved  on  all  sides  to  take  the 
field,  and  the  interval  was  to  be  devoted  to  ener- 
getic preparation. 

But  the  government  was  not  going  to  permit 
this  choice  of  time  nor  this  interval  of  prepara- 
tion. In  the  last  week  of  June  a  bill  to  suspend 
the  Habeas  Corpus  Act  was  suddenly  hurried 
through  Parliament,  and  the  Young  Ireland  lead- 
ers, scattered  through  the  country  in  the  work 
of  organization,  taken  utterly  by  surprise,  and 
without  opportunity  or  time  for  communication 
or  concert,  were  absolutely  flung  into  the  field. 

The  result  was  what  might  be  expected :  no 
other  result  was  possible,  as  human  affairs  are 
ordinarily  determined.  An  abortive  rising  took 
place  in  Tipperary,  and  once  more  some  of  the 
purest,  the  bravest,  and  the  best  of  Irishmen 
were  fugitives  or  captives  for  "the  old  crime  of 
their  race" — high  treason  against  England. 

The  leader  in  this  movement  was  William 
Smith  O'Brien,  brother  of  the  present  Earl  of 
Inchiquin,  and  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  victor 
of  Clontarf.  Like  some  other  of  the  ancient 
families  of  Ireland  of  royal  lineage,  O'Briens 
had,  generations  before  his  time,  become  com- 
pletely identified  with  the  Anglo-Irish  nobility 
in  political  and  religious  faith.  He  was,  there- 
fore, by  birth  an  aristocrat,  and  was  by  early 
education  a  "conservative"  in  politics.    But  he 


jhad  a  thoroughly  Irish  heart  withal,  and  its 
promptings,  seconded  by  the  force  of  reason, 
brought  him  in  1844  into  the  ranks  of  the 
national  movement.  This  act — the  result  of 
pure  self-sacrificing  conviction  and  sense  of  duty 
— sundered  all  the  ties  of  his  past  life,  and 
placed  him  in  utter  antagonism  with  his  nearest 
and  dearest  relatives  and  friends.  He  was  a 
man  endowed  with  all  the  qualities  of  soul  that 
truly  ennoble  humanity ;  a  lofty  integrity,  a 
proud  dignity,  a  perfect  inability,  so  to  speak, 
to  fall  into  an  ignoble  cr  unworthy  thought  or 
action.  Unfriendly  critics  called  him  haughty, 
and  said  he  was  proud  of  his  family ;  and  there 
was  a  proportion  of  truth  in  the  charge.  But  it 
was  not  a  failing  to  blush  for,  after  all,  and  might 
well  be  held  excusable  in  a  scion  of  the  royal 
house  of  Thomond,  filled  with  the  glorious 
spirit  of  his  ancestors. 

Such  was  the  man — noble  by  birth,  fortune, 
education,  and  social  and  public  position — who, 
toward  the  close  of  1848,  lay  in  an  Irish  dungeon 
awaiting  the  fate  of  the  Irish  patriot  who  loves 
his  country  "not  wisely  but  too  well." 

In  those  days  the  Irish  peasantry — the  wreck 
of  that  splendid  population  which  a  few  years 
before  were  matchless  in  the  world — were  endur- 
ing all  the  pangs  of  famine,  or  the  humiliations 
of  "outdoor"  pauper  life.  Amid  this  starving 
peasantry  scores  of  political  fugitives  were  now 
scattered,  pursued  by  all  the  rigors  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  with  a  price  set  on  each  head. 
Not  a  man — not  one — of  the  proscribed  patriots 
who  thus  sought  asylum  amid  the  people  was 
betrayed.  The  starving  peasant  housed  them, 
sheltered  them,  shared  with  them  his  OM'n  scanty 
meal,  guarded  them  while  the.y  slept,  and  guided 
them  safely  on  their  way.  He  knew  that  hun- 
dreds of  .pounds  were  on  their  heads;  but  he 
shrank,  as  from  perdition,  from  the  thought  of 
selling  for  blood-money,  men  whose  crime  was, 
that  they  had  dared  and  lost  all  for  poor  Ireland.* 

*  This  devotedness,  this  singular  fidelity,  was  strikingly 
illustrated  in  the  conduct  of  some  Tipperary  peasants 
brought  forward  coiupulsorily  by  the  crown  as  witnesses 
on  the  trial  of  Smith  O'Brien  for  high  treason.  They  were 
marched  in  between  files  of  bayonets.  The  crown  were 
aware  that  they  could  supply  the  evidence  required,  and 
they  were  now  called  upon  to  give  it.  One  and  all,  thev 
refused  to  give  evidence.  One  and  all,  they  made  answer 
to  the  warnings  of  the  court  that  such  refusal  wouhl  bt^ 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


Dillon,  Dobeny,  and  O 'Gorman  made  good 
their  escape  to  America.  O'Brien,  Meagher, 
and  MacManus,  were  sent  to  follow  Mitchel, 
Martin,  and  O'Doherty  into  the  convict  chain- 
gangs  of  Yan  Diemeu's  Land.  One  man  alone 
came  scathless,  as  hy  miracle,  out  of  the  lion's 
den  of  British  law;  Gavan  Dufify,  the  brain  of 
the  Young  Ireland  party.  Three  times  he  was 
brought  to  the  torture  of  trial,  each  time  defy- 
ing his  foes  as  proudly  as  if  victory  had  crowned 
the  venture  of  his  colleagues.  Despite  packing  of 
juries,  the  crown  again  and  again  failed  to  obtain 
a  verdict  against  him,  and  at  length  had  to  let 
him  go  free.  "Free" — but  broken  and  ruined 
in  health  and  fortune,  yet  not  in  hope. 

Thus  fell  that  party  whose  genius  won  the 
admiration  of  the  world,  the  purity  of  whose 
motives,  the  chivalry  of  whose  actions,  even 
their  direst  foes  confessed.  They  were  wrecked 
in  a  hurricane  of  popular  enthusiasm,  to  which 
they  fatally  spread  sail.  It  is  easy  for  us  now 
to  discern  and  declare  the  huge  error  into  which 
they  were  impelled — the  error  of  meditating  an 
insurrection — the  error  of  judging  that  a  famish- 
ing peasantry,  unarmed  and  undiscipliiied,  could 
fight  and  conquer  England  at  peace  with  all  the 
world.  But  it  is  always  easy  to  be  wise  after 
the  fact.  At  the  time— in  the  midst  of  that 
delirium  of  excitement,  of  passionate  resolve  and 
sanguine  hope — it  was  not  easy  for  generous 
natures  to  choose  and  determine  otherwise  than 
as  they  did.  The  verdict  of  public  opinion — 
the  judgment  of  their  own  country — the  judg- 
ment of  the  world- — has  done  them  justice.  It 
has  proclaimed  their  unwise  course  the  error  of 
noble,  generous,  and  self-sacrificing  men. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVL 

HOW  THE  IRISH  EXODUS  CAME  ABOUT,  AND  THE  ENGLISH 
PRESS  GLOATED  OVER  THE  ANTICIPATED  EXTIRPA- 
TION OF  THE  IRISH  RACE. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-nine  found  Ireland 
in  a  jilight  as  wretched  as  had  been  hers  for  cen- 
turies.   A  3'ear  before,  intoxicated  wi*^h  hope, 

punished  by  lengthened  imprisonment :  "Take  us  out  and 
shoot  us  if  you  like,  but  a  word  we  won't  swear  against 
the  noble  gentleman  in  the  dock."  The  threatened  pun- 
islimerit  was  inflicted,  and  was  borne  without  flinching. 


delirious  with  enthusiasm,  now  she  endured  the 
sickening  miseries  of  a  fearful  reaction.  She 
had  vowed  daring  deeds — deeds  beyond  her 
strength^ — and  now,  sick  at  heart,  she  looked  like 
one  who  wished  for  death's  relief  from  a  lot  of 
misery  and  despair.  Political  action  was  utterly 
given  up.  No  political  organization  of  any 
kind  survived  Mr.  Birch  and  Lord  Clarendon. 
There  was  not  even  a  whisper  to  disturb  the 
repose  of  the  "Jailer-General:" 

"Even  he,  the  tyrant  Arab,  slept; 
Calm  while  a  nation  round  him  wept."* 

The  parliament,  for  the  benefit  of  the  English 
people,  bad  recently  abolished  the  duty  on  im- 
ported foreign  corn:  Previously  Ireland  had 
grown  corn  extensively  for  the  English  market; 
but  now,  obliged  to  compete  with  corn-growing 
countries  where  the  land  was  not  weighted  with 
such  oppressive  I'ents  as  had  been  laid  on  and 
exacted  in  Ireland  under  the  old  system,  the 
Irish  farmer  found  himself  ruined  by  "tillage" 
or  grain-raising.  Coiucidently  came  an  in- 
creased demand  for  cattle  to  supply  the  EnglisTi 
meat  market.  Corn  might  be  safely  and  cheaply 
brought  to  England  from  even  the  most  distant 
climes,  but  cattle  could  not.  Ireland  was  close 
at  hand,  destined  by  nature,  said  one  British 
statesman,  to  grow  meat  for  "our  great  hives  of 
human  industry;"  "clearly  intended  by  Provi- 
dence," said  another,  "to  be  the  fruitful  mother 
of  flocks  and  herds."  That  is  to  saj',  if  high 
rents  cannot  be  paid  in  Ireland  by  growing  corn, 
in  consequence  of  "free  trade,"  they  can  by 
raising  cattle. 

But  turning  a  country  from  grain-raising  to 
cattle-raising  meant  the  annihilation  of  the 
agricultural  population.  For  bullock  ranges 
and  sheep  runs  needed  the  consolidation  of  farms 
and  the  sweeping  away  of  the  human  occupants. 
Two  or  three  herdsmen  or  shepherds  would  alone 
be  required  throughout  miles  of  such  "ranges" 
and  runs,"  where,  under  the  tillage  system, 
thousands  of  peasant  families  found  emploj'ment 
and  lived  in  peaceful  contentment. 

Thus,  cleared  farms  came  to  be  desirable  with 
the  landlords.  For,  as  a  consequence  of  "free 
trade,"  either  the  old  rents  must  be  abandoned. 


*  Irish  Political  Associations. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND.  241 


or  the  agricultural  population  be  swept  awaj' 
en  masse. 

Then  was  witnessed  a  monstrous  proceeding. 
In  1846  and  1847 — the  famine  years — while  the 
people  lay  perishing,  the  land  lay  wasted. 
Wherever  seed  was  put  in  the  ground,  the 
hunger-maddened  victims  rooted  it  out  and  ate 
it  raw.  No  crops  were  raised,  and,  of  course, 
no  rents  were  paid.  In  any  other  land  on  earth 
the  first  duty  of  the  State  would  be  to  remit,  or 
compound  with  the  landowners  for  any  claims 
advanced  for  the  rents  of  those  famine  years. 
But,  alas!  in  cruelties  of  oppression  endured, 
Ireland  is  like  no  other  country  in  the  world. 
"With  the  permission,  concurrence,  and  sustain- 
ment,  of  the  government,  the  landlords  now  com- 
menced to  demand  what  they  called  the  arrears 
of  rent  for  the  past  three  years!  And  then — 
the  object  for  which  this  monstrous  demand  was 
made — failing  payment,  "notices  to  quit"  by 
the  thousand  carried  the  sentence  of  expulsion 
through  the  homesteads  of  the  doomed  people ! 
The  ring  of  the  crowbar,  the  crash  of  the  fall- 
ing rooftree,  the  shriek  of  the  evicted,  flung  on 
the  roadside  to  die,  resounded  all  over  the 
island.  Thousands  of  families,  panic-stricken, 
did  not  wait  for  receipt  of  the  dread  mandate  at 
their  own  door.  "With  breaking  hearts  they 
quenched  the  hearth,  and  bade  eternal  farewell 
to  the  scenes  of  home,  flying  in  crowds  to  the 
Land  of  Liberty  in  the  West.  The  streams  of 
fugitives  swelled  to  dimensions  that  startled 
Christendom;  but  the  English  press  burst  into  a 
paean  of  joy  and  triumph :  for  now  at  last  the 
Irish  question  would  be  settled.  Now  at  last 
England  would  be  at  ease.  Now  at  last  this 
turbulent,  disaffected,  untamable  race  would  be 
cleared  out.  "In  a  short  time,"  said  the  Times, 
"a  Catholic  Celt  will  be  as  rare  in  Ireland  as  a 
Red  Indian  on  the  shores  of  Manhattan." 

Their  own  countrymen  who  remained — their 
kindred — their  own  flesh  and  blood — their  pas- 
tors and  prelates — could  not  witness  unmoved 
this  spectacle,  unexampled  in  historj',  the  flight 
en  masse  of  a  population  from  their  own  beauti- 
ful land,  not  as  adventurous  emigrants,  but  as 
heart-crushed  victims  of  expulsion.  Some 
voices,  accordingly,  were  raised  to  deplore  this 
calamity— to  appeal  to  England,  to  warn  her  that 
evil  would  come  of  it  in  the  future.    But  as 


England  did  not  see  this — did  not  see  it  then — ■ 
she  turned  heartlessly  from  the  appeal,  and 
laughed  scornfully  at  the  warning.  There  were 
philosopher-statesmen  ready  at  hand  to  argue 
that  the  flying  thousands  were  "surplus  popula- 
tion." This  was  the  cold-blooded  official  way  of 
expressing  it.  The  English  press,  however, 
went  more  directly  to  the  mark.  They  called 
the  sorrowing  cavalcade  wending  their  way  to 
the  emigrant  ship,  a  race  of  assassins,  creatures 
of  superstition,  lazy,  ignorant,  and  brutified. 
Ear  in  the  progress  of  this  exodus — even  long 
after  some  of  its  baleful  effects  began  to  be  felt 
— the  London  Saturday  Bevieio  answered  in  the 
following  language  to  a  very  natural  expression 
of  symjjathy  and  grief  wrung  form  an  Irish  pre- 
late witnessing  the  destruction  of  his  people : 

"The  Lion  of  St.  Jarlath's  surveys  with  an 
envious  eye  the  Irish  exodus,  and  sighs  over  the 
departing  demons  of  assassination  and  murder. 
So  complete  is  the  rush  of  departing  marauders, 
whose  lives  were  profitably  occupied  in  shooting 
Protestants  from  behind  a  hedge,  that  silence 
reigns  over  the  vast  solitude  of  Ireland."* 

Pages  might  be  filled  with  extracts  of  a  like 
nature  from  the  press  of  England;  many  still 
more  coarse  and  brutal.  There  may,  probably, 
be  some  Englishmen  who  now  wish  such  language 
had  not  been  used;  that  such  blistering  libels 
had  not  been  rained  on  a  departing  people,  to 
nourish  in  their  hearts  the  terrible  vow  of  ven- 
geance with  Avhich  they  landed  on  American 
shores.  But  then — in  that  hour,  when  it  seemed 
safe  to  be  brutal  and  merciless — the  grief- 
stricken,  thrust-out  people — 

"Found  not  a  generous  friend,  a  pitying  foe." 

And  so  they  went  into  banishment  in  thou- 
sands and  tens  of  thousands,  with  hands  uplifted 
to  the  just  God  who  saw  all  this;  and  they  cried 
aloud,  "  Quo  usque  Domine?  Quousque?" 

An  effort  was  made  in  Ireland  to  invoke  legis- 
lative remedy  for  the  state  of  things  which  was 
thus  depopulating  the  country-  A  parliamen- 
tary party  was  formed  to  obtain  some  measure 
of  protection  for  the  agricultural  population. 
For  even  where  no  arrears — for  "famine  years," 
or  any  other  years — were  due,  even  where  the 

*  Saturday  Peview,  November  28,  1863. 


242 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


rent  was  paid  to  the  day,  the  landlords  stepped 
in,  according  to  law,  swept  off  the  tenant,  and 
confiscated  his  property.  To  terminate  this 
shocking  system,  to  secure  from  such  robbery 
the  property  of  the  tenant,  while  strictly  protect- 
ing that  of  the  landlord,  it  was  resolved  to  press 
for  an  act  of  parliament. 

At  vast  sacrifices  the  suffering  people,  braving 
the  anger  of  their  landlords,  returned  to  the 
legislature  a  number  of  representatives  pledged 
to  their  cause.  But  the  English  minister,  as  if 
bent  on  teaching  Irishmen  to  despair  of  redress 
by  constitutional  agencies,  resisted  those  most 
just  and  equitable  demands,  and  deliberately  set 
himself  to  corrupt  and  break  up  that  party.  To 
humiliate  and  exasperate  the  people  more  and 
more,  to  mock  them  and  insult  them,  the  faith- 
less men  who  had  betrayed  them  were  set  over 
them  as  judges  and  rulers.  And  when,  by  means 
as  nefarious  as  those  that  had  carried  the  union, 
this  last  attempt  of  the  Irish  people  to  devote 
themselves  to  peaceful  and  constitutional  action 
was  baffied,  defeated,  trampled  down,  when  the 
"Tenant  League"  had  been  broken  up,  and  its 
leaders  scattered — when  Gavan  Duffy  had  been 
driven  into  despairing  exile,  when  Lucas  had 
been  sent  broken-hearted  into  the  grave,  and 
Moore,  the  intrepid  leader,  the  uuequaled  orator, 
had  been  relegated  to  private  life,  a  shout  of 
victory  again  •went  up  from  the  press  of  England, 
as  if  a  Trafalgar  had  been  won. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIL 

OW  SOME  IRISHMEN  TOOK  TO  "tHE  POLITICS  OF  DE- 
SPAIR"— HOW  England's  revolutionary  teach- 
ings    "came    HOME    to    roost"  HOW  GENERAL 

JOHN  o'nEILL  gave  COLONEL  BOOKER  A  TOUCH  OF 
FONTENOY  AT  RIDGEWAY. 

All  may  deplore,  but  none  can  wonder,  that 
under  circumstances  Such  as  those,  a  considera- 
ble section  of  the  Irish  people  should  have  lent 
a  ready  ear  to  the  "politics  of  despair." 

"In  vain  the  hero's  heart  had  bled. 
The  Sage's  voice  had  warned  in  vain." 

In  the  face  of  all  the  lessons  of  history  they 
•would  conspire  anew,  and  dream  once  more  of 
grappling  England  on  the  battlefield! 

They  were  in  the  mood  to  hearken  to  any 


proposal,  no  matter  how  wild ;  to  dare  any  risk, 
no  matter  how  great;  to  follow  any  man,  no 
matter  whom  he  might  be,  promising  to  lead 
them  to  vengeance.  Such  a  proposal  presented 
itself  in  the  shape  of  a  conspiracy,  an  oath-bound 
secret  society,  designated  the  "Fenian  Brother- 
hood," which  made  its  appearance  about  this 
time.  The  project  was  strenuously  reprehended 
by  every  one  of  the  "Forty-eight"  leaders  with 
scarcely  an  exception,  and  by  the  Catholic  clergy 
universally;  in  other  words,  by  every  patriotic 
influence  in  Ireland  not  reft  of  reason  by  despair. 
The  first  leaders  of  the  conspiracy  were  not  men 
well  recommended  to  Irish  confidence,  and  in  the 
venomous  manner  in  which  they  assailed  all  who 
endeavored  to  dissuade  the  people  from  their 
plot,  they  showed  that  they  had  not  only  copied 
the  forms  but  imbibed  the  spirit  of  the  con- 
tinental secret  societies.  But  the  maddened 
people  were  ready  to  follow  and  worship  any 
leader  whose  project  gave  a  voice  to  the  terrible 
passions  surging  in  their  breasts.  They  were 
ready  to  believe  in  him  in  the  face  of  all  warn- 
ing, and  at  his  bidding  to  distrust  and  denounce 
friends  and  guides  whom,  ordinarily,  they  would 
have  followed  to  the  death. 

In  simple  truth  the  fatuous  conduct  of  Eng- 
land had  so  prepared  the  soil  and  sown  the  seed, 
that  the  conspirator  had  but  to  step  in  and  reap 
the  crop.  In  1843,  she  had  answered  to  the 
people  that  their  case  would  not  be  listened  to. 
To  the  peaceful  and  amicable  desire  of  Ireland 
to  reason  the  questions  at  issue,  England  an- 
swered in  the  well-remembered  words  of  the 
Times:  "Repeal  must  not  be  argued  with." 
"If  the  Union  were  gall  it  must  be  maintained." 
In  other  words,  England,  unable  to  rely  on  the 
weight  of  any  other  argument,  flung  the  sword 
into  the  scale,  and  cried  out:    "  Voe  Victis!" 

In  the  same  year  she  showed  the  Irish  people 
that  loyalty  to  the  throne,  respect  for  the  laws, 
and  reliance  exclusively  on  moral  force,  did  not 
avail  to  save  them  from  violence.  When  O  Con- 
nell  was  dragged  to  jail  as  a  "conspirator" — a 
man  notoriously  the  most  loyal,  peaceable,  and 
laAv-respecting  in  the  land — the  people  unhappilj' 
seemed  to  conclude  that  they  might  as  well  be 
real  conspirators  for  any  distinction  England 
would  draw  between  Irishmen  pleading  the  just 
cause  of  their  country. 


THOMAS  FRANCIS  MEAGHER. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


243 


But  there  was  yet  a  further  reach  of  infatua- 
tion, and  apparently  England  Mas  resolved  to 
leave  no  incitement  unused  in  driving  the  Irish 
upon  the  policy  of  violence — of  hate  and  hostil- 
ity implacable. 

At  the  very  time  that  the  agents  of  the  secret 
society  were  preaching  to  the  Irish  people  the 
doctrines  of  I'evolution,  the  English  press  re- 
sounded with  like  teachings.  The  sovereign 
•and  her  ministers  proclaimed  them ;  Parliament 
re-echoed  them ;  England  with  unanimous  voice 
shouted  them  aloud.  The  right,  nay,  the  duty 
of  a  people  considering  themselves,  or  fancying 
themselves,  oppressed,  to  conspire  against  their 
I'ulers — even  native  and  legitimate  rulers — was 
day  by  day  thundered  forth  by  the  English 
journals.  Yet  more  than  this.  The  most  blis- 
tering taunts  were  flung  against  peoples  who, 
fancying  themselves  oppressed,  hoped  to  be 
righted  by  any  means  save  by  conspiracy,  revolt, 
war,  bloodshed,  eternal  resistance  and  hostility. 
"Let  all  such  peoples  know, "  wrote  the  Times, 
"that  liberty  is  a  thing  to  be  fought  out  with 
knives  and  swords  and  hatchets." 

To  be  sure  these  general  propositions  were 
formulated  for  the  express  use  of  the  Italians  at 
the  time.  So  utterly  had  England's  anxiety  to 
overthrow  the  papacy  blinded  her  that  she  never 
once  recollected  that  those  incitements  were 
being  hearkened  to  by  a  hot-blooded  and  pas- 
sionate people  like  the  Irish.  At  the  worst, 
however, she  judged  the  Irish  to  be  too  completely 
cowed  to  dream  of  applying  them  to  their  own 
case.  At  the  vei-y  moment  when  William'Smith 
O'Brien  was  freely  sacrificing  or  periling  his 
popularity  in  the  endeavor  to  keep  his  country- 
men from  the  revolutionary  secret  society,  the 
Times — blind,  stone-blind,  to  the  state  of  the 
facts,  blinded  by  intense  national  prejudice — 
assailed  him  truculently,  as  an  antiquated  traitor 
who  could  not  get  one  man — not  even  one  man — 
in  all  Ireland  to  share  his  "crazy  dream"  of 
Dational  autonomy. 

Alas!  So  much  for  England's  ability  to 
understand  the  Irish  people !  So  much  for  her 
ignoi'ance  of  a  country  which  she  insists  on 
ruling ! 

Up  to  18G4  the  Fenian  enterprise — the  absurd 
idea  of  challenging  England  (or  rather  accepting 
her  challenge)  to  a  war-duel — strenuously  re- 


sisted by  the  Catholic  clergy  and  other  patriotic 
influences,  made  comparatively  little  headway  in 
Ireland.  In  America,  almost  from  the  outset  it 
secured  large  support.  For  England  had  filled 
the  Western  Continent  with  an  Irish  population 
burning  for  vengeance  upon  the  power  that  had 
hunted  them  from  their  own  land.  On  the 
termination  of  the  great  Civil  War  of  1861-1864, 
a  vast  army  of  Irish  soldiers,  trained,  disciplined, 
and  experienced — of  valor  proven  on  many  a 
well-fought  field,  and  each  man  willing  to  cross 
the  globe  a  hundred  times  for  "a  blow  at  Eng- 
land"— were  disengaged  from  service. 

Suddenly  the  Irish  revolutionary  enterprise 
assumed  in  America  a  magnitude  that  ^startled 
and  overwhelmed  its  originators.  It  was  no 
longer  the  desjierate  following  of  an  autocratic 
chief-conspirator,  blindly  bowing  to  his  nod. 
It  grew  into  the  dimensions  of  a  great  national 
confederation  with  an  army  and  a  treasury  at  its 
disposal.  The  expansion  in  America  was  not 
without  a  corresponding  effect  in  Ireland ;  but  it 
was  after  all  nothing  proportionate.  There  was 
up  to  the  last  a  fatuous  amount  of  misunderstand- 
ing maintained  by  the  "Head  Center"  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  James  Stephens,  a  man  of 
marvelous  subtlety  and  wondrous  plausibility; 
crafty,  cunning,  and  not  always  overscrupulous 
as  to  the  employment  of  means  to  an  end.  How- 
ever, the  army  ready  to  hand  in  America,  if  not 
utilized  at  once,  would  soon  be  melted  away  and 
gone,  like  the  snows  of  past  winters.  So  in  the 
middle  of  1865  it  was  resolved  to  take  the  field 
in  the  approaching  autumn. 

It  is  hard  to  contemplate  this  decision  or  dec- 
laration without  deeming  it  either  insincere  or 
wicked  on  the  part  of  the  leader  or  leaders,  who 
at  the  moment  knew  the  real  condition  of  affairs 
in  Ireland.  That  the  enroled  members,  howso- 
ever few,  would  respond  when  called  upon,  was 
certain  at  any  time;  for  the  Irish  are  not 
cowards;  the  men  who  joined  this  desperate 
enterprise  were  sure  to  prove  themselves  coura- 
geous, if  not  either  prudent  or  wise.  But  the  pre- 
tence of  the  revolutionary  chief^ — that  there  was 
a  force  able  to  afford  the  merest  chance  of  suc- 
cess-— was  too  utterly  false  not  to  be  plainly 
criminal. 

Toward  the  close  of  1865  came  almost  contem- 
poraneously the  government  swoop  on  the  Irish. 


244 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


revolutionary  executive,  and  the  deposition — 
after  solemn  judicial  trial,  as  prescribed  by  the 
laws  of  the  societj' — of  O'Mahouy,  the  American 
"Head  Center, "  for  crimes  and  offenses  alleged  to 
be  worse  than  mere  imbecilty,  and  the  election 
in  his  stead  of  Col.  "William  E.  Roberts,  an  Irish- 
American  merchant  of  high  standing  and  honora- 
ble character,  whose  fortune  had  always  gener- 
ously aided  Irish  patriotic,  charitable,  or 
religious  purposes.  The  deposed  official,  how- 
ever, did  not  submit  to  the  application  of  the 
society  rules.  He  set  up  a  rival  association,  a 
.course  in  which  he  was  supported  by  the  Irish 
Head  Center ;  and  a  painful  scene  of  factious  and 
acrimonious  contention  between  the  two  parties 
thus  antagonized  caused  the  English  government 
to  hope — nay,  for  a  moment,  fully  to  believe — 
that  the  disappearance  of  both  must  soon  follow. 

This  hope  quickly  vanished  when,  on  reliable 
intelligence,  it  was  announced  that  the  Irish- 
Americans,  under  the  Roberts  presidencj',  were 
substituting  for  the  unreal  or  insincere  project 
of  an  expedition  to  Ireland,  as  the  first  move, 
the  plainly  practicable  scheme  of  an  invasion  of 
British  North  America  .  in  the  first  instance. 
The  Times  at  once  declared  that  now  indeed 
England  had  need  to  buckle  on  her  armor,  for 
that  the  adoption  of  this  new  project  showed  the 
men  in  America  to  be  in  earnest,  and  to  have 
sound  military  judgment  in  their  councils.  An 
invasion  of  Ireland  by  the  Irish  in  the  United 
States  all  might  laugh  at,  but  an  invasion  of 
Canada  from  the  same  quarter  was  quite  another 
matter;  the  southern  frontier  of  British  North 
America  being  one  impossible  to  defend  in  its 
entirety,  unless  by  an  army  of  one  hundred 
thousand  men.  Clearly  a  vulnerable  point  of 
the  British  empire  had  been  discovered. 

This  was  a  grievous  hardship  on  the  people  of 
Canada.  They  had  done  no  wrong  to  Ireland  or 
to  the  Irish  people.  In  Canada  Irishmen  had 
^ound  friendly  asylum,  liberty,  and  protection. 
It  seemed,  therefore,  a  cruel  resolve  to  visit  on 
Canada  the  terrible  penalty  of  war  for  the 
offenses  of  the  parent  country.  To  this  the 
rei'ly  from  the  confederate  Irish  in  the  States 
was,  that  they  would  wage  no  war  on  the  Cana- 
dian peoitle;  that  it  was  only  against  |British 
power  their  hostility  would  be  exercised;  and 
that  Canada  had  no  right  to  expect  enjoyment 


of  all  the  advantages  without  experiencing,  on; 
the  other  hand,  the  disadvantages  of  British, 
connection. 

It  seemed  very  clear  that  England  stood  a 
serious  chance  of  losing  her  North  American 
dependencies.  One  hope  alone  remained.  If 
the  American  government  would  but  defend  the 
frontier  on  its  own  side,  and  cut  the  invading 
parties  from  their  base  of  supplies,  the  enter- 
prise must  naturally  and  inevitably  fail.  It 
seemed  impossible,  however,  that  the  American 
government  could  be  prevailed  upon  thus  to  be- 
come a  British  preventive  police.  During  the 
civil  war  the  Washington  executive,  and,  indeed, 
the  universal  sentiment  and  action  of  the  Ameri- 
can people,  had  plainly  and  expressly  encouraged 
the  Fenian  organization ;  and  even  so  recently  as 
the  spring  of  1866,  the  American  government 
had  sold  to  the  agents  of  Colonel  Roberts  thou- 
sands of  pounds'  worth  of  arms  and  munitions 
of  war,  with  the  clear,  though  unofficial,  knowl- 
edge that  they  were  intended  for  the  projected 
Canadian  enterprise.  Nevertheless,  as  we  shall 
see,  the  American  executive  had  no  qualms  about 
adopting  the  outrageously  inconsistent  course. 

Bj'  the  month  of  May,  1866,  Roberts  had 
established  a  line  of  depots  along  the  Canadian 
frontier,  and  in  great  part  filled  them  with  the 
arms  and  material  of  war  sold  to  him  by  the 
Washington  government.  Toward  the  close  of' 
the  month  the  various  "circles"  throughout  the 
Union  received  the  command  to  start  their  con- 
tingents for  the  frontier.  Never,  probablj',  in 
Irish  history  was  a  call  to  the  field  more  enthusi- 
astically obeyed.  From  every  State  in  the 
Union  there  was  a  simultaneous  movement  north- 
ward of  bodies  of  Irishmen;  the  most  intense 
excitement  pervading  the  Irish  population  from 
Maine  to  Texas.  At  this  moment,  however,  the 
Washington  government  flung  off  the  mask.  A 
vehement  and  bitterly-worded  proclamation 
called  for  the  instantaneous  abandonment  of  the 

Irish  projects.  A  powerful  military  force  was 
• 

marched  to  the  northern  frontier;  United  States 
gunboats  were  posted  on  the  lakes  and  on 
the  St.  Lawrence  River;  all  the  arms  and  war 
material  of  the  Irish  were  sought  out,  seized, 
and  confiscated,  and  all  the  arriving  contingents, 
on  mere  suspicion  of  their  destination,  were, 
arrested. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


245- 


This  course  of  proceeding  fell  like  a  thunder- 
bolt on  the  Irish.  It  seemed  impossible  to 
credit  its  reality.  Despite  all  those  obstacles, 
however — a  British  army  on  one  shore,  an 
American  army  on  the  other,  and  hostile  cruis- 
ers, British  and  American,  guarding  the  waters 
between — one  small  battalion  of  the  Irish  under 
Colonel  John  O'Neill  succeeded  in  crossing  to 
the  Canadian  side  on  the  night  of  the  31st  of 
May,  1866.  They  landed  on  British  ground 
close  to  Fort  Erie,  which  place  they  at  once 
occupied,  hauling  down  the  royal  ensign  of  Eng- 
land, and  hoisting  over  Fort  Erie  in  its  stead, 
amid  a  scene  of  boundless  enthusiasm  and  joy, 
the  Irish  standard  of  green  and  gold. 

The  news  that  the  Irish  were  across  the  St. 
Lawrence — that  once  more,  for  the  first  time 
for  half  a  century,  the  green  flag  waved  in  the 
broad  sunlight  over  the  serried  lines  of  men  in 
arms  for  "the  good  old  cause" — sent  the  Irish 
millions  in  the  States  into  wild  excitement.  In 
twenty-four  hours  fifty  thousand  volunteers 
offered  for  service,  ready  to  march  at  an  hour's 
notice.  But  the  Washington  government  stopped 
all  action  on  the  part  of  the  Irish  organization. 
Colonel  Roberts,  his  military  chief  officer, 
and  other  officials  were  arrested,  and  it  soon 
became  plain  the  unexpected  intervention  of  the 
American  executive  had  utterly  destroyed,  for 
the  time,  the  Canadian  project,  and  saved  to 
Great  Britain  her  North  American  colonies. 

Meanwhile  O'Neill  and  his  small  force  were  in 
the  enemy's  country — in  the  midst  of  their  foes. 
From  all  parts  of  Canada  troops  were  hurried 
forward  by  rail  to  crush  at  once,  by  overwhelm- 
ing force,  the  now  isolated  Irish  battalion.  On 
the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June,  1866,  Colonel 
Booker,  at  the  head  of  the  combined  British 
force  of  regular  infantry  of  the  line  and  some 
volunteer  regiments,  marched  against  the  in- 
vaders. At  a  place  called  Limestone  Ridge, 
close  hy  the  village  of  Ridgeway,  the  advanced 
guard  of  the  British  found  O'Neill  drawn  up  in 
a  position  ready  for  battle.  The  action  forth- 
with commenced.  The  Irish  skirmishers  ap- 
peared to  fall  back  slowly  before  their  assailants, 
a  circumstance  which  caused  the  Canadian  vol- 
unteer regiments  to  conclude  hastily  that  the 
day  was  going  very  easily  in  their  favor.  Sud- 
denly, however,  the  Irish  skirmishers  halted,  and 


the  British,  to  their  dismay,  found  themselvea 
face  to  face  with  the  main  force  of  the  Irish, 
posted  in  a  position  which  evidenced  consum- 
mate ability  on  the  part  of  O'Neill.  Booker 
ordered  an  assault  in  full  force  on  the  Irish  posi- 
tion, which  was,  however,  disastrously  repulsed. 
While  the  British  commander  was  hesitating  as 
to  whether  he  should  renew  the  battle,  or  await 
reinforcements  reported  to  be  coming  up  from 
Hamilton,  his  deliberations  were  cut  short  by  a 
shout  from  the  Irish  lines,  and  a  cry  of  alarm 
from  his  own — the  Irish  were  advancing  to  a 
charge.  They  came  on  with  a  wild  rush  and  a 
ringing  cheer,  bursting  through  the  British 
ranks.  There  was  a  short  but  des])erate  strug- 
gle, when  some  one  of  the  Canadian  officers, 
observing  an  Irish  aid-de-camp  galloping 
through  a  wood  close  by,  thought  it  was  a  body 
of  Irish  horse,  and  raised  the  cry  of  "  Cavalrj^ ! 
cavalry!"  Some  of  the  regular  regiments  made- 
a  vain  effort  to  form  a  square — a  fatal  blunder, 
there  being  no  cavalry  at  hand ;  others,  however, 
broke  into  confusion,  and  took  to  flight,  the- 
general,  Booker,  it  is  alleged,  being  the  fleetest 
of  the  fugitives.  The  British  rout  soon  became 
complete,  the  day  was  hopelessly  lost,  and  the 
victorious  Irish,  with  the  captured  British  stan- 
dards in  their  hands,  stood  on  Ridgeway  heights 
as  proudly  as  their  compeers  at  Fontenoy.  "The 
field  was  fought  and  won." 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

THE  UNFINISHED   CHAPTER   OF   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED  AND- 

SIXTY-SEVEN  -HOW    IRELAND,     "OFT    DOOMED  TO 

DEATH,"  HAS  SHOWN  THAT  SHE  IS  " FATED  NOT  TO 
DIE.  " 

Judged  by  the  forces  engaged,  Ridgeway  was 
an  inconsiderable  engagement.  Yet  the  effect 
produced  by  the  news  in  Canada,  in  the  States, 
in  England,  and,  of  course,  most  of  all  in  Ire- 
land, could  scarcelj'  have  been  surpassed  by  the 
announcement  of  a  second  Fontenoy.  Irish 
troops  had  met  the  levies  of  England  in  pitched 
battle  and  defeated  them.  English  colors, 
trophies  of  victory,  were  in  the  hands  of  an  Irish 
general.  The  green  flag  had  come  triumphant 
through  the  storm  of  battle.  At  home  and 
abroad  the  Irish  saw  only  these  facts,  and  these 
appeared  to  be  all-sufficient  for  national  pride. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


O'Neill,  on  the  morrow  of  his  victory,  learned 
■with  poignant  feelings  that  his  supports  and  sup- 
plies had  been  all  cut  off  by  the  American  gun- 
boats. In  his  front  the  enemy  were  concentrat- 
ing in  thousands.  Behind  him  rolled  the  St. 
Lawrence,  cruised  by  United  States  war  steamers. 
He  was  ready  to  tight  the  British,  but  he  could 
not  match  the  combined  powers  of  Britain  and 
America  He  saw  the  enterprise  was  defeated 
hojielessb',  for  this  time,  by  the  action  of  the 
Washington  executive,  and,  feeling  that  he  had 
truly  "done  enough  for  valor, "  he  surrendered 
to  the  United  States  naval  commander. 

This  brief  episode  at  Ridgeway  was  for  the 
confederated  Irish  the  one  gleam  to  lighten  the 
page  of  their  history  for  18G6.  That  page  was 
otherwise  darkened  and  blotted  by  a  record  of 
humiliating  and  disgraceful  exposures  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Irish  Head  Center.  In  autumn  of 
that  year  he  proceeded  to  America,  and  finding  his 
authority  repudiated  and  his  integrity  doubted, 
he  resorted  to  a  course  which  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  characterize  too  strongly.  By  way  of 
attracting  a  following  to  his  own  standard,  and 
obtaining  greater  influence,  he  publicly  an- 
nounced that  in  the  winter  months  close  at  hand, 
and  before  the  new  year  dawned,  he  would  (seal- 
ing his  undertaking  with  an  awful  invocation  of 
the  Most  High)  be  in  Ireland,  leading  the  long- 
promised  insurrection.  Had  this  been  a  mere 
"intention"  which  might  be  "disappointed,"  it 
Avas  still  manifestly  criminal  thus  to  announce  it 
to  the  British  government,  unless,  indeed,  his 
resources  in  hand  were  so  enormous  as  to  render 
England's  preparations  a  matter  of  indilfereuce. 
But  it  was  not  an  "intention,"  he  announced  it, 
and  swore  to  it.  He  threatened  with  the  most 
serious  personal  consequences  any  and  every  man 
soever,  who  might  dare  to  express  a  doubt  that 
the  event  would  come  off  as  he  swore.  The  few 
months  remaining  of  the  year  flew  by ;  his  in- 
timate adherents  spread  the  rumor  that  he  had 
sailed  for  the  scene  of  action,  and  in  Ireland  the 
news  occasioned  almost  a  panic.  One  day, 
toward  the  close  of  December,  however,  all  New 
York  rang  with  the  exposure  that  Stephens  had 
never  quitted  for  Ireland,  but  was  hiding  from 
his  own  enraged  followers  in  Brooklyn.  The 
scenes  that  ensued  were  such  as  may  well  be 
omitted  from  these  pages.    In  that  bitter  hour 


thousands  of  honest,  impulsive,  and  self-sacrific- 
ing Irishmen  endured  the  anguish  of  discovering 
that  they  had  been  deceived  as  never  had  men 
been  before;  that  an  idol  worshipped  with  fren- 
zied devotion  was,  after  all,  a  thing  of  clay. 
There  was  great  rejoicing  by  the  government 
party  in  Ireland  over  this  exposure  of  Stephens' 
failure.  Now,  at  least,  it  was  hoped,  nay,  con- 
fidently assumed,  there  would  be  an  end  of  the 
revolutionary  enterprise. 

And  now,  assuredly,  there  would  have  been  an 
end  of  it  had  Irish  disaffection  been  a  growth 
of  yesterday ;  or  had  the  unhappj'  war  between 
England  and  the  Irish  race  been  merely  a  pass- 
ing contention,  a  momentary  flash  of  excitement. 
But  it  was  not  so;  and  these  very  exposures  and 
scandals  and  recriminations  seemed  only  fated  to 
try  in  the  fiery  ordeal  the  strength,  depth,  and 
intensity  of  that  disaffection. 

In  Ireland,  where  Stephens  had  been  most 
implicitly  believed  in,  the  news  of  this  collapse 
— which  reached  there  early  in  1867 — filled  the 
circles  with  keen  humiliation.  The  more  dis- 
passionate wisely  rejoiced  that  he  had  not 
attempted  to  keep  a  promise  the  making  of 
which  was  in  itself  a  crime ;  but  the  desire  to 
wipe  out  the  reproach  supposed  to  be  cast  on  the 
whole  enrolment  by  his  public  defection  became 
so  overpowering  that  a  rising  was  arranged  to 
come  off  simultaneously  all  over  Ireland  on  the 
5th  of  March,  1867. 

Of  all  the  insensate  attempts  at  revolution 
recorded  in  history,  this  one  assuredly  was  pre- 
eminent. The  most  extravagant  of  the  ancient 
Fenian  tales  supplies  nothing  more  absurd.  The 
inmates  of  a  lunatic  asylum  could  scarcely  have 
produced  a  more  impossible  scheme.  The  one 
redeeming  feature  in  the  whole  proceeding  was 
the  conduct  of  the  hapless  men  who  engaged  in 
it.  Firstly,  their  courage  in  responding  to  such 
a  summons  at  all,  unarmed  and  unaided  as  they 
were.  Secondly,  their  intense  religious  feelings. 
On  the  days  immediately  preceding  the  5th  of 
March,  the  Catholic  churches  were  crowded  by 
the  youth  of  the  country,  making  spiritual  prepa- 
rations for  what  they  believed  would  be  a 
struggle  in  which  many  would  fall  and  few  sur- 
vive. Thirdly,  their  noble  humanity  to  the 
prisoners  whom  they  captured,  their  scrupulous 
regard  for  private  property,  and  their  earnest 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


247 


■anxiety  to  carrj'  on  their  struggle  without  infrac- 
tion in  aught  of  the  laws  and  rules  of  honorable 
warfare. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Dublin,  and  in  Tipperary, 
•Cork,  and  Limerick  counties,  attacks  were  made 
on  the  police  stations,  several  of  which  were  cap- 
tured by  or  surrendered  to  the  insurgents.  But 
a  circumstance  as  singular  as  any  recorded  in 
history  intervened  to  suppress  the  movement 
more  effectually  than  the  armies  and  fleets  of 
.England  ten  times  told  could  do.  On  the  next 
night  following  the  rising — the  6th  of  March — 
there  commenced  a  snowstorm  which  will  long 
be  remembered  in  Ireland,  as  it  was  probably 
without  precedent  in  our  annals.  For  twelvs 
■days  and  nights,  without  intermission,  a  tempest 
of  snow  and  sleet  raged  over  the  land,  piling 
snow  to  the  depth  of  yards  on  all  the  mountains, 
steets,  and  highways.  The  plan  of  the  insurrec- 
tion evidently  had  for  its  chief  feature  desultorj' 
warfare  in  the  mountain  districts ;  but  this  inter- 
vention of  the  elements  utterly  frustrated  the 
project,  and  saved  Ireland  from  the  horrors  of  a 
protracted  .struggle. 

The  last  episode  of  the  "rising"  was  one  one, 
the  immediate  and  remote  effects  of  which  on 
public  feeling  were  of  astonishing  magnitude, 
the  capture  and  death  of  Peter  O'Neill  Crowlej' 
in  Kilclooney  "Wood,  near  Mitchelstown.  Crow- 
ley was  a  man  highly  esteemed,  widely  popular, 
and  greatly  loved  in  the  neighborhood;  a  man 
of  respectable  position,  and  of  good  education, 
and  of  character  so  pure  and  life  so  blameless 
that  the  peasantry  revered  him  almost  as  a  saint. 
Toward  the  close  of  March  the  government 
authorities  had  information  that  some  of  the 
leaders  in  the  late  rising  were  concealed  in  Kil- 
clooney Wood,  and  it  was  surrounded  with  mili- 
tary, "beating"  the  copse  for  the  human  game. 
Suddenly  they  came  on  Crowley  and  two  com- 
rades, and  a  bitter  fusillade  proclaimed  the  dis- 
covery. The  fugitives  defended  themselves 
bravely,  but  eventually  Crowley  was  shot  down, 
and  brought  a  corpse  into  the  neighboring  town. 
Around  his  neck  (inside  his  shirt)  hung  a  small 
silver  crucifix  and  a  medal  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception.  A  bullet  had  struck  the  latter,  and 
dinged  it  into  a  cup  shape.  Another  had  struck 
the  crucifix.  It  turned  out  that  the  fugitives, 
during  their  concealment  in  the  wood,  under 


Crowley's  direction,  never  omitted  compliance 
with  the  customary  Lenten  devotions.  Every 
night  they  knelt  around  the  embers  of  their 
watchfire,  and  recited  aloud  the  Rosary,  and  at 
the  moment  of  their  surprise  by  the  soldiery  they 
were  at  their  morning  prayers.  All  these  circum- 
stances— Crowley's  high  character,  his  edifying 
life,  his  tragic  fate — profoundly  impressed  the 
public  mind.  While  government  was  felicitat- 
ing itself  on  the  "final"  suppression  of  its  pro- 
tean foe,  Irish  disaffection,  and  the  English 
press  was  commencing  anew  the  old  vaunting 
story  about  how  Ireland's  "crazy  dream"  of 
nationality  had  been  dispelled  forever,  a  start- 
ling change,  a  silent  revolution,  was  being 
wrought  in  the  feelings,  the  sentiments,  the 
resolutions  of  the  Irish  nation.  First  came  com- 
passion and  sympathy ;  then  anger  and  indigna- 
tion, soon  changing  into  resentment  and  hostil- 
ity. The  people  heard  their  abstention  from  the 
impossible  project  of  "Fenianism"  construed 
into  an  approbation  and  sustainment  of  the 
existing  rule — an  acceptance  of  provincialism. 
They  heard  the  hapless  victims  of  the  late  rising 
reviled  as  "ruffians,"  "murderers,"  "robbers," 
"marauders,"  animated  by  a  desire  for  plunder. 
They  knew  the  horrible  falseness,  the  baseness 
and  cruelty  of  all  this,  coming  as  it  did,  too, 
from  the  press  of  a  nation  ready  enough  to  hound 
on  revolutionary  cutthroats  abroad,  while  vent- 
ing such  brutality  upon  Irishmen  like  Peter 
O'Neill  Crowley.  Ireland  could  not  stand  this. 
No  people  with  a  spark  of  manhood  or  of  honor 
left,  could  be  silent  or  neutral  here.  In  the  end 
proposed  to  themselves  by  those  slain  or  cap- 
tured Irishmen — the  desire  to  lift  their  country 
up  from  her  fallen  state,  to  stanch  her  wounds, 
to  right  her  wrongs — their  countrymen  all  were 
at  one  with  them ;  and  the  purity,  the  virtue  of 
their  motives,  were  warmly  recognized  by  men 
who  had  been  foremost  in  reprehending  the  hap- 
less course  by  which  they  had  immolated  them- 
selves. For  whatever  disorders  had  arisen  from 
this  conspiracy,  for  whatever  there  was  to 
reprehend  in  it,  the  judgment  of  the  Irish 
people  held  English  policy  and  English  acts  and 
teachings  to  account.  For  who  made  those  men 
conspirators?  Who  taught  them  to  look  to 
violence?  Who  challenged  them  to  a  trial  of 
force?    When  they  who  had  done  these  things 


248 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


now  turned  round  on  the  victims  of  a  noble  and 
generous  impulse,  and  caluminated  them,  as- 
suredly their  fellow-countrymen  could  not  stand 
hy  unmoved.  And  the  conduct  of  "the  men  in 
the  dock"  brought  all  Ireland  to  their  side. 
Never  in  any  age,  or  in  any  country,  did  men 
bear  themselves  in  such  strait  more  nobly  than 
those  men  of  'G7.  Thej'  were  not  men  to  blush 
for.  Captured  at  hazard  by  the  government 
from  among  thousands,  yet  did  they  one  and  all 
demean  themselves  with  a  dignity,  a  fortitude,  a 
heroism  worthy  of — 

The  holiest  cause  that  tongue  or  sword 
Of  mortal  ever  lost  or  gained. 

Some  of  them  were  peasants,  others  were  pro- 
fessional men,  others  were  soldiers,  many  were 
ai-tisans.  Not  a  man  of  them  all  quailed  in  the 
dock.  Not  one  of  them  spoke  a  word  or  did 
an  act  which  could  bring  a  blush  to  the  cheek 
of  a  Christian  patriot.  Some  of  them — like  Peter 
O'Neill  Crowley — had  lived  stainless  lives,  and 
met  their  fate  with  the  spirit  of  the  first  Chris- 
tian martyrs.  Their  last  words  were  of  God  and 
Ireland.  Their  every  thought  and  utterance 
seemed  an  inspiration  of  virtue,  of  patriotism, 
or  of  religion.  As  man  after  man  of  them  was 
brought  to  his  doom,  and  met  it  with  bravery, 
the  heart  of  Ireland  swelled  and  throbbed  with  a 
force  unknown  for  long  years. 

Meanwhile  an  almost  permanent  court-martial 
was  sitting  in  Dublin  for  the  trial  of  soldiers 
charged,  some  with  sedition,  others  simply  with 
the  utterance  of  patriotic  sentiments;  and  scenes 
which  might  be  deemed  incredible  in  years  to 
come,  had  they  not  public  witnesses  and  public 
record  in  the  press,  were  filling  to  the  brim  the 
cup  of  public  horror  and  indignation.  The 
shrieks  of  Irish  soldiers  given  over  to  the  knout, 
resounded  almost  daily.  Bloodclots  from  the 
lash  sprinkled  the  barrack  yards  all  over.  Many 
of  the  Irishmen  thus  sentenced  walked  to  the 
triangle  stripped  themselves  for  the  torture, 
bore  it  without  a  groan,  and  when  all  was  fin- 
ished— while  their  comrades  were  turning  away 
sickened  and  fainting — cheered  anew  for  "poor 
Ireland,"  or  repeated  the  "seditious"  aspiration 
for  which  they  had  just  sulfered! 

Amid  such  scenes,  under  such  circumstances, 
a  momentous  transformation  took  place  in  Ire- 


land. In  the  fires  of  such  affliction  the  whole- 
nation  became  fused.  All  minor  political  dis- 
tinctions seemed  to  crumble  or  fade  awaj',  all 
past  contentions  seemed  forgotten,  and  only  two 
great  parties  seemed  to  exist  in  the  Island,  those 
who  loved  the  regime  of  the  blood-clotted  lash, 
the  penal  chain  and  the  gibbet,  and  those  who 
hated  it.  Out  of  the  ashes  of  "Fenianism,"  out 
of  the  shattered  debris  of  that  insane  and  hope- 
less enterprise,  arose  a  gigantic  power;  and  1867 
beheld  Irish  nationality  more  of  a  visible  and 
potential  reality  than  it  had  been  for  centuries. 

Here  abruptly  pauses  the  Historj'  of  Ireland ; 
not  ended,  because  "Ireland  is  not  dead  yet. " 
Like  that  faith  to  which  she  has  clung  through 
ages  of  persecution,  it  may  be  said  of  her  that, 
though  "oft  doomed  to  death, "she  is  "fated  not 
to  die. " 

Victory  must  be  with  her.  Already  it  is  with 
her.  Other  nations  have  bowed  to  the  yoke  of 
conquest,  and  been  wiped  out  from  history. 
Other  peoples  have  given  up  the  faith  of  their 
fathers  at  the  bidding  of  the  sword.  Other  races 
have  sold  the  glories  of  their  past  and  the  hopes 
of  their  future  for  a  mess  of  pottage ;  as  if  there 
was  nothing  nobler  in  mans'  destiny  than  to 
feed  and  sleep  and  die.  But  Ireland,  after  cen- 
turies of  suffering  and  sacrifice  such  as  have 
tried  no  other  nation  in  the  world,  has  success- 
fully, proudly,  gloriously,  defended  and  retained 
her  life,  her  faith,  her  nationalitj'.  Well  may 
her  children,  proclaiming  aloud  that  "there  is  a. 
God  in  Israel,"  look  forward  to  a  serene  and 
happy  future,  beyond  the  tearful  clouds  of  this 
troubled  present.  Assuredly  a  people  who  have 
survived  so  much,  resisted  so  much,  retained  so 
much,  are  destined  to  receive  the  rich  reward  of 
such  devotion,  such  constancy,  such  heroism. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIX. 

THE  FENIAN  RISING  AND  WHAT  FOLLOWED  IT  THE  "SUR^ 

prise"  of  CHESTER  castle  -THE  "jACKNELL"  EX- 
PEDITION THE  MANCHESTER  RESCUE. 

Seventeen  years  have  sped  swiftly  by  since  the 
author  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  with  the  in- 
stinct of  a  deep  thinker  and  student  of  political 
history,  predicted  for  that  land,  to  which  he  has, 
proved  his  deep  devotion,  a  glorious  future  and. 


COPYRIGHT,  1898. 


JAMES  STEVENS. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STORY 

"a  deliverance  from  the  long  night  of  bondage. 
That  hope  is  not  yet  realized ;  the  goal  is  not 
reached  yet;  it  is  still  the  night;  but  our  eyes 
are  turned  toward  the  East — a  little  while  and  the 
day  of  freedom  shall  have  dawned  upon  Erin. 

Before  narrating  the  more  important  events 
that  have  occurred  in  Ireland  within  the  period 
indicated,  or  speaking  of  that  wave  of  agitation 
founded  on  constitutional  lines,  as  laid  down  by 
the  Liberator,  which  has  passed  over  the  land 
quite  recently,  it  will  be  well,  jierhaps,  to  give  a 
short  resume  of  those  incidents  of  the  rising  of 
'67  that  have  not  been  recorded  in  the  last 
chapter. 

The  12th  of  February  had  been  the  day  origin- 
ally fixed  for  a  simultaneous  rising  throughout 
the  country  by  the  council  of  delegates  in  Dub- 
lin. As  the  time  approached,  however,  it  was 
decided  to  postpone  the  movement  until  the  5th 
of  March.  The  Fenian  circles  in  Lancashire, 
England,  had  decided  to  co-operate  with  the 
Dublin  movement  on  the  day  originally  fixed, 
and  their  project  was  unquestionably  a  most 
daring  one,  being  nothing  less  than  the  surprise 
of  Chester  Castle,  which  was  known  to  contain 
many  thousand  stand  of  arms,  with  ammunition 
and  military  equipments ;  and  which,  moreover, 
had  only  a  small  garrison.  It  was  resolved  on 
by  the  Fenian  military  council  in  Liverpool  to 
attack  the  castle,  seize  all  the  arms  therein,  and 
next,  to  attach  the  railwaj'  rolling  stock,  load 
the  same  with  men  and  arms,  and  run  the  trains 
to  Holyhead.  At  the  latter  place,  all  steamers 
in  port  were  to  be  seized  and  converted  into  a 
transport  fleet,  which  was  to  be  headed  imme- 
diately for  Dublin  Bay!  The  audacity  of  this 
■enterprise  has  scarcely  a  parallel  in  military  his- 
tory ;  save  it  be  that  brief  and  unfortunate  cam- 
paign that  culminated  in  Ballingarry ;  yet, 
astounding  as  it  may  appear,  it  is  conceded  that 
its  success,  so  far  as  regards  the  seizure  of  Ches- 
ter Castle,  might  have  been  effected,  were  it  not 
for  the  treachery  of  John  Joseph  Coi-ydon,  one 
■of  Stephens'  lieutenants,  and  deemed  to  be  one 
of  the  most  reliable  men  in  the  conspiracy. 
Corydon  had  given  information  to  the  Chief 
Constable  of  Liverpool,  and,  so  utterly  incredu- 
lous -were  the  authorities  at  the  intelligence 
that  considerable  time  was  lost  before  steps  were 
taken  to  thwart  the  movement  by  strengthening 


OF  IRELAND.  249 

the  garrison  of  the  castle.  Soon,  however, 
mounted  messengers  hurried  off  in  all  directions 
for  troops,  who  reached  the  scene  of  expected 
attack  bj'  special  trains  from  Birkenhead  and 
other  local  points.  The  arrival  of  these  troops, 
and  the  bustle  and  stir  observable  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  castle,  were  not  lost  on  several  groups 
of  men  who  had  lounged  all  the  forenoon  around 
Birkenhead,  and  whose  presence — most  of  them 
beging  strangers — was,  doubtless,  an  object  of 
surprise  to  the  inhabitants.  These  were  the  con- 
tingents from  the  Fenian  circles  in  Manchester, 
Bolton,  etc.,  who  had  come  in  by  the  morning 
trains,  and  who  now  departed  as  quickly,  word 
having  reached  them  that  their  plans  were  be- 
traj'ed.  One  party  of  them  who  got  on  board 
the  Dublin  boat  at  Holyhead,  were  arrested  im- 
mediately on  its  arrival  in  North  "Wall.  The  rising 
in  Ireland,  which  occurred  a  few  weeks  later, 
was,  if  anything,  a  more  abortive  attempt  at 
revolution  than  the  expisode  of  Chester  Castle ; 
and  its  results,  as  all  sane  persons  could  predict, 
the  reverse  of  what  its  foolhardy  participants 
had  anticipated.  In  the  vicinity  of  Cork,  the 
more  formidable  demonstrations  took  place;  but 
they  amounted  to  nothing  more  than  attacks  on 
constabulary  barracks  (one  of  which,  Ballynokane, 
was  burned)  and  a  skirmish  in  the  streets  of 
Kilmallock.  Two  circumstances  were  paramount 
in  rendering  the  movement  wholly  futile — the 
treachery  of  the  arch  informer,  Corydon,  and  the 
tempestuous  elements.  The  severity  of  the 
weather  has  been  already  spoken  of.  The  travel- 
ler who  is  familiar  with  the  aspect  of  Canadian 
hills,  or  the  steppes  of  Russia,  when  the  biting 
north  wind  from  the  pole  drifts  the  cumbering 
snow,  lying  deep  on  the  highways  and  deeper  in 
ravines  and  mountain  gorges,  can  best  judge  of 
the  outlook  for  revolutionary  warfare  carried  on 
in  such  a  season  on  the  hills  of  Tipperary  or  the 
mountains  of  Kerry ;  yet  this  was  the  plan  of  the 
Fenian  military  chiefs.  Lender  more  favorable 
circumstances — with  a  larger  force  supplied  with 
arms  and  a  commissariat — it  is  a  moot  question 
whether  exposure  on  the  bare  hills  of  Ireland  at 
such  a  season  would  not  have  caused  its  speedy 
decimation,  as  surely  as  the  same  cause  effected 
the  destruction  of  Napoleon's  army  retreating 
from  Moscow.  While  it  must  be  admitted  that 
the  Rising,  as  the  outcome  of  the  plans  hatched 


250 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


for  long  in  secret  hy  the  Fenian  brotherhood, 
served  the  National  cause  in  so  far  as  proving 
(if  proof  were  necessary)  the  disaffection  of  the 
people  at  large,  and  as  a  clear  and  emphatic  pro- 
test against  misrule,  yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
its  immediate  consequences  ■were,  indeed,  verj' 
sad.  The  ^-ouug  men  who  had  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  inglorious  affair  very  quickly  rea- 
lized the  enormity  of  conspiring  against  the 
British  crown  when  thej'  found  themselves 
dragged  off  to  prison — often  out  of  their  beds  at 
night — and  there  held  to  await  the  trial  where 
Justice  seldom  lent  her  ear  to  the  plea  of  Mercy. 
Terms  of  ten,  fifteen,  and  twenty  years  of  penal 
servitude,  and  sometimes  sentence  for  life,  was 
the  reward  of  those  who  had  loved  their  country 
not  wisely  but  too  well. 

The  next  affair  in  the  order  of  time  that  fol- 
lowed after  the  Rising  has  acquired  notoriety 
as  the  " Jacknell  expedition."  The  Jacknell,  a 
brigantine  of  about  250  tons'  burden,  formerly 
engaged  in  the  West  Indian  trade,  was  chartered 
by  a  party  of  patriotic  Irishmen  in  New  York, 
who  designed  to  supply  the  "men  in  the  gap" 
with  arms  in  the  hour  of  their  struggle — so 
grossly  had  the  Irish-Fenian  executive  deceived 
the  American  contingents  as  to  have  left  them 
for  weeks  under  the  delusion  that  the  red  tide  of 
war  was  rolling  over  the  hills  of  Ireland !  The 
Jacknell  was  freighted  with  rifles,  bayonets, 
cartridges,  and  a  few  field  guns,  all  packed  into 
wine  barrels,  sewing-machine  and  piano  cases — 
the  latter  serving  as  a  safe  blind  for  "contraband 
of  war"  against  the  scrutiny  of  custom-house 
officials.  The  bill  of  lading  was  made  out  for 
the  domestic  articles  just  mentioned,  and  the 
ship  cleared  for  a  port  in  Cuba.  Her  destina- 
tion, however,  was  not  Cuba. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  1867,  a  party  of  forty  or 
fifty  men  got  on  board  a  steamboat  at  a  wharf  in 
New  York,  ostensibly  for  a  trip  down  the  harbor. 
The  whole  party  was  composed  of  ex-officers  and 
privates  of  the  American  army,  and  as  they  had 
no  baggage  with  them,  and  presented  nothing 
suspicious  in  appearance,  their  departure  was 
unnoticed.  They  reached  Sandy  Hook  in  due 
time,  and  boarded  the  Jacknell,  which  quickly 
set  sail  toward  the  "West  Indies.  The  Jacknell 's 
destination,  however,  was  not  the  "West  Indies, 
but  Ireland.     The  more  prominent  among  the 


party  were  Gen.  J.  E.  Kerrigan,  Col.  S.  R.  Tre- 
silian.  Col.  John  Warren,  Col.  Nagle,  Lieut. 
Augustine  E.  Costello,  and  Capt.  Cavanagh. 
The  Jacknell  steered  southward  for  about  twenty- 
four  hours,  then  changed  her  course  for  the  "old 
land."  On  Sunday,  29th  of  April,  the  sunburst 
of  Erin  was  hoisted  to  the  mainmast,  and  hailed 
with  a  salute  from  the  three  field  pieces  carried 
on  board  the  "Erin's  Hope,"  which  was  the  new 
and  auspicious  name  there  and  then  bestowed  on 
the  adventurous  brigantine.  Sealed  orders  were 
then  opened,  and  commissions  assigned  to  the 
officers  and  men  of  the  expedition.  Sligo  Bay, 
which  was  their  destination,  was  reached  on  the 
20th  of  May.  The  ship  stood  in  the  offing  for  a 
day  or  two,  until  boarded  by  an  agent  of  the 
Confederates.  His  account  of  the  real  state  of 
affairs  in  Ireland  very  quickly  dispelled  th» 
visions  conjured  up  in  the  minds  of  these  men 
by  perusal  of  sensational  telegrams  in  the  New 
York  daily  papers.  A  landing  in  Sligo,  they 
were  informed,  was  out  of  the  question ;  but  an 
effort  should  be  made  to  land  the  arms  and  mili- 
tary stores  somewhere  on  the  southern  coast. 
The  government  had  intelligence  of  a  suspicious- 
looking  vessel  hovering  on  the  western  coast. 
British  gunboats  cruised  around,  ever  on  the- 
alert,  and  the  Erin's  Hope  had  a  hard  time  of  it, 
night  and  day,  to  escape  capture.  She  had 
been  sixty-two  daj'S  at  sea,  and  her  stock  of  pro- 
visions and  water  were  running  short.  In  this 
extremity  it  was  decided  to  land  the  bulk  of  the 
party  and  set  sail  for  America  with  the  others, 
who  could  be  maintained  on  the  meager  stock  of 
provisions.  Accordingly,  a  fishing  smack  was: 
hailed  off  Helvick  Head,  near  Dungarvan,  and 
when  she  came  alongside,  some  thirty  or  more  of 
the  party  jumped  on  board  and  were  rowed  to 
the  shore.  Their  landing  was  not  unobserved,, 
as  they  were  seen  by  a  coast  guard  lookout, 
who  promptly  notified  all  the  local  police  sta- 
tions, and  ere  many  hours,  the  whole  Jacknell 
party  were  lodged  within  prison  walls.  In  the 
minds  of  the  government  officials,  the  appearance 
of  the  suspicious  craft  in  Sligo  Bay  had  not,  up 
to  this  time,  been  connected  with  the  landing  of 
the  party  of  strangers  at  Helvick  Head ;  but,  as 
usual,  a  traitor,  Buckley  by  name,  was  in  the 
camp,  who  "blew"  on  the  whole  business,  and 
at  the  next  assize-commission  every  man  of  them 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


251 


■was  indicted  for  treason-felony.  The  Jacknell 
expedition,  though  it  in  nowise  helped  to  attain 
the  grand  object  in  view  by  the  Fenian  organiza- 
tion— to  wit,  the  overthrow  of  English  dominion 
in  Ireland,  yet  was  instrumental  in  effecting  an 
important  change  of  law  in  relation  to  Irish-born 
citizens  of  America :  that  is  to  say — ^persons  born 
in  Ireland,  and  afterward  living  in,  and  becom- 
ing naturalized  citizens  of,  the  United  States. 
The  issue  was  raised  at  the  trial  of  the  prisoner 
Warren,  on  the  refusal  of  the  crown  to  grant 
him  a  jury  mediatate  linguae,  and  on  his  in- 
structing his  counsel  thereupon  to  waive  any 
defense  as  to  whether  the  ancient  doctrine  of 
perpetual  allegiance  held  good  in  law.  The 
presiding  judge  decided  in  the  affirmative,  and 
Warren  and  Costello  were  both  sentenced — the 
former  to  fifteen,  the  latter  to  twelve  years'  penal 
servitude.  Warren  claimed  the  protection  of  the 
United  States  Government,  which,  though  it 
had  abandoned  him  on  his  trial,  found  it  neces- 
sary to  its  own  status  to  assert  and  uphold  the 
rights  of  American  citizenship.  Negotiations 
were  entered  into  between  the  cabinets  of 
Washington  and  London,  and  resulted  in  an  act 
being  passed  in  1870 — 33  and  34  Vic,  cap.  14 
(known  as  the  Warren  and  Costello  Act),  which 
finally  disposed  of  the  question — -making  it  legal 
for  a  British  subject  to  divest  himself  of  his 
allegiance  and  become  the  citizen  of  another 
country. 

The  one  event  of  this  year — the  saddest,  per- 
haps, of  all  the  mishaps  that  followed  in  the 
train  of  Fenianism,  since  this  was  tragic  in 
almost  every  particular — has  already  passed  into 
history  as  the  "Manchester  Rescue."  To  under- 
stand what  led  to  this  occurrence,  and  to  the 
sacrifice  of  life  which  it  entailed,  it  is  necessary 
to  explain  that  on  the  deposition  of  James 
Stephens  from  the  rank  of  Head  Center  of  the 
Fenian  organization,  he  was  succeeded  by  Col. 
Thomas  J.  Kelly.  It  was  Kelly  planned  and 
directed  the  rescue  of  Stephens  from  Richmond, 
and  subsequently  his  flight  to  France.  Some  six 
months  after  the  Rising,  Kelly  crossed  over  to 
Manchester  to  attend  a  council  of  centers  there. 
On  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  September,  four 
men  were  observed  by  the  police  loitering  at  the 
corner  of  Oak  Street,  in  the  latter  city.  From 
some  observations  let  drop  by  the  former,  the 


officers  were  led  to  think,  that  the  party  were- 
plotting  some  crime,  and  proceeded  to  arrest 
them.  A  struggle  followed,  and  two  of  the  sus- 
pects escaped.  The  other  two  had  a  first  hear- 
ing before  a  magistrate,  and  were  remanded  at 
the  request  of  a  detective  who  "suspected"  that 
thej'  might  be  connected  with  Fenianism,  and 
so  the  event  proved,  for  they  turned  out  to  be 
none  other  than  Colonel  Kelly,  the  Fenian  chief, 
and  Captain  Deasy,  his  assistant.  The  arrests 
excited  the  local  Fenian  circles  beyond  measure, 
and  the  daring  resolve  was  taken  to  rescue  th& 
prisoners,  come  what  would.  On  the  18th  of 
September  the  prisoners  were  brought  up  again 
fvnd  identified  as  Kelly  and  Deasy,  and  were- 
remanded  once  more.  After  the  court  adjourned, 
the  prison  van  in  which  were  Kelly  and  Deasy 
and  four  other  prisoners — three  women  and  a  boy 
— drove  off  for  Salford  jail,  distant  about  twa 
miles  from  Manchester.  Kelly  and  Deasy  were 
handcuffed  and  locked  in  separate  compartments 
of  the  van.  Twelve  policemen,  instead  of  the 
usual  number  of  three,  formed  the  guard  on  this 
occasion.  Sergeant  Brett  sat  inside  the  van, 
five  on  the  box-seat,  two  on  the  step  behind, 
and  four  followed  in  a  cab.  Under  the  railway 
arch,  which  spans  the  Hyde  Road  at  Bellevue,  a 
party  of  about  thirty  powerfully-built  men 
sprang  over  the  fence  and  shouted  to  the  driver 
to  stop,  which  order  not  being  obeyed,  one  of 
the  party  leveled  his  revolver  at  the  horses  and 
shot  one  of  them.  Then  the  whole  party  sur- 
rounded the  van  and  demanded  the  kej's.  The 
police  having  no  arms  made  scarcely  any  show 
of  resistance,  but  took  to  flight.  The  rescuers 
had  brought  such  tools  as  they  deemed  neces- 
sary, hatchets,  crowbars,  etc.,  but  found  that 
the  task  of  breaking  open  the  van  was  much 
slower  than  they  had  reckoned.  Very  soon  the 
police  returned,  followed  by  a  large  crowd. 
Twenty  or  more  of  the  rescuing  party  formed  a 
ring  around  the  van,  and  with  revolvers  pointed 
at  the  heads  of  the  policemen,  kept  back  both 
them  and  the  crowd;  while  their  companions 
worked  might  and  main  to  force  open  the  van. 
Through  the  ventilator  over  the  door  they  spoke 
to  Brett,  commanding  him  to  give  up  the  keys, 
if  be  had  them.  Brett  divined  what  was  occur- 
ing  on  the  outside,  though  he  could  not  see  the 
attacking  party,  and  in  order  to  obtain  a  glimpse! 


252 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


of  them,  placed  his  eye  to  the  keyhole.  On  the 
instant  some  one  in  command  shouted  to  "blow 
open  the  lock,"  and  immediately  a  bullet 
M'hizzed  through  the  aperture,  and  Brett  as  he 
■withdrew  (but  all  too"  late)  received  the  ball  in 
his  head  and  dropped  dead  within  the  vehicle. 
One  of  the  women  screamed  out,  "He's  killed." 
"Take  the  kej-s  from  his  pocket,  and  hand  them 
out;"  was  the  mandate  given  her  from  outside. 
This  was  done;  and  immediately  a  young  man, 
ATilliam  Philip  Allen,  unlocked  the  door  and 
released  the  prisoners,  who  were  hurried  away 
across  the  fields  on  the  instant.  In  the  struggle 
which  ensued  between  the  police  and  crowd  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  Fenian  party  on  the  other, 
the  latter  were  roughly  handled,  and  five  of 
them  were  arrested.  Their  names  were  William 
Philip  Allen,  Edward  Condon,  Michael  Larkin, 
Thomas  Maguire,  and  Michael  O'Brien. 

News  of  the  rescue  and  the  shooting  of  Brett 
was  flashed  all  over  the  country  in  an  hour,  and 
raised  a  storm  of  indignation  in  the  English 
public  mind^ — awoke  every  slumbering  prejudice 
of  that  hereditary  hate  of  the  Irish  which  is, 
•even  to  this  hour,  a  darling  nursling  of  the 
Saxon  breast,  and  boded  not  only  the  extreme 
penalty  of  the  law  to  the  prisoners,  but  indis- 
criminate vengeance  on  the  entire  Irish  popula- 
tion resident  in  and  around  the  scene  of  the 
outrage.  Hounded  on  by  a  malignant  press,  the 
English  executive  of  that  day  seems  to  have  lost 
its  head,  in  the  indecent  haste  with  which  it 
ordered  a  special  assize-commission  for  the  trial 
of  the  prisoners,  and  in  the  mode  of  conducting 
the  trial  which  was  eminently  unfair,  and  be- 
trayed a  clear  intent  to  satisfy  the  popular  ci'av- 
ing  for  a  victim  or  victims.  The  testimony  in 
support  of  the  indictment  for  Bi-ett's  murder 
was  altogether  of  a  doubtful  nature,  and  hung 
chiefly  on  the  evidence  of  a  reprobate  woman; 
but  these  men  were,  of  course,  foredoomed,  and 
the  sentence  of  death,  pronounced  on  the  five 
above  named,  could  hardly  be  a  surprise  under 
the  circumstances.  So  inconclusive  did  the  evi- 
dence in  the  case  of  one  of  the  prisoners,  Ma- 
guire, appear  to  the  re  [sorters  present  at  the 
trial,  that  thej'  took  the  unusual  course  of  peti- 
tioning the  Home  office  in  his  favor;  and  this 
resulted  in  his  being  pardoned.  Soon  after, 
Condon  was  reprieved.    This  was  a  tacit  admis- 


sion of  miscarriage  of  justice  in  the  trial,  and 
brought  the  public  mind  from  its  abnormal  state 
of  excitement  to  a  sober  second  thought  as  to 
the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  prisoners.  It  was 
expected,  up  to  the  last,  that  following  Maguire 
and  Condon,  all  the  others  would  be  reprieved. 
Many  humane  gentlemen  exerted  themselves  for 
this  object,  and  among  the  more  distinguished 
may  be  mentioned  Victor  Hugo,  who  wrote  a 
letter  on  their  behalf  to  Queen  Victoria;  and 
Buchanan,  the  poet,  who  in  pathetic  verses  pub- 
lished in  a  London  evening  paper  pleaded  for 
mercy.  But  all  pleading  was  in  vain — all  hope 
of  mercy  was  disappointed.  The  government 
had  resolved  on  satisfying  the  popular  thirst  for 
blood.  And  it  did.  On  the  morning  of  Nov- 
ember 23,  1867,  Allen,  Larkin,  and  O'Brien, 
were  led  out  to  the  scaffold  of  Salford  jail  sur- 
rounded by  military,  and  executed  in  the  gaze 
of  such  another  rabble  as  might  have  gathered 
around  when  the  Savior  of  the  world  stood 
contrasted  with  the  infamous  Barabbas! 


CHAPTER  XC. 

FUNEEAL    PROCESSIONS    FOR    THE  MARTYRS  AGITATION 

FOR   AMNESTY  AND  DISESTABLISHMENT  CLEEKEN- 

WELL  AND  BALLYCOHEY. 

The  shooting  of  Sergeant  Brett  could  not,  save 
by  overlooking  the  circumstances  of  the  occur- 
rence, or  by  perversion  of  fact,  be  construed  as 
murder.  Concurrent  testimonj'  has  shown  that 
there  was  no  intention  to  kill  him,  and  that  his 
death  was  accidental.  Not  so  in  the  case  of 
Allen,  Larkin  and  O'Brien:  their  execution  was 
murder  pure  and  simple.  "When  the  news  of  the 
Manchester  executions  reached  Ireland,  men 
gasped  for  breath  in  astonishment  that  that 
which  no  man  expected  had  come  to  pass — that 
the  blind  fury  of  the  English  populace  had  been 
allowed  to  quench  its  frenzy  in  blood — that  the 
rabbid  hatred  and  malicious  instigation  of  a 
calumniating  press  had  overridden  the  calm,  un- 
biased judgment  which  should  guide  a  just  ad- 
ministration, and  prompted  the  Tory  ministers 
to  steel  their  hearts  to  every  appeal  for  mercy. 
A  wail  of  grief  went  up  from  the  people ;  a  cloud 
seemed  to  darken  the  land  for  days;  and  the 
heart  of  Ireland  was  wrung  Avith  anguish.  The 


THE  STOEY  OF  IRELAND. 


253 


■stain  of  deepest  degradation  attempted  to  be  set 
on  the  characters  of  the  Manchester  victims  while 
living,  by  loading  them  with  irons  and  manacles 
— the  cruel  devices  of  a  barbarous,  by-gone  age — 
at  their  preliminary  trial,  and  the  ignominy  of 
denying  them  Christian  burial,  and  confounding 
"them  with  common  murderers,  added  an  addi- 
tional pang  to  the  shocking  outrage  of  their 
-execution.  But  their  mother  Ireland  would  pray 
for,  and  honor  the  memory  of,  her  martyred 
sons.  In  all  the  Catholic  churches  of  the  land 
prayers  were  asked  for  their  souls,  and  the  peo- 
ple knelt,  and  prayed,  and  wept;  and  when  they 
-quitted  the  churches,  and  realized  in  all  its  grim 
repulsiveness  the  tragedy  that  had  been  enacted, 
men  knit  their  brows  and  clinched  their  teeth, 
and  the  prompting  of  every  patriotic  heart  was 
defiance  of  that  despotic  power  which,  through 
the  persons  of  these  victims,  aimed  a  blow  at  the 
national  cause,  and  smote  the  manhood  of  Ire- 
land in  the  face — thus  obeying  the  dictum  of  the 
Times  to  "stamp  out"  sedition,  and  stiiie  all 
patriotic  aspiration.  This  feeling  soon  grew 
almost  universal,  and  extended  even  to  men  who, 
hitherto,  had  been  ultra-loyal,  but  who  now 
joined  hands  with  the  Nationalists  in  a  resolve 
to  resent  the  insult  offered  to  the  nation  in  the 
persons  of  these  victims  by  a  public  display  of 
sentiment  which  should  at  once  approve  the 
-conduct  of  the  latter  and  do  homage  to  their 
memory.  Then  was  inaugurated  a  movement, 
which  may  be  said  to  be  the  parent  of  every  other 
agitation  that  arose  in  the  country  in  recent 
years — a  plant  which  with  truth  can  be  said 
to  have  been  watered  by  the  blood  of  martyrs, 
and  grew  to  immense  proportions,  namely — the 
funeral  procession,  which  in  every  city  of  Ire- 
land was  a  vast  and  imposing  public  display  of 
mourning  that  would  do  honor  to  any  earthly 
potentate.  At  the  Dublin  demonstration  it  was 
estimated  sixty  thousand  persons  walked  in  the 
procession,  w-hich  was  headed  by  Mr.  John 
Martin,  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Sullivan.  The  proces- 
sions in  Cork,  Limerick,  Killarney,  and  other 
places  were  proportionately  large. 

Then  was  witnessed  a  spectacle  rarely  seen  in 
Ireland,  or  elsewhere  before  —  viz.,  a  funeral 
procession  of  vast  proportions,  where  all  the 
somber  paraphernalia  of  a  burial  were  present— all 
save  the  corpse  or  rather  corpses ;  for  the  funeral 


represented  the  burial  of  the  three  men,  and 
comprised  three  hearses  and  three  coflfins,  with 
attendant  mourners.  The  Times  and  other 
oracles,  to  which  the  British  ministers  had  lent 
a  willing  ear  in  giving  effect  to  the  dictum  of 
"stamping  out"  sedition,  by  such  a  holocaust 
as  that  of  Manchester,  now  sounded  the  note  of 
alarm  by  descrying  the  funeral  processions  as 
"seditious  demonstrations,"  and  called  for  their 
suppression.  Then  came  a  proclamation  from 
"His  Excellency,"  and  next,  the  prosecution  of 
the  last-named  gentlemen  and  others.  Mr.  A. 
M.  Sullivan's  speech,  in  his  own  defense,  was 
a  complete  turning  of  the  tables  on  the  crown, 
and  its  myrmidons,  past  and  present.  It  proved 
a  powerful  indictment  of  the  law  itself,  as 
framed  for,  and  administered  in,  Ireland  up  to  a 
very  recent  period,  and  showed  that  "disesteem 
for  the  law" — for  brutal  laws  and  penal  enact- 
ments—was not  only  natural,  but  inevitable. 
This  speech  and  that  of  Mr.  John  Martin  on 
the  same  occasion,  had  a  very  marked  effect  on 
public  opinion;  and,  taken  in  connection  with 
the  sad  occurrences  which  had  caused  their 
being  uttered — the  Manchester  executions  and 
the  funeral  processions — led  many  men,  whose 
hostility  to  Fenianism  hitherto  was  well  known, 
to  change  their  views  altogether,  and  join  hands 
with  the  Nationalists.  This  newly  awakened 
sympathy  with  those  who  had  recently  suffered 
martyrdom  for  their  country,  extended  itself  to 
those  poor  political  prisoners  whose  hard  fate 
was  to  toil  unrequited  in  the  convict  gangs  at 
Portland  and  Chatham.  The  moment  for  an 
appeal  to  the  government  to  pardon  these  men 
seemed  opportune,  as  there  had  been  a  change 
of  administration,  and  Gladstone,  whose  sym- 
pathies were  supposed  to  be  more  Christian  than 
his  predecessors,  was  at  the  head  of  the  Cabinet 
— and  so  there  was  started  under  direction  of 
the  CentralAmnesty  Commttee  in  Dublin,  a  new 
agitation  having  this  philanthropic  object  in 
view.  The  first  great  Amnesty  meeting  was  held 
in  the  Rotunda,  Dublin,  on  the  evening  of  Janu- 
ary 24,  1896,  at  which  the  lord-mayor  presided. 

Letters  from  nearly  all  the  Catholic  bishops, 
and  many  prominent  persons  unable  to  attend 
were  read,  expressing  entire  sympathy  with  the 
movement.  The  first  resolution  was  intrusted 
to  a  distinguished  man  and  true  patriot — Isaac 


THE  STORY  OF  IIIELAND. 


Butt.  At  the  mention  of  this  name,  and  that  of 
two  others,  snatched  since  then  by  the  unspar- 
ing hand  of  death  from  Ireland  and  her  cause — 
George  Henry  Moore  and  John  Francis  Maguire 
— few  true  Irishmen  can  repress  a  sigh  of  regret 
for  their  loss.  Mr.  Butt  had  won  his  way  to 
distinction,  and  was  the  acknowledged  leader  of 
the  Irish  Bar;  but  won  higher  esteem  as  a  con- 
vert to  the  National  cause.  He  had  sat  for  some 
years  in  the  House  of  Commons,  elected  in  the 
conservative  interest  for  the  boi-ough  of  Youghal, 
and  his  political  creed,  for  a  period  of  his  life, 
was  directly  opposed  to  Nationalistic  views. 
When  the  political  prosecutions  Avere  com- 
menced, the  government,  following  out  its  tradi- 
tional policy,  threw  out  its  bait  to  enlist  the 
services  of  Mr.  Butt  on  its  side,  while  at  the 
same  time  the  prisoners  bid  for  his  advocacy  in 
their  defense.  The  magnanimity  of  the  man 
was  shown  in  the  readiness  with  which  he 
espoused  the  weaker  side,  and  in  the  fact  that  he 
gratuitously  defended  several  of  them  who  were 
too  poor  to  pay  the  usual  counsel  fees.  Then 
the  shining  abilities  of  Isaac  Butt  were  given 
full  scope  in  the  legal  arena,  and  were  successful 
in  mitigating  the  full  measure  of  punishment 
which  would  otherwise  have  been  the  lot  of 
many  prisoners;  and,  notably,  in  one  case  saved 
a  man's  neck  from  the  rope.  This  was  the  case 
of  Robert  Kellj',  who  shot  Head  Constable  Tal- 
bot in  the  streets  of  Dublin.  The  latter  lingered 
for  some  hours  with  a  ball  in  his  spine,  and  at  a 
council  of  doctors,  some  were  for  extracting  the 
bullet,  and  others  were  opposed  to  the  operation. 
The  former  had  their  way,  and  and  the  ijatient 
died.  Bj'  a  clever  piece  of  legal  jugglery,  Mr. 
Butt  threw  the  onus  of  blame  on  the  doctors, 
and  saved  the  life  of  the  prisoner,  who  was  sen- 
tenced to  a  period  of  imprisonment. 

Such  was  the  man  who  stood  up  to  move  the 
first  resolution  and  whose  symi)athies  were  alto- 
gether with  those  poor  fellows  for  whom  he  had 
fought  many  a  legal  battle.  The  resolution  ran 
thus : 

"Resolved,  That  it  is  the  persuasion  of  this 
meeting  that  the  grant  of  a  general  amnesty  to 
all  persons  convicted  of  political  offenses  would 
be  most  grateful  to  the  feelings  of  the  people  of 
the  Irish  Nation." 

Mr.  Butt  spoke  up  to  the  resolution  with  all 


the  energy  and  impressiveness  which  character^ 
ised   his    oratory.    The   popular   demand  for 
amnestj',  which  hourly  increased,  he  pronounced, 
an  indorsement  and  ratification  of  the  principles 
for  which  the  prisoners  suffered,  and  a  strong 
protest  against  English  misrule.    The  resolution 
was  carried  with  acclamation,  and  other  resolu- 
tions, pledging  the  meeting  to  incessant  agita- 
tion until  the  desired  boon  was  granted,  were 
adopted.    It  has  been  estimated  that  there  were 
then  in  prison  eightj'-one  civilians  charged  with 
treason-felony;   of  whom   forty-two  had  been 
transported  to  Western  Australia,  while  the  re- 
mainder were  divided  between  Chatham,  Port- 
land, Pentonville,  and  other   English  prisons. 
Beside  these,  there  were  several  military  con- 
victs,   and    persons    charged    with  murder. 
Toward  the  end  of  February,  1869,  the  first  con- 
cession was  made,  and  it  was  then  announced 
that  forty-nine  prisoners  were  to  be  pardoned — 
thirty-four  of  those  in  Australia,  and  fifteen  who. 
were  confined  in  England.    This  partial  amnesty 
could  not  be  expected  to  satisfy  the  popular 
demand;   and  so  the  agitation  for  a  general, 
amnesty  was  renewed,  early  the  following  sum- 
mer, by  open-air  meetings,  held  near  all  the  im- 
portant towns  and  cities,  and  which,   in  some 
places — such  as  Cabra — assumed  vast  proportions. 
At  the  latter  place,  George  Henry  Moore  and 
Isaac  Butt  addressed  the  assembled  thousands, 
and  at  every  meeting  held  to  further  this  move- 
ment, there  were  not  wanting  men  of  distinction 
and  ability  to  urge  the  popular  demand.    Yet  it 
was  not  until  December,  1870,  that  the  govern- 
ment announced  its  intention  of  pardoning  all 
the  non-military  treason-felony  convicts.  The 
condition  imposed  was  to  leave  the  United  King- 
dom,  and  not  return  until  the  term  of  their 
several  sentences  had  expired;  and  agreeable  to 
this  stipulation,  thirty-seven  prisoners  were  set 
at  liberty.    Six  of  the  convict  soldiers  at  Swan 
River,  Western  Australia,  were  rescued  from 
there  in  April,  1876,  chiefly  through  the  exer- 
tions of  Mr.  John  J.  Breslin,  and  by  means  of 
funds  supplied  by  an  Irish-American  Society. 
The  few  remaining  prisoners  were  released  at 
intervals  on  tickets-of-leave  or  otherwise. 

Side  by  side  with  the  amnesty  agitation, another 
great  movement — in  which  the  future  prime 
minister  of  England  was  the  prime  mover — was. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


255 


in  progress,  viz.,  the  Disestablishment  of  the 
Irish  Church.  This  institution — this  "upas 
tree"  as  Gladstone  described  it,  if  it  at  any  time 
had  exhaled  poison  on  the  social  atmosphere, 
■was  at  least,  no  longer  foi-midable.  Its  exist- 
ence, or  dissolution,  was  no  longer  the  burning 
question  of  the  hour,  though  as  a  standing  mark 
of  conquest — as  the  stronghold  of  the  "Ascen- 
dency" party — its  existence  in  a  Catholic  land 
was  whollj''  anomalous,  and  its  position  untena- 
ble on  any  reasonable  grounds.  This  had  been 
shown  long  previously  by  several  writers,  fore- 
most among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Mr.  W.  J. 
O'Neill  Daunt  of  Kilcascan  Castle,  County  Cork, 
and  Sir  John  Gray,  M.  P.,  for  Kilkenny,  and 
proprietor  of  the  Dublin  Freeman's  Journal. 
Mr.  Daunt  had  for  a  considerable  time  corre- 
sponded with  Mr.  Carvell  Williams,  Secretary  of 
the  Liberation  Society,  and,  in  conjunction  with 
the  latter  gentleman,  aroused  public  opinion 
against  the  Irish  State  Church.  Sir  John  Graj', 
in  a  series  of  exhaustive  reports  on  the  history, 
revenues,  and  congregational  strength  of  the 
establishment,  entitled,  "The  Ii'ish  Church  Com- 
mission," published  in  his  own  journal,  made 
out  an  unanswerable  case  against  its  maintenance. 

The  assault  on  this  ancient  stronghold  was 
initiated  by  what  may  be  called  a  coalition  of 
political  and  ecclesiastical  power.  The  Libera- 
tion Society  and  that  section  of  English  Liberals 
represented  by  John  Bright,  had  for  some  time 
carried  on  private  negotiations  with  prominent 
Irish  ecclesiastics  and  iioliticians,  with  a  view  to 
an  alliance,  and  for  the  ulterior  object  of  win- 
ning some  concessions  or  effecting  some  needed 
reforms  for  the  Irish  people.  Denominational 
education  had  been  for  long  the  issue  raised  hy 
the  bishops  at  every  election,  and  the  securing 
of  this  concession  they  considered  paramount. 
"When,  however,  the  "National  Association  of 
Ireland,"  under  the  auspices  of  Cardinal  Cullen, 
was  founded  in  December,  1864,  the  education 
question  was  omitted  and  Disestablishment  sub- 
stituted as  the  primary  object  of  the  new  agita- 
tion. This  was  done  in  accordance  with  the 
views  of  those  English  Liberals  above  mentioned, 
who  could  not  be  of  one  mind  with  Catholics  on 
the  education  question,  and  suggested  its  post- 
ponement till  other  reforms  could  be  won.  The 
Irish  Church  motion  moved  by  Sir  John  Gray 


on  the  10th  of  April,  18G6,  found  the  Russell- 
Gladstone  ministry  more  favorable  to  it  than 
hitherto ;  but  two  months  later,  June,  18GG,  this 
ministry,  defeated  and  deserted  by  the  "Adul- 
lamites" — a  section  of  their  own  party — ^lost 
office,  and  were  succeeded  by  a  conservative  ad- 
ministration, facetiously  termed  the  "Derby- 
Dizzy"  ministry — that  is,  the  Tory  Cabinet  of 
which  Earl  Derbj--  was  the  premier,  and  Mr. 
Disraeli,  the  chancellor  of  the  exchequer.  Dur- 
ing this  administration  occurred  all  the  troubles 
detailed  in  the  last  chapter,  and  its  policy  toward 
Ireland  for  the  period  may  be  characterized  as 
one  of  callous  indifference  to  the  grievances  of 
the  nation,  and  of  cold  unrelenting  cruelty  to 
the  unfortunate  men  who  had  offended  against 
its  edicts. 

When  the  storm  of  angry  excitement  which 
the  Fenian  outbreak  and  its  concomitant  inci- 
dents conjured  up  in  England  had  subsided — 
when  that  grand  object,  the  "vindication  of  the 
law,"  was  accomplished — the  better  class  of 
Englishmen  began  to  ask  themselves  whether 
or  not  the  disaffected  nation  had  any  real  griev- 
ance which  might  be  removed — any  heavy  burden 
on  its  shoulders  which  it  was  the  duty  of  the 
legislature  to  lighten.  The  Liberation  Society 
saw  their  opportunity  in  this  growing  interest 
manifested  on  the  Irish  question,  and  promptly 
furnished  the  answer  by  pointing  to  the  Irish 
State  Chvirch  as  the  true  cause  of  all  the  humilia- 
tion and  heartburning  that  afflicted  the  nation. 
Here,  too,  the  leaders  of  the  divided  Liberal 
party  saw  a  chance  to  form  a  new  platform, 
where  its  scattered  contingents  might  combine 
for  a  general  onslaught  on  the  Irish  Establish- 
ment. 

A  debate  which  was  continued  for  four  days 
commenced  in  the  House  of  Commons  on  the  10th 
of  March,  18G8,  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  J.  F.  Ma- 
guire  for  a  committee  to  consider  the  state  of 
Ireland.  On  the  last  day  of  the  debate,  Mr. 
Gladstone  declared  that  the  time  had  come  when 
the  Irish  Church  must  be  disestablished.  On 
the  23d  he  introduced  his  "Resohitions. "  The 
debate  to  go  into  committee  on  the  Resolutions 
opened  on  the  30th  of  March,  and  was  carried 
by  331  to  270  votes.  The  debate  in  committee 
lasted  eleven  nghts,  and  on  the  1st  of  May  the 
first  resolution  was  carried  by  a  vote  of  330  to 


256  THE  STORY 

265.  Four  days  later  the  ministers  resigned, 
but  it  was  announced  that  they  would  retain 
office  at  the  request  of  the  queen,  until  the  state 
of  public  business  admitted  of  a  dissolution. 
Parliament  "vvas  prorogued  on  the  31st  of  July, 
18G8,  and  on  the  11th  of  November  it  was  dis- 
solved, and  the  ministers  "appealed  to  the 
couutrj'. " 

At  the  general  election  which  ensued,  the 
Liberals  were  almost  everywhere  victorious,  and 
on  the  2d  of  December,  Mr.  Disraeli  (who  had 
succeeded  Lord  Derby),  surrendered  the  seals, 
and  Mr.  Gladstone  assumed  the  reins  of  power. 
On  the  31st  of  May,  1869,  the  bill  for  the  Dises- 
tablishment of  the  Irish  Church  (introduced  by 
Mr.  Gladstone  on  the  1st),  passed  the  third  read- 
ing, and  on  the  26th  of  July,  received  the  royal 
assent.  Its  advantages  to  Catholics  can  be 
summed  up  in  a  few  words.  It  throws  open  all 
public  offices  to  them,  save  and  except  the  lord- 
lieutenancy,  and  abolishes  test  oaths  hitherto 
required  of  them  on  taking  office. 

The  last,  and  perhaps  most  serious  occurrence, 
in  connection  with  Fenianism — as.  it  was  at- 
tended with  heavy  loss  of  life  and  other  fatali- 
ties— happened  at  this  period,  and  is  known  as 
the  "Clerkenwell  Explosion."  It  excited  the 
indignation  of  the  English  people,  and  the  rep- 
robation of  every  right-thinking  person.  Cap- 
tain Richard  Burke  was  at  the  time  a  political 
convict  confined  in  Clerkenwell  Prison,  London, 
and  the  design  was  formed  by  Fenian  sympa- 
thizers in  the  metropolis  to  effect  his  release  by 
making  a  breach  in  the  outer  wall  of  the  prison 
by  means  of  gunpowder  at  an  hour  of  the  day 
when  he  was  supposed  to  be  exercising  in  the 
yard  inside  of  this  wall;  so  as  he  might  "bolt" 
directly  after  an  aperture  had  been  effected  by 
the  explosion.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  a 
barrel  of  gunpowder  was  placed  against  the  wall 
on  the  13th  of  December,  1867,  and  at  the 
appointed  hour  was  exploded  by  means  of  a  fuse. 
The  effect  was  fearful :  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  of  the  wall  was  blown  in,  and  a  dozen  tene- 
ment houses  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street 
were  laid  in  ruins.  There  were  twelve  persons 
killed,  and  more  than  one  hundred  wounded  in 
these  houses.  The  report  of  the  explosion  was 
heard  all  over  the  metropolis,  and  brought  crowds 
to  the  scene  of  the  disaster.    Utter  ignorance  of 


OF  IRELAND. 

the  nature  and  potency  of  explosives,  in  the 
minds  of  some  man  or  men  of  the  laboring  class, 
who  had  executed  this  reckless  business,  is 
assigned  as  the  true  cause  of  this  calamity. 

One  other  event  of  this  time  also  attended  with 
fatalities,  has  a  special  interest,  as  it  is  s«,id  to 
have  been  the  immediate  cause — the  motive 
power — which  had  moved  the  Gladstone  Cabinet 
to  the  passing  of  the  Land  Act.  This  tragic  affair 
is  known  as  the  "Battle  of  Ballycohey,"  and  such 
it  really  was,  on  a  small  scale.  It  arose  out  of 
the  difficulty  existing  between  a  landlord  — 
William  Scullj',  and  his  tenants,  occupying  hold- 
ings on  the  townland  of  Ballycohey,  distant 
about  three  miles  from  the  town  of  Tipperary. 
It  well  illustrates  the  arbitrary  power  possessed 
by  landlords  at  this  period,  and  the  capricious 
methods  in  which  these  petty  despots  exercised 
it.  The  propertj'  in  question  was  formerly 
owned  by  an  old  Catholic  family  of  the  same 
name,  but  of  better  principles  than  the  present 
owner.  It  came  into  his  possession  not  by 
descent,  but  by  purchase.  "William  Scully 
owned  other  property  in  the  country,  and  a  vast 
estate  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  America.  He  was 
known  to  be  an  avaricious  man;  exacting  in  his 
demands,  and  unsparing  where  his  edicts  were 
not  complied  with ;  and  so  the  sequel  will  go  to 
prove.  His  fame  had  pi-eceded  him,  and  the 
people  of  Ballycohey  had  gloomy  apprehensions 
that  his  advent  boded  them  no  good.  The  char- 
acter of  the  Ballycohey  tenantry  has  been  de- 
scribed as  peaceful,  industrious,  and  prompt  to 
pay  their  rents;  and  at  the  time  they  were  not 
in  arrears  for  the  same.  The  old  leases  having 
expired,  a  new  lease  was  drawn  up,  and  in  the 
framing  of  this  document,  Mr.  Scully  showed 
the  perversion  of  landlord  ingenuity  by  tram- 
meling his  tenants  with  conditions  abhorrent  to 
any  honest  mind,  and  especially  distasteful  to 
the  independent  spirit  which  these  hiimble  but 
upright  people  endeavored  to  preserve.  The 
tenants  were  required  to  pay  rent  quarterly;  to 
surrender  on  twenty-one  days  notice  at  the  end 
of  any  quarter ;  to  forego  all  claims  to  their  own 
crops  that  might  be  in  the  soil;  to  pay  all  rates 
and  taxes;  and  always  to  have  a  half-year's  rent 
paid  in  advance.  Eefusing  compliance  with 
these  enactments,  they  must  quit.  Mr.  Scully 
was  warned  of  the  danc'^r  of  attempting  to  carry 


COPYRIGHT,  1898.  CHARLES  S.  PARNELL.  MURPHY  &  MCCARTHT. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


257 


9ut  this  programme,  but  in  vain.  He  obtained 
a  police  guard  to  attend  him,  and  went  forth 
himself  armed  cap-a-pie,  or  almost  so,  as  he  is 
supposed  to  have  worn  armor  under  his  clothing. 
In  the  summer  of  1868,  he  notified  his  tenants  to 
meet  him  personally  at  Dobbyns'  Hotel  in  Tip- 
perary,  and  there  to  pay  him  the  May  rent. 
Only  four  tenants  responded — the  others  sending 
their  rents  by  deputy.  This  riled  Mr.  Scully 
considerably,  as  the  personal  attendance  was  for 
an  important  purpose — to  obtain  their  signatures 
to  the  lease,  or  in  the  event  of  refusal,  to  serve 
them  with  notice  to  quit.  Mr.  Scully  now  took 
out  ejectment  processes,  which  require  to  be 
served  personally,  or  left  with  some  member  of 
the  tenant's  household  at  the  house.  Despite  all 
expostulation  he  determined  on  "crossing  the 
Rubicon,"  so  to  speak,  and  at  the  head  of  a 
small  army  of  police  and  bailiffs,  set  out  to  serve 
the  notices  on  Tuesday  the  llfch  of  August.  The 
signal  that  the  invading  force  was  approaching 
was  passed  from  house  to  house,  and  every  dwell- 
ing was  quickly  abandoned.  Verj'  soon  an  angry, 
excited-  crowd  had  surrounded  the  Scully  party, 
cursing  and  threatening  the  latter  vehemently. 
By  the  advice  of  the  police  officer  in  command, 
Mr.  Scully  abandoned  the  service  of  the  notices 
for  that  day,  and  retreated  ignominiouslj'  to  his 
hotel  in  Tipperary.  On  the  following  Friday 
Mr.  Scully  and  his  party  set  out  again  on  the 
same  mission,  and  were  equally  unsuccessful  in 
accomplishing  its  object.  The  attitude  of  the 
mob,  increased  in  number,  and  incensed  to  the 
highest  pitch,  menaced  the  life  of  Scully,  and  the 
police  had  much  difficulty  in  guarding  him  on 
his  second  retreat  toward  the  railway  station. 
On  the  way  thither  they  passed  close  by  the 
house  of  one  of  the  tenants,  named  John  Dwyer, 
and  Scully,  undeterred  by  his  recent  experience, 
resolved  on  renewing  the  experiment  at  this 
point.  A  farmyard,  flanked  with  out-offices, 
faced  the  byroad  which  led  to  the  house,  and 
through  this  farmyard,  four  of  the  partj',  viz., 
a  policeman  named  Morrow,  two  of  Scully's 
bailiffs — Gorman  and  Maher,  and  Scully  himself, 
approached  the  door  of  the  house  and  entered. 
Immediately  a  volley  fired  from  within  the 
house,  and  also  from  the  out-offices,  greeted  their 
entrance.  Morrow  and  Gorman  were  shot  dead, 
and  Scully  and  his  bailiff  Maher   were  both 


severely  wounded.  Scully,  undaunted  by  this 
bold  show  of  resistance,  and  unmindful  of  hia 
wounds,  withdrew  a  few  paces  and  fired  with 
his  breech-loader  and  revolver  at  the  house,  and 
the  police  at  the  same  time  poured  a  volley  into 
the  dwelling  and  out-offices;  but  no  response 
came  from  within ;  and  a  search  soon  revealed 
the  fact  that  the  occupants  had  effected  a  retreat 
through  apertures  made  in  the  roofs  of  the 
houses  at  the  rear. 

The  news  of  the  dreadful  affair  at  Ballj'cohey 
spread  rapidly  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  an 
outcry  was  raised  against  Scully,  not  only  in  the 
Irish  but  in  the  English  press,  which  furnished 
the  one  needful  impulse — more  potent  than  any 
amount  of  argument — to  the  passing  of  the  Glad- 
stone Land  Act  of  1870. 


CHAPTER  XCL 

THE  HOME  RULE  MOVEMENT  ITS  DEFECTS  AND  FAILtJBE 

 "obstruction"  A  SUCCESS  THE  LAND  LEAGUE. 

The  Home  Government  Association  .had  its 
origin  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  Bilton  Hotel, 
Dublin,  on  the  evening  of  the  19th  of  May,  1870. 
The  meeting  was  a  private  one,  composed  of 
prominent  professional  and  mercantile  gentlemen 
of  the  metropolis,  and  may  be  said  to  have  been 
made  up  of  the  most  heterogeneous  elements,  as 
it  embraced  men  of  various  creeds  and  of  every 
shade  of  political  opinion — Orangemen,  Ultra- 
montanes.  Conservatives,  Liberals,  Repealers, 
Nationlists,  Fenian  sympathizers  and  sturdy 
Loyalists.  The  one  object,  which  for  the  first 
time,  perhaps,  in  the  history  of  Ireland,  effected, 
at  least,  a  temporary  truce  between  men  of 
divergent  views  and  conflicting  opinions,  was 
the  consideration  of  the  condition  of  their  com- 
mon country,  with  a  view  to  the  amelioration  of 
the  present  state  of  things  therein. 

The  following  names  with  the  religious  persua- 
sion and  political  creed  of  each  person  indicated, 
will  exemplify  the  mixed  character  of  this  meet- 
ing :  the  Rt.  Hon.  Edward  Purdon,  Lord  Mayor 
of  Dublin  (Protestant  and  Conservative) ;  the  ex- 
Lord  Mayor,  Sir  Jolm  Barrington  (Protestant 
and  Conservative) ;  Sir  William  Wilde  (Protes- 
tant and  Conservative,  father  of  the  poet,  Oscar 
Wilde) ;    Rev.    Joseph    Galbraith,    F.  T.  C.  D. 


258 


TITF  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


(Protestant  and  ConservatiTe),  Isaac  Butt,  Q.C. 
(Protestant  and  Nationalist,  John  Martin 
(Protestant  and  Nationalist,  "  '48  man").  Dr. 
Maunsell,  editor  of  the  Evening  Mail  (Protes- 
tant and  Tory) ;  James  O'Connor,  late  of  the 
Iri>ih  People  (Catholic  and  Fenian) ;  Venerable 
Archdeacon  Gould  (Protestant  and  Tory),  A.  M. 
Sullivan  (Catholic  and  Nationalist),  Capt.  E. 
R.  Kiug-Harman  (Protestant  and  Conservative), 
Hon.  Lawrence  Harman  King-Harman  (Protes- 
tant and  Conservative),  and  many  other  leading 
citizens  and  representative  men. 

The  sentiment  of  the  Protestant  section  of  the 
assembly,  as  indicated  by  its  spokesmen,  was, 
that  they  could  no  longer  view  with  equanimity 
the  uncertain  state  of  things  in  the  country,  the 
insecurity  to  property,  and  the  dangers  insepara- 
ble from  periodical  revolutionary  outbreaks  such 
as  had  disturbed  the  country  for  the  past  five 
3'ears;  that  the  experiment  of  an  alien  parliament 
for  L'elaud  had  been  tried  and  found  wanting ; 
and  that  the  time  had  arrived  to  demand  the  res- 
toration of  her  I  ative  parliament  to  legislate  her 
domestic -affairs.  This  proposal,  however,  was 
limited  by  a  distinct  disavowal  of  any  wish  to 
Bever  the  imperial  connection  and  a  profession  of 
unswerving  loyalty  to  the  English  throne. 

Such  a  declaration  coming  from  the  old  "As- 
cendency" party  might  well  be  termed  a  new 
departure,  and  a  wonderful  stride  toward  the 
goal  of  national  aspiration;  and,  uttered  thirty 
years  previously,  and  joined  by  so  powerful  an 
ally,  O'Connell  might  have  carried  Repeal.  The 
objects  of  the  Repeal  movement  and  those  aimed 
at  by  the  speakers  at  the  Bilton  Hotel  meeting 
had,  however,  some  points  of  difference.  The 
popular  idea  of  Repeal  in  O'Connell's  time  was 
the  restoration  of  the  national  i^arliament,  and 
the  old  order  of  things  as  existing  before  the  Act 
of  Union  in  1800,  although  O'Connell,  for  a  wise 
motive,  doubtless,  never  defined  in  detail  the 
Repeal  programme ;  not  so  the  new  organiza- 
tion, as  will  be  seen  from  a  perusal  of  the  reso- 
lutions drawn  up  by  a  committee  appointed  at 
the  meeting  held  at  the  Bilton  Hotel.  They 
were  as  follows : 

1.  This  Association  is  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  for  Ireland  the  right  of  self-govern- 
ment by  means  of  a  national  parliament. 


2.  It  is  hereby  declared  as  the  essential  prin- 
ciple of  this  Association  that  the  objects,  and 
the  only  objects,  contemplated  by  its  organiza- 
tion are : 

To  obtain  for  our  country  the  right  and  privi- 
lege of  managing  our  own  affairs,  by  a  parlia- 
ment assembled  in  Ireland,  composed  of  her 
majesty  the  sovereign,  and  her  successors,  and 
the  lords  and  commons  of  Ireland. 

To  secure  for  that  parliament,  under  a  federal 
arrangement,  the  right  of  legislating  for,  and  reg- 
ulating all  matters  relating  to,  the  internal 
affairs  of  Ireland,  and  control  over  Irish  re- 
soui'ces  and  revenues ;  subject  to  the  obligation 
of  contributing  our  just  proportion  of  the  im- 
perial expenditures. 

To  leave  to  an  imperial  parliament  the  power 
of  dealing  with  all  questions  affecting  the  im- 
perial crown  and  government ;  legislation  regard- 
ing the  colonies  and  other  dependencies  of  the 
crown ;  and  relations  of  the  United  Empire  with 
foreign  states;  and  all  matters  appertaining  to 
the  defense  and  the  stability  of  the  empire  at 
large. 

To  attain  such  an  adjustment  of  the  relations 
between  the  two  countries  without  any  inter- 
ference with  the  prerogatives  of  the  crown  or 
any  disturbance  of  the  principles  of  the  consti- 
tution. 

3.  The  Association  invites  the  co-operation  of 
all  Irishmen  who  are  willing  to  join  in  seeking 
for  Ireland  a  federal  arrangement  based  upon 
these  general  principles. 

4.  The  Association  will  endeavor  to  forward 
the  object  it  has  in  view  by  using  all  legitimate 
means  of  influencing  public  sentiment,  both  in 
Ireland  and  Great  Britain ;  by  taking  all  oppor- 
tunities of  instructing  and  informing  public  opin- 
ion, and  by  seeking  to  unite  Irishmen  of  all 
creeds  and  classes  in  one  national  movement,  in 
support  of  the  great  national  object  hereby 
contemplated. 

5.  It  is  declared  to  be  an  essential  principle 
of  the  Association  that,  while  every  member  is 
understood  by  joining  it  to  concur  in  its  general 
object  and  plan  of  action,  no  person  so  joining 
is  committed  to  any  political  opinion  except  the 
advisability  of  seeking  for  Ireland  the  amount  of 
self-government  contemplated  in  the  objects  of 
the  Association. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


259 


The  most  conspicuous  political  figure  at  this 
".meeting,  perhaps,  was  Isaac  Butt,  who  has  been 
■already  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  politi- 
cal trials,  and  the  Amnesty  Association,  of  which 
he  was  now  the  president.  Mr.  Butt  was  dis- 
tinguished for  legal  learning,  elo(iuence,  and 
sterling  patriotism;  albeit  his  political  bark  had 
been  launched  on  the  waters  under  conservative 
colors;  but  the  changes  of  the  time  had  con- 
verted him  from  the  distorted  dogmas  of  Tory 
bigotry  to  National  principles.  His  voice  was 
all-powerful  on  this  occasion  in  alla.A-ing  disquiet 
in  the  minds  of  many  of  his  co-religionists,  who 
had  come  to  this  meeting  full  of  doubt  and 
apprehension  in  regard  to  the  advisability  of  an 
alliance  with  their  Catholic  fellow-countrymen 
at  such  a  period.  The  Irish  Church  Disestab- 
lishment Act  had  been  but  a  short  time  passed, 
and  this  "leveling  up"  of  the  Catholics,  was 
naturally  enough  viewed  with  no  little  concern 
by  the  Protestant  body,  who,  many  of  them,  in 
•their  blind  ignorance  of  the  real  state  of  feeling 
•on  the  question,  conjured  up  a  vision  of  the 
Catholic  communitj^  exulting  in  triumph  over  a 
fallen  foe.  Mr.  Butt's  words  to  his  co-religion- 
ists were  reassuring:  "Trust  me,  we  have  all 
grievously  wronged  the  Irish  Catholics,  priests 
and  laj'men. " 

The  Home  Rule  movement  at  the  outset  en- 
countered the  opposition  of  the  Catholic  bishops, 
whose  hopes  in  regard  to  their  favorite  scheme 
of  denominational  education  were  considerably 
encouraged  by  the  concession — if  such  it  can  be 
called —  of  disestablishment  of  the  Protestant 
Church,  and  who  regarded  the  promoters  of  the 
new  movement  as  unreasonable  in  pursuing  what 
they  deemed  to  be  a  premature  policy. 

A  by-election  for  the  county  Meath,  which 
occurred  in  1871,  was  the  first  test  of  the  popu- 
lar will  in  its  pronouncement  on  the  new  polic3^ 
John  Martin,  of  "  '48"  fame,  and  a  Presbyter- 
ian, was  the  Home  Rule  candidate  chosen  against 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Pluukett,  a  Catholic,  and  brother 
of  Lord  Fingall,  a  nobleman  warmly  esteemed  in 
the  county.  Notwithstanding  that  Mr.  Plunkett 
had  the  support  of  the  clergy,  and  the  advantage 
of  family  influence,  he  suffered  a  crushing  de- 
feat, Mr.  Martin  polling  double  the  number  of 
his  votes.  This  was  followed  by  a  succession  of 
-Home     Rule    victories.      Mitchell-Henry  was 


elected  for  Galway ;  P.  J.  Smyth  for  Westmeath ; 
Isaac  Butt,  the  Home  Rule  president,  for  Limer- 
ick ;  and  lastly,  young  Blennerhassett,  for  Kerry, 
the  last,  perhaps,  the  greatest  victory;  as  the 
landlord  power  of  that  county  was  most  formida- 
ble, and  put  forth  all  its  resources  for  the  strug- 
gle, but  went  down  in  the  dust. 

In  October,  1873,  the  council  of  the  Home 
Rule  Association  decided  on  summoning  a 
National  conference  to  consider  and  debate  the 
question  of  Home  Rule.  A  requisition,  signed 
with  the  names  of  twenty-five  thousand  men  of 
position  and  mark,  was  circulated  thoughout  the 
country.  The  conference  met  in  the  great  hall 
of  the  Rotunda,  Dublin,  on  the  18th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1873.  The  attendance  was  large  and  the 
representation  complete,  as  it  comprised  about 
nine  hundred  delegates  from  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom,  made  up  of  men  of  various  religious 
denominations,  and  of  every  political  shade. 
Mr.  William  Shaw,  M.P.  for  Cork  county,  pre- 
sided. The  conference  lasted  four  days,  and  the 
proceedings  were  conducted  in  the  most  digni- 
fied and  hai'monious  manner. 

The  principles  of  the  Home  Government  Asso- 
ciation were  fully  confirmed  by  this  National 
conference,  and  the  Association  being  then  dis- 
solved, a  new  organization,  "The  Irish  Home 
Rule  League, "was  established  to  control  and 
direct  the  new  movement. 

In  January,  1874,  Mr.  Gladstone  dissolved 
parliament  quite  unexpectedly.  A  general  elec- 
tion followed,  and  now  the  new  organization 
found  its  opportunity.  The  effect  of  the  confer- 
ence had  been  undoubtedly  good,  as  it  set  the 
seal  of  national  approval  on  the  movement,  and 
the  electors  showed  their  faith  in  the  national 
leaders,  for  they  rallied  to  the  hustings  under 
the  Home  Rule  banner,  and  the  result  was  a  re- 
turn of  sixtj'  Home  Rule  members  to  the  House 
of  Commons,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Butt. 

The  party  decided  on  pursuing  the  policy  of 
persistent  agitation  in  parliament  for  moderate 
concessions,  and  the  securing  of  at  least  one 
annual  debate  on  the  question  of  Home  Govern- 
ment for  Ireland.  It  may  be  said,  in  a  word, 
that  for  some  years  no  concession  of  any  conse- 
quence was  obtained  from  the  Tory  ministrj^  in 
power,  and  no  advance  toward  the  goal  of  Home 
Government  could  be  noted. 


200 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


MeanTvbile,  there  returned  au  illustrious  exile, 
John  Mitchell,  to  the  laud  of  his  birth,  after  an 
absence  of  sixteen  years.  His  visit,  for  such 
merely  it  was,  was  due  to  a  cause  which  hereto- 
fore would  seem  to  be  the  last  inducement  that 
■would  prompt  his  return.  Some  of  his  friends 
in  the  National  party  conceived  the  novel  idea  of 
administering  a  merited  rebuke  to  the  British 
government,  which  had  banished  men  of  ability 
such  as  Mitchell,  by  having  him  nominated  and 
elected  to  a  seat  in  parliament.  Accordingly  he 
was  nominated  for  Cork  City,  and  also  for  Tip- 
perary  County,  Avithout  being  apprised  of  the 
fact.  His  well-known  scepticism  in  moral  force, 
made  it  doubtful  whether  he  would  accept  the 
honor  were  it  tendered  him,  and  made  the  peo- 
ple uncertain  how  to  act  under  the  circumstances, 
and  to  this  cause  was  due  his  defeat. 

His  arrival  in  Queenstown  on  the  25th  of  July, 
1874,  was  unexpected,  but  when  he  reached  Cork 
a  procession  of  ten  thousand  people  escorted  him 
to  his  hotel.  Then  he  repaired  to  Newry,  his 
native  town,  where  he  sojourned  for  a  few  months 
to  recruit  his  health,  and  await  the  opportunity 
•of  being  elected  to  parliament  if  .  a  vacancy 
-occurred.  This  did  not  happen,  however,  and 
Mitchell  returned  to  New  York  in  October.  A 
few  months  later,  February,  1875,  a  vacancy 
occurred  again  for  Tipperary,  and  John  Mitchell 
was  set  up  as  the  popular  candidate.  He  sailed 
from  America  forthwith,  and  landed  in  Ireland 
on  the  16th  of  February.  The  day  before,  he 
had  been  elected  without  opposition,  but  his 
election,  as  everj'  one  foresaw,  was  unavailing. 
On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Disraeli,  the  House  of 
Commons,  by  a  large  majority,  pronounced  him 
ineligible.  John  Mitchell  survived  this,  which 
was  to  be  his  last  struggle  for  the  land  he  had 
loved,  but  a  short  while.  He  died  at  Dromolane 
in  the  house  where  he  was  born,  on  the  morning 
of  March  20,  1875. 

Setting  out  on  its  career  with  the  purpose  of 
agitating  in  parliament  for  minor  reforms  bene- 
ficial to  Ireland,  and  an  annual  motion  in  favor 
of  Home  Government,  so  as  to  pave  the  way  to 
the  accomplishment  of  the  latter,  and  having  no 
"well-defined  plan  of  pursuing  its  objects  to  their 
attainment,  save  by  ob.solete  methods,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Home  Rule  party 
disappointed  the  hopes  of  its  supporters,  and 


earned  the  contempt  of  the  British  assembly. 
Mr.  Butt,  notwithstanding  his  known  ability- 
and  his  undoubted  sincerity  in  the  cause  he  had 
espoused,  showed  no  originality  in  party  manage- 
ment. His  early  training  and  conservative  predi- 
lections, inclined  him  to  pursue  his  policy  in 
a  deferential  manner,  careful  not  to  offend  the 
susceptibilities  of  English  ministers  by  taking  a 
bold  stand,  or  assuming  a  menacing  attitude  on 
behalf  of  an  oppressed  people;  but  believing  in. 
the  potency  of  calm,  unanswerable  argument, 
and  persistent  pleading  of  his  country's  cause, 
he  designed  to  bring  the  English  people  to  a 
better  mind  on  the  Irish  question,  and  to  awaken 
that  mythical  adjunct — the  conscience  of  the 
British  ministry!  He  must  have  overlooked  th& 
fact  that  seldom  was  even  a  brief  hearing  vouch- 
safed to  an  Irish  question,  and  the  shelving  and. 
procrastinating  process  was  almost  invariably 
the  fate  of  such  bills  as  were  debated.  An  inde- 
pendent, uncompromising  attitude,  and  the  pres- 
ervation of  its  individuality  as  a  distinct  body, 
were  necessary  to  the  status  of  the  Home  Rule 
party ;  but  when  division  between  its  leaders, 
showed  itself,  and  defection  from  its  ranks  was. 
followed  by  recrimination  and  disunion  among 
its  members,  to  the  delight  of  the  hostile  English 
majority,  its  fate  was  wellnigh  foredoomed.  An 
accession  to  its  ranks,  however,  saved  it  from 
total  disruption  in  the  person  of  Charles  Stewart 
Parnell,  who  had  been  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy 
for  the  county  Meath,  occasioned  by  the  death  of 
John  Martin.  Mr.  Parnell 's  fame  is  world-wide, 
and  his  character  well  known.  His  most  salient 
traits  are  courage,  coolness  of  temper  and  clear- 
ness of  aim ;  and  that  crowning  condition  of" 
success — perseverance  in  pursuit  of  his  political 
ends  through  all  difficulties,  and  despite  every 
form  of  opposition.  Mr.  Parnell  has  been 
accredited  with  inventing  the  "Obstruction 
tactics,  which  so  exasperated  the  British  minis- 
ters during  the  sessions  of  1877-78,  and  drove  the- 
Commons  almost  to  despair  in  their  efforts  to 
shake  off  this  brake  which,  by  the  temerity  of 
one  man,  had  been  imposed  on  the  legislative 
chariot  wheels.  The  idea  of  obstruction,  how- 
ever, is  said  to  have  originated  with  the  late  Mr. 
Joseph  Ronayne,  formerly  member  for  the  city 
of  Cork — "honest  Joe  Ronayne,"  as  his  col- 
leagues  were   wont   to   speak   of   him.  Mr.. 


COPYRIGHT.  1598. 


JOHN  MITCHELL. 


MURPHY  &  MCCARTHY. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


261 


Konayne's  suggestion  to  the  Irish  members  -was 
in  these  words : 

"You  will  never  get  them  to  listen  to  you 
until  you  begin  to  take  as  active  an  interest  in 
English  affairs  as  they  take  in  Irish  ones.  I  am 
too  old  to  have  the  necessary  energy  for  the 
work.  Why  don't  some  of  you  young  fellows 
try  it?" 

Mr.  Parnell  is  said  to  have  pondered  frequently 
on  these  words,  and  be  that  as  it  may,  he  was 
the  first  to  put  the  theory  in  practice.  This  he 
did  with  good  effect  on  the  English  Prisons  Bill, 
which  he  succeeded  in  having  amended  to  his 
desires,  and  afterward  insisted  that  the  Irish 
Prisons  Bill  which  followed,  should  be  on  the 
same  model. 

"Obstruction" — of  which  a  very  fair  sample 
was  shown  at  the  opening  0/  the  session  of  1876 
— may  be  described  as  an  availing  of  the  privi- 
leges of  the  House  with  a  vengeance — that  is  to 
say,  for  the  purpose  of  delaying,  rather  than  of 
expediting,  business.  Let  it  be  understood, 
however,  that  Mr.  Parnell  and  his  confreres  had 
ample  cause  for  adopting  a  retaliatory  course 
toward  the  framers  of  the  "half-past  twelve  rule, " 
as  it  was  called.  This  rule  was  evidently  made 
for  the  thwarting  and  indefinite  postponement  of 
Irish  bills,  and  the  fact  that  it  came  into  use 
simultaneously  with  the  appearance  of  the  Irish 
members  united  as  a  party,  showed  what  it  was 
intended  for.  It  ordered  that  no  bill,  to  which 
previous  notice  of  objection  or  amendment  had 
been  offered,  could  be  advanced  a  stage  after 
half-past  twelve  at  night.  Notice  of  opposition 
■was,  of  course,  given  to  every  Irish  measure, 
while  other  bills  were  left  unchallenged. 

At  the  commencement  of  each  session,  the 
Commons  elect  members  to  sit  on  the  various 
committees  having  duties  to  discharge  in  connec- 
tion with  the  business  of  the  House.  Hitherto, 
a  list  of  members  for  each  committee,  taken  im- 
partially from  the  Liberal  and  Tory  parties,  was 
usually  agreed  on  by  their  respective  leaders. 
The  appearance  of  a  third  partj- — the  Home 
Rulers — disturbed  this  arrangement;  but  that 
difficulty  was  easily  settled  by  ignoring  them 
altogether.  Now  it  occurred  to  Mr.  Parnell  and 
his  co-workers  that  they  would  resent  this  un- 
fair proceeding  by  challenging  every  name  on 
the  committees.    Such  a  thing  as  taking  a  divi- 


sion on  any  name  proposed  had  never  been  heard 
of.  There  were  but  six  Irish  members  in  the 
House,  but  they  determined  to  fight  out  the 
matter  resolutely.  And  they  did.  Every  nam& 
was  challenged,  and  a  division  taken  on  it,  which 
necessitates  the  adjournment  of  both  parties — 
the  "ayes"  and  the  "noes" — to  the  lobbies, 
there  to  be  counted  by  their  respective  tellers, 
and  a  return  to  the  House.  In  this  w-ay  a  whole 
night  was  consumed  to  the  infinite  chagrin  and 
humiliation  of  the  British  majority,  and  the 
secret  joy  of  Parnell,  the  Leonidas  of  this  Ther- 
mopylae. Victory  was  with  the  faithful  band, 
for  the  majority  had  to  give  in,  and  exclusion 
from  committees  was  no  moi'e  thought  of.  Mr. 
Parnell,  always  and  ably  supported  by  Mr.. 
Biggar,  member  for  Cavan,  Mr.  O'Donnell,  Mr. 
O'Connor  Power,  and  sometimes  others,  pursued 
the  obstructive  policy  throughout  the  parliamen- 
tary sessions  of  1877  and  1878. 

The  obstruction  consisted  of  giving  notice  of 
numerous  amendments  to  a  bill,  which,  when  it. 
came  up  for  hearing,  was  thereby  delayed  in  its 
passage,  and  an  enormous  amount  of  time  spent 
in  considering  side  issues  raised  by  the  Obstruc- 
tionists, and  which  they  claimed  their  right  of 
speaking  on.  Many  important  changes  in  the 
Prisons  Bill,  the  Mutiny  Bill  and  others,  are: 
due  to  the  activity  of  the  Obstructionists. 
Motions  that  "the  chairman  leave  the  chair," 
and  "the  chairman  do  report  progress" — all  in 
order — were  also  quite  frequent. 

At  the  outset  of  his  parliamentary  career,  Mr. 
Parnell  did  not  at  -  once  develop  his  untried 
powers  as  a  speaker;  but  made  the  Rules  and 
cumbrous  procedure  of  the  House  his  special 
study :  and  his  mastery  of  these  technicalities, 
proved  most  useful  when,  after  awhile,  his  novel 
tactics  were  put  in  practice.  Mr.  Parnell  found 
able  supporters  of  his  methods  in  Messrs.  Biggar,, 
Frank  Hugh  O'Donnell,  and  O'Connor  Power. 
Mr.  Parnell  and  Mr.  Biggar  presented  a  striking^ 
contrast,  both  in  appearance  and  manner.  The 
former  of  tall,  slight,  erect  figure,  and  handsome 
features ;  his  manner,  calm  and  collected ;  an 
innate  self-control  seeming  to  subdue  any  hasty 
impulse  prompted  by  exciting  episodes  of  de- 
bate ;  his  voice  clear  and  distinct ;  and  his  dic- 
tion evincing  a  train  of  ideas  marshaled  on  the 
subject,  and  a  store  of  facts  ready  for  the  occa- 


-262 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


sion.  His  early  training  and  education  in  Eng- 
land gave  him  the  advantage  of  knowing  that  a 
cool,  dignified  demeanor,  a  perfect  sang  froid, 
even  under  provocation,  "would  be  as  a  bag  of 
wool  to  a  bullet  in  the  conflict  which  he  foresaw 
his  policy  would  provoke.  The  impending  on- 
slaught he  never  dreaded ;  it  would  strike,  but 
not  annihilate  him.  Mr.  Biggar,  in  person  and 
Yoice,  had  no  attractiveness  for  the  assembly 
beyond  the  palpable  fact  of  abundant  obtrusive- 
ness.  In  the  e^-es  of  the  English  majority,  he 
was  an  ogre,  an  Old  Man  of  the  Sea  sitting  on 
the  senatorial  Sindbad,  and  refusing  to  be 
shaken  off.  He  is  ill-shapen  through  a  personal 
■deformity,  and  his  voice,  flavored  with  the  broad 
Scotch  accent  that  prevails  in  the  North  of  Ire- 
land, had  no  music  for  the  English  ear.  Mr. 
O'Donnell  is  reputed  to  be  a  man  of  varied 
accomplishments,  and  had  a  previous  experience 
which  eminently  qualified  him  to  enter  the  lists 
as  an  Obstructive.  He  had  graduated  in  the 
•Queen's  College,  Galway,  and  becoming  im- 
pressed with  the  evils  of  the  mixed  system,  set 
himself  to  cry  it  down  on  every  occasion.  He 
attended  the  annual  convocation  of  the  Queen's 
Colleges  every  year,  and  denounced  the  system 
publicly,  undeterred  by  the  taunts  ,  and  rebuffs 
of  its  supporters.  To  silence  and  squelch  this 
small  but  invincible  baud,  "the  first  assembly  of 
gientlemen  in  the  world" — as  it  has  been  mis- 
called— lost  all  self-respect  and  forfeited  their 
claim  to  good  breeding  by  the  methods  they 
resorted  to.  The  vulgar  groaning,  jeering,  and 
hooting,  were  supplemented  by  imitations  of  the 
rooster  and  of  the  scream  of  the  locomotive. 
The  cry  of  obstruction  was  raised  both  within 
and  without  the  House.  Efforts  were  made  to 
trip  up  the  Obstructionists  by  calling  them  to 
order  for  words  they  never  uttered.  This  was 
nobtably  the  case  Svhen  Sir  Stafford  Northcote 
ordered  some  words  of  Mr.  Parnell  to  be  taken 
down  during  the  debate  on  the  South  African 
Confederation  Bill,  and  moved '  his  suspension 
which  was  voted.  This  proved  merely  tempo- 
rary, however,  for  there  was  nothing  in  his  speech 
to  warrant  such  a  penalty ;  and  it  became  more 
evident  every  da.y  that  unpleasant  as  obstruc- 
tion was  to  the  House — though  the  "galled  jade 
might  wince" — it  had  to  be  borne.  London 
and  provincial  editors  were  in  a  white  heat,  and 


wrote  down  Parnell  and  his  followers  as  incen- 
diaries, and  said  "something  should  be  done," 
but  could  by  no  means  tell  what  to  do.  To  cur- 
tail the  privileges  of  the  House  was  so  danger- 
ous an  experiment  that  the  Commons,  though  it 
chafed  and  foamed  in  impotent  rage,  paused 
before  trying  it. 

Mr.  Parnell  and  his  supporters,  however,  went 
on  their  way  undismayed,  and  he  had  the  satis- 
faction to  make  good  his  threat  for  which  he  had 
been  called  to  order  that  "by  determined  action 
thej'  (the  Irish  members)  would  force  the  House 
to  treat  Irish  questions  properly."  On  the  Irish 
Judicature  Bill  and  the  County  Courts  Bill,  im- 
portant amendments  were  carried  by  the  Irish 
party ;  beside  effecting  improvements  in  the 
Local  Government  Board,  and  having  the  Phoenix 
Park  police  outrage  thoroughly  sifted,  the  Army 
Discipline  Act  and  the  Factories  Act,  also  owe 
their  best  provisions  to  the  indefatigable  Ob- 
structionists. Mr.  Butt,  it  is  to  be  regi'etted, 
was  behind  the  time  in  failing  to  understand  the 
tactics  of  the  only  fighting  battalion  of  his  party, 
and  committed  the  unpardonable  blunder  of  cen- 
suring them  publicly  in  the  House,  which  must 
ever  be  a  blot  on  his  otherwise  clear  record. 
Mr.  Butt's  death  occurred  in  1879,  and  Mr. 
Shaw,  M.P.,  for  Cork,  succeeded  him  as  Leader 
of  the  Home  Rule  party. 

A  monster  meeting — memorable  as  the  in- 
auguration of  what  subsequently  developed  into 
a  gigantic  movement — was  held  on  a  plain  a  few 
miles  from  Claremorris,  in  the  County  Mayo,  on 
Sunday,  April  20,  1879.  It  was  estimated  that 
there  were  present  from  fifteen  to  twenty  thou- 
sand people,  and  it  included  nearlj'  all  the 
farmers  of  the  counties  Mayo,  Galwaj',  and 
Roscommon.  Five  hundi'ed  horsemen  wearing 
green  emblems  formed  a  conspicuous  cavalcade 
at  this  concourse.  The  land  and  rent  questions 
were  discussed  by  the  speakers,  chief  among 
whom  were  O'Connor  Power,  M.P.,  John  Fergu- 
son, of  Glasgow,  and  Mr.  Landen,  Barrister,  of 
Westport.  At  this  time,  it  should  be  borne  in 
mind,  three  bad  harvests  in  succession  had  told 
with  dire  effect  on  the  farmers,  and  their  distress 
was  becoming  extreme ;  the  wolf  of  hunger  w'as 
at  their  doors,  and  that  sword  of  Damocles — the 
ejectment  writ — hung  over  their  heads.  At  this 
meeting  some  novel   opinions  were  expressed. 


JUSTIN  McCarthy. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


263 


■and  a  few  strong  resolutions  taken — the  novel 
doctrine  being  but  the  echo  of  what  had  been 
quite  recently  expounded  in  the  United  States 
by  a  very  remarkable  man — Michael  Davitt, 
Tvhose  name,  let  me  add,  will  go  down  in  history 
Tvith  that  of  Hofer  and  Kossuth  and  "William 
Tell ;  for  his  record  is  a  paradigm  of  true  patriot- 
ism, and  the  voluntary  sacrifice  of  his  liberty, 
in  his  country's  cause,  not  once  but  often,  as 
great,  almost,  as  that  of  the  noble  Roman  leap- 
ing into  the  gulf  to  save  the  city.  It  was  at  his 
instance  this  meeting  was  held;  but  through  the 
accident  of  missing  a  train,  he  was  not  present. 

Michael  Davitt  was  a  native  of  a  spot  close  to 
where  this  meeting  was  held.  The  earliest  im- 
pression indelibly  stamped  on  his  memory  by 
the  sorrowful  circumstances  that  attended  it,  was 
the  eviction  of  himself  and  his  family  from  their 
home.  They  emigrated  to  England,  where  in 
time  Michael  went  to  work  in  a  factory,  and, 
unfortunately,  lost  his  arm  by  an  accident. 
Exile  and  lapse  of  time  did  not  efface  the  recol- 
lection of  that  sorrowful  scene,  where  he  and  his 
kindred  were  flung  out  on  the  roadside;  on  the 
contrary,  the  condition  of  the  working  classes  in 
England,  which  contrasted  so  favorablj'  with 
that  of  his  own  poor  countrymen,  impressed  him 
more  and  more  that  the  legalized  oppression 
which  executed  this  wickedness  in  broad  day, 
invited  universal  execration,  and  called  to 
Heaven  for  vengeance  on  its  perpetrators.  Like 
Hannibal,  but  mentally,  he  registered  a  vow  on 
his  country's  altar  to  devote  his  life  and  talents 
to  overturn  the  oppressive  system,  and  crush  the 
malignant  power  of  Landlordism. 

For  his  part  in  the  Fenian  conspiracy  he  was 
tried  and  sentenced  to  fifteen  years'  penal  servi- 
tude, of  which  he  served  eight  j'ears.  Imme- 
diately on  his  release  he  went  to  America,  and, 
as  before  mentioned,  promulgated  the  doctrine 
of  "The  land  for  the  people."  Returning  to 
Ireland,  he  caused  the  above-named  meeting  at 
Irishtown  to  be  convened  by  circular.  This  was 
the  first  of  its  kind.  It  was  followed  by  others 
■ — nearly  all  as  large — in  every  part  of  the  coun- 
try'. As  the  summer  advanced,  the  distress  in 
the  Western  counties  increased.  Mr.  Parnell 
and  his  colleagues  repeatedly  stated  the  fact  in 
the  House  of  Commons,  and  invited  government 
.aid,  but  the  premier  of  the  day — the  dilettante 


Disraeli — was  as  the  deaf  adder  to  the  tale  of 
Irish  distress.  Mr.  Parnell  then  went  to  Ireland, 
and  entered  heartily  into  the  Land  agitation. 
He  told  the  tenant  farmers  at  a  meeting  in  West- 
port  to  "keep  a  grip  of  their  holdings,"  and 
this  dictum,  to  their  credit,  they  obeyed ;  and  it 
proved  the  great  distinguishing  belligerent 
feature  of  this  movement;  it  was  no  longer 
words,  but  a  brave  defense  of  their  homes  and 
little  property  against  landlord  rapacity.  In 
October  the  Land  League  was  regularly  organ- 
ized in  Dublin,  Avith  Mr.  Parnell  as  President; 
Thomas  Brennan,  Secretary;  and  Patrick  Egan, 
Treasurer.  Michael  Davitt  and  others  went 
through  the  country  and  organized  local  Land 
League  clubs  in  all  the  towns  of  any  note,  and 
ere  the  end  of  the  year,  the  Land  League  in 
strength  of  numbers  and  effective  force  for  a 
determined  struggle,  surpassed  any  movement 
hitherto  attempted  in  the  country.  The  extreme 
poverty  of  the  Western  farmers  excited  universal 
sympathy.  Two  relief  committees,  one  under 
charge  of  the  Lady-Lieutenant,  the  Duchess  of 
Marlboro,  the  other  presided  over  by  the  Lord 
Mayor,  sat  in  Dublin  to  collect  and  distribute 
relief.  Mr.  Parnell  and  Mr.  John  Dillon,  went 
on  their  memorable  mission  of  charity  to  the 
United  States  in  December,  where  a  large  sum 
Avas  raised  for  the  suffering  people.  The  New 
York  Herald,  on  this  occasion  did  noble  work  by 
opening  a  relief  fund  in  its  columns,  which  it 
headed  with  the  magnificent  sum  of  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  Irish  World,  also,  for  its 
unceasing  efforts  on  behalf  of  the  famine-stricken 
people,  and  the  immense  sums  of  monej''  it  was 
instrumental  in  raising  at  that  period  and  every 
week  during  the  existence  of  the  Land  League, 
has  merited  the  undying  gratitude  of  the  Irish 
race.  The  United  States  Government  gave  a 
warship  —  the  Constitution — to  bring  over  the 
supplies  of  provisions  collected  in  the  States  for 
the  same  charitable  object. 

Toward  the  end  of  1879,  Lord  Beaconsfield 
(Mr.  Disraeli  having  been  raised  to  the  peerage 
with  this  title)  and  his  cabinet  got  ousted  from 
office  by  a  combination  of  adverse  circumstances. 
In  April,  1880,  a  general  election  was  held  and 
the  Liberals  returned  to  power,  with  Mr.  Glad- 
stone at  the  helm.  The  new  ministry  attempted 
to  stem  the  torrent  of  agitation  in  Ireland,  which 


264 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


had  then  reached  high  water,  by  introducing 
one  of  those  half-hearted  measures  called  ihe 
Disturbance  Bill ;  but  that  sleepy  institution,  the 
House  of  Lords,  when  it  went  up  for  their  con- 
sideration, saw,  perhaps,  something  in  its  provi- 
sions to  disturb  their  normal  somnolence,  and 
vetoed  it  instantlj-.  The  Land  League  may  be 
said  to  have  been  in  the  zenith  of  its  power  at 
this  period.  In  membership  it  counted  by  mill- 
ions, and  its  treasurj'  was  continuallj^  replen- 
ished by  large  sums  transmitted  by  the  treasurer 
of  the  American  wing  of  the  organization, 
the  late  Rev.  Lawrence  Walsh,  of  Waterbury, 
Conn.,  and  also  by  the  Irish  TForW,  of  NeT 
York,  as  well  as  by  money  raised  in  Ireland. 
The  numeroias  open-air  meetings  held  every 
week  chiefly  on  Sundays — were  not  surpassed  in 
point  of  numbers  by  those  of  the  Repeal  or 
Tithe  agitations,  and  of  the  intelligence  and 
earnestness  of  those  who  attended  them,  daily 
proof  was  afforded  by  the  bold,  unj'ielding  oppo- 
sition offered  on  almost  every  occasion  to  the 
executive  of  that  loving  legal  instrument,  the 
ejectment  writ.  The  advent  of  the  sheriff  and 
his  posse  of  "peelers"  in  the  neighborhood  was 
heralded  by  the  ringing  of  the  local  chapel  bell, 
and  as  at  the  whistle  of  Roderick  Dhu  all  his 
clansmen  sprang  from  the  heather,  so  in  a  twink- 
ling all  the  "boys" — some  of  them  of  the  mature 
age  of  sixty  or  seventy — and  the  dear  girls 
swarmed  to  the  rescue.  And  a  rescue  it  very 
often  proved,  when  it  happened  to  be  a  seizure 
for  rent.  On  such  occasions,  usually  after  the 
seizure  had  been  effected,  the  crowd  surrounded 
the  bailiffs  and  police,  badgered  and  worried 
them,  drove  the  confiscated  cow  in  one  direction, 
and  the  sacrificial  pigs  in  another,  and  crippled 
the  well-meant  efforts  of  the  rent-raising  expedi- 
tion. It  was  at  this  period  that  the  gentle  Mr. 
Boycott,  came  into  public  notice,  and  earned  for 
himself  immortality  in  the  next  edition  of  Web- 
ster's Dictionary.  His  crime  was  not  an  uncom- 
mon one — the  taking  of  an  evicted  tenant's  farm 
— but  he  had  other  bad  points,  and  his  reputa- 
tion was  altogether  unsavory.  The  punishment 
meted  out  to  him  was  the  same  as  dealt  to  others, 
but  in  an  aggravated  form.  "Boycotting,"  as 
it  came  to  be  called,  was  ostracism  and  worse : 
it  was  to  be  shunned  by  one's  species,  even  as 
the  rooks  take  wing  at  the  sight  of  the  scare- 


crow. At  this  time,  also,  the  English  press, 
quite  alarmed  at  the  boldness  and  progress  of 
the  Land  League,  got  up  among  them  the  *'out- 
rage"  mill,  for  the  manufacture  of  hideous  tales 
of  midnight  barbarities  by  Irish  peasants,  of 
the  cutting  off  of  cows'  tails  and  men's  ears;  and 
these,  in  most  cases,  were  afterward  shown  to 
have  been  cut  out  of  whole  cloth.  The  follow- 
ing gentlemen  were  indicted  in  October,  1880, 
for  inciting  the  tenant  farmers  to  pay  no  rent 
Messrs.  Parnell,  Dillon,  Breunan,  Egan,  Boyton. 
and  some  others.  A  Dublin  jury  were  manly 
enough  on  this  occasion  to  do  the  right  thing — 
they  disagreed  and  the  prosecution  was  dropped. 

Early  in  the  parliamentary  session  of  1881,. 
Mr.  Gladstone,  hounded  on  by  the  "outrage 
mill"  wing  of  the  press,  and  his  half  frightened 
followers,  who  began  to  appreciate  the  Land 
League  as  a  formidable  organization,  introduced 
the  Coercion  Bill,  and  in  doing  so,  held  out  the 
promise  of  a  Land  Reform  measure  to  follow. 
The  Coercion  Act  was  passed,  but  not  until  it 
encountered  all  the  obstructive  tactics  of  the 
Irish  party,  and  after  the  determined  resistance 
offered  to  its  passage  had  been  protracted  for  a 
whole  month.  The  Coercion  Act  was  followed 
by  the  enactment  of  a  set  of  stringent  rules — 
substantially  a  Coercion  Act  also — for  the  House 
of  Commons  itself.  This  penal  code  was,  of 
course,  framed  for  the  extinguishment  of  the 
obnoxious  party  in  the  House — a  muzzle  for  the 
Obstruction  dog,  and  a  clipping  of  the  wings  of 
the  Irish  oratorical  bird. 

On  the  7th  of  April,  1881,  Mr.  Gladstone  in- 
troduced his  Irish  Land  Bill,  which  became  law 
on  the  22d  of  August  following.  The  main 
feature  of  the  bill  was  the  establishment  of  Land 
courts  throughout  the  country  to  arbitrate  be- 
tween landlords  and  tenants,  and  with  power  to 
adjudicate  a  scale  of  fair  rents  in  all  cases  where 
lands  were  held  by  tenants-at-will.  It  also 
offered  facilities  for  the  tenant  to  become  the 
owner  of  his  holding — the  partial  creation  of  a 
peasant-proprietarj' — by  a  government  loan  of  a 
proportion  of  the  purchase  money  to  be  advanced 
under  certain  conditions.  Though  this  bill  was. 
a  wonderful  advance  on  Mr.  Gladstone's  first 
concession  in  this  direction  in  1870,  yet  it  had 
some  very  serious  defects  rendering  it  almost 
practically  useless  to  the  majority  of  tenants  wha 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


265 


■were  in  arrear  for  rent — in  many  cases  for  two 
or  three  years'  rent. 

This  condition  of  the  tenant  made  him  invalid 
in  law  and  put  him  out  of  court.  An  equally 
grave  defect  of  the  bill  was  the  omission — in- 
tentional or  otherwise — to  offer  any  opposition 
to  the  eviction  crusade  which  was  daily  devas- 
tating the  country  and  depopulating  whole  dis- 
tricts. Taken  on  the  whole,  however — granting 
that  its  beneficial  provisions  could  be  availed 
•of — it  was  such  a  boon  as  a  British  ministry 
never  hitherto  dreamed  of  bestowing  on  Ireland ; 
but  not  to  them,  save  to  the  able  and  humane 
statesman  at  the  head  of  the  cabinet,  Mi'.  Glad- 
stone, is  the  merit  of  this  measure  due. 

The  Land  Bill  was  won  by  the  Land  League. 
The  goal  they  had  struggled  to  reach,  lay  a  long- 
way  ahead  of  it,  perhaps ;  but  beyond  this  point, 
ihe  Leaguers  made  no  perceptible  advance,  and 
in  a  retrospect  of  their  long  struggle  they  can 
point  with  pride  to  this  achievement  as  a  signal 
■triumph. 


CHAPTER  XCII. 

THE  VISIONS  AT  KNOCK  THE  LAND    LEAGUE  PEOCLAIMED 

 AEREST    OF    THE     LEADERS  THE     "nO  RENt" 

MANIFESTO  THE      ARREARS       ACT  THE  PHCENIX 

PARK   TRAGEDY  SHOOTING    OF    JAMES   CAREY  AND 

TRIAL  OP  o'dONNELL  THE  NATIONAL  LEAGUE. 

There  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  in  the  fact 
that  a  wild,  desolate  region  of  the  remote,  un- 
flourishing  county  of  Mayo,  should,  in  the  same 
year,  become  the  scene  of  the  inauguration  of 
a  mighty  political  movement  that  shook  the 
-social  foundations  to  their  center,  namely  the 
Land  League,  and  also  of  a  supernatural  appari- 
tion the  most  wonderful.  The  visions  at  Knock 
have  a  celebrity  as  wide,  and  wei-e  of  a  character 
^s  mysterious,  as  those  of  the  Grotto  of  Lourdes, 
•or  of  any  others  on  record. 

From  a  little  book  entitled,  "The  Apparition 
^t  Knock,"  iiublished  at  Limerick  in  the  year 
1880,  I  subjoin  a  description  of  Knock  Church 
and  its  surroundings : 

"We  at  length  reached  our  destination  at 
-Knock,  and  recognized  the  parish  church  from 
what  we  had  previously  heard  of  it,  though  we 
were  not  prepared  to  see  that  it  is  really  the 
jhandsome,    well-proportioned   building   it  is. 


Viewing  it  as  we  approach,  its  cruciform  shape, 
and  handsome,  square  bell-tower,  with  corners 
crocketed  and  pinnacled,  and  a  cross  rising  from 
the  apex  of  the  roof,  displays  much  good  taste 
in  its  architectural  features,  not,  indeed,  to  be 
expected  in  these  remote  Mayo  hills.  The  tower 
is  sixty  feet  high,  and  is  furnished  with  a  full- 
toned,  sonorous  bell,  which  may  be  heard  a  great 
distance  as  it  calls  the  people  to  mass.  In  the 
tower  there  is  an  aperture  inside  which  opens 
into  the  church,  and  which  forms  a  place  for  a 
vocal  choir  with  which  the  services  are  supplied. 
The  height  of  the  church  is  thirty  feet  to  the  top 
of  the  gable,  and  about  twentj'-four  feet  wide. 
The  gable  is  topped  with  a  plain  cross  of  large 
proportions.  It  was  on  the  face  of  the  gable- 
wall  the  apparition  was  seen  on  the  21st  of 
August,  1879.  The  interior  of  the  church  is 
rather  bare ;  small  stations  of  the  cross ;  no 
benches,  except  a  few  private  pews ;  one  confes- 
sional, and  over  the  altar  a  not-very-well-done 
painting  of  the  Crucifixion.  The  floor  is  of 
cement,  but  is  now  all  cut  up  and  pitted  into 
holes,  the  people  carrying  away  the  cement, 
which  renders  it  impossible  to  keep  one's  foot  on 
it.  The  altar  is  a  plain  one — the  facade  sup- 
ported by  two  plain  pillars  at  either  side ;  and  a 
stained-glass  window  above,  which  is  inserted  in 
the  gable.  "Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo,"  is  the 
legend  over  the  altar.  A  lamp  always  burns  be- 
fore the  tabernacle,  in  which  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment is  constantly  preserved  for  the  adoration  of 
the  faithful.  The  writer  proceeds  to  narrate  the 
account  of  the  apparition  as  related  to  him  by 
Miss  Mary  Byrne,  and  others,  who  witnessed  it 
on  the  evening  of  August  21,  1879 :  As  my  visit 
was  for  a  twofold  purpose,  to  investigate  facts, 
and  to  make  drawings,  etc.,  I,  in  the  first  in- 
stance, made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Mary 
Byrne,  a  highly  intelligent  and  respectable 
young  lady,  the  daughter  of  the  widow  Byi-ne, 
who,  with  her  two  brothers  and  a  sister,  lived 
together  in  a  farmhouse  about  three  himdred 
yards  from  Knock  Church.  There  is  no  mistak- 
ing the  earnestness,  truthfulness,  and  sincerity 
of  Miss  Mary  Byrne ;  and  it  is  evident  to  every 
one  that  she  is  one  of  the  last  persons  who  could 
be  influenced  by  imagination,  or  invent  a  story. 
She  at  once  readily  entered  into  a  full  account 
of  the  apparition,  when  I  informed  her  of  the 


266 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


nature  of  my  visit  and  presented  my  credentials. 
She  stated  that  on  the  21st  of  August,  at  about 
8  P.M.,  there  being  perfect  daylight  at  the  time, 
before  crossing  the  boundary  wall  or  ditch  which 
separates  the  church  meadow  fi'om  their  grounds, 
he  saw  the  apparition  against  the  sacristy  gable 
■ — about  a  foot  distant  from  the  gable,  and  about 
a  foot  in  height  from  the  ground,  on  a  level,  in 
fact,  with  the  meadow  grass.  She  saw  three 
figures — the  Blessed  Virgin  in  the  middle,  St. 
Joseph  to  the  left,  St.  John  to  the  right.  To 
the  right  of  St.  John  was  a  Lamb,  recumbent, 
with  the  cross  laid  over  the  shoulder.  To  the 
right  of  the  Lamb  was  Avhat  she  described  to  be 
an  altar;  this  was  in  the  center  of  the  gable  and 
extended  up  to  the  window  circle  from  the 
ground,  to  the  breadth  of  seven  or  eight  feet. 
She  was  petrified,  terrified,  transfixed ;  but,  tak- 
ing courage,  she  ran  to  call  her  brother,  Domi- 
nick  Bj'rne,  a  young  man  of  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  as  fine  a  specimen  of  a  Milesian  as  one 
could  see  in  a  day's  walk;  highly  intelligent, 
and  answering  rapidly  and  clearly  every  ques- 
tion. Mary  told  Dominick  to  come  and  see  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  "Nonsense,  nonsense!"  said 
he.  "What  are  you  dreaming  of,  girl?" — 
"Come,  come,"  she  replied.  "Come  and  see 
and  judge  for  yourself.  Come  and  see  what  you 
may  see,  and  believe  my  word."  He  at  once 
proceed  to  see,  followed  by  his  mother,  sister 
and  brother.  They  passed  the  schoolhouse  wall, 
and  stood  in  utter  amazement  at  the  vision 
which  they  no  longer  disbelieved  in.  They  were 
soon  joined  by  others,  including  another  Domi- 
nick Bj'rne,  a  cattle  jobber  of  about  thirty  years 
of  age,  a  courageous  and  powerful  man.  As 
they  stood  gazing  at  the  apparition  in  profound 
astonishment  the  rain  began  to  fall  heavily,  and 
the  wind  to  blow ;  but  they  remained  where  they 
stood,  drenched  with  the  downpour,  and  never 
leaving  the  spot.  After  gazing  on  it  for  some 
time,  Dominick  Byrne,  the  cattle  jobber,  said, 
"Let  us  go  over  the  wall,  and  come  nearer  and 
see  what  it  is  all  about."  "No,"  said  Dominick 
Byrne,  Jr.,  who  is  clerk  of  the  church,  "no,  not 
till  the  priest  comes  down.  We  shall  send  some 
one  for  the  priest."  "Let  us  go  in  at  once," 
said  Byrne,  the  cattle  jobber,  "what  can  they  or 
she  do  to  us?  Surely  no  harm;  and  if  harm, 
why  we  shall  call  out.    In  the  name  of  God,  I'll 


go  in;  here's  my  hat,  take  care  of  it."  He  then 
went  over  the  wall,  the  others  followed,  gradu- 
ally approaching  nearer  to  the  gable.  As  they 
approached,  the  figures  seemed  to  recede  back, 
closer  to  the  gable.  When  they  came  within, 
two  yards  of  the  apparition,  though  the  rain 
continued  to  come  down  in  torrents,  the  ground 
was  perfectly  dry,  and  there  was  a  semicircle 
around  the  gable — the  rain  beat  down  on  the 
gable  wall  above  the  apparition,  and  stopped 
when  it  came  to  the  figures ;  turning  on  either 
side  it  ran  down  to  the  ground  and  formed  a 
pool  of  water,  which  was  collected  next  morning 
in  bottles  and  preserved,  by  Archdeacon  Kava- 
nagh,  the  parish  priest,  but  which  he  has  long 
since  distributed  to  the  faithful.  ...  To  the 
right  of  the  Lamb  was  what  seemed  to  be  an 
altar;  this  extended  from  the  ground  to  about  a 
foot  of  the  window-sill  of  the  sacristy,  and  like 
the  figures,  it  seemed  to  rest  on  the  tops  of  the 
grass.  It  was  between  seven  and  eight  feet 
wide.  The  base  of  the  altar  had  on  it  what, 
seemed  to  be  a  large,  heavy  moulding ;  and  on 
the  altar  there  appeared  to  be,  in  rows  of  three, 
statuettes  of  angels  or  saints — Dominick  Bj'rne 
could  not  define  which.  Mary  Byrne  could  give 
no  description  of  the  altar  whatever.  The  mid- 
dle row  of  angels  and  saints  on  the  altar  was 
more  numei'ous  than  the  lowest,  and  the  upper- 
most more  numerous  than  the  other  two.  All 
the  figures  seemed  to  have  a  slight  fringe  of 
silvery  cloud  under  them ;  the  figure  of  St.  John 
was  partially  concealed,  from  the  knees  down, 
in  the  cloud ;  the'  position  of  St.  Joseph  was  that 
of  one  in  the  act  of  making  a  profound  obesiance, 
with  hands  joined,  and  partly  turned  toward  our 
Blessed  Lady.  The  figure  of  St.  Joseph  was 
clothed  in  one  garment,  perfectly  white,  the  hair 
and  beard  somewhat  gray,  the  flesh  had  a  natural 
tint.  The  Blessed  Virgin  stood  facing  those 
who  saw  the  apparition;  the  figure  was  clothed 
in  resplendent  white;  on  her  head  was  a  brilliant 
crown ;  her  shoulders  were  covered  with  a  short 
mantle;  the  inner  garment  full,  flowing;  her 
eyes  directed  downward,  her  hands  raised  to  the 
shoulders,  the  palms  turned  toward  each  other, 
somewhat  like  a  priest's  when  celebrating  mass. 
The  hair  fell  on  the  shoulders  and  back  in  long^ 
ringlets;  the  feet  were  visible  and  covered  with 
a  sort  of  sandal.    The  figure  of  St.  John  waa 


THE  STOEY 

turned  partly  toward  the  altar  and  partly  toward 
the  people.  In  his  left  hand  he  held  a  large 
book ;  his  eyes  turned  toward  it  as  if  reading, 
and  his  right  hand  raised  as  if  in  the  attitude  of 
preaching  or  confirming  his  words.  The  figure 
of  St.  John  was  clothed  in  one  long  garment  of 
white,  and  on  his  head  was  a  miter  of  the  same 
color.  A  brilliant  light  surrounded  all  the 
figures,  which  light,  however,  had  not  the  effect 
of  illuminating  the  places  around  or  outside  the 
circle  of  the  apparition;  brilliant  lights  were 
seen  to  coruscate  now  and  again  on  the  gable. 
Dominick  Byrne,  Sr.,  after  gazing  intently  for 
some  time  at  the  apparition,  took  courage  and 
gradually  approached  nearer,  so  near  as  to  touch 
the  figures,  which  he  made  an  effort  to  do.  An 
aged  female  in  the  group  of  those  who  saw  the 
apparition,  endeavored  to  kiss  the  feet  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  but  could  feel  no  substance. 
Dominick  Byrne,  when  asked  did  he  endeavor  to 
touch  the  figures,  said  he  endeavored,  with  the 
open  index  and  middle  fingers  of  his  right  hand, 
to  touch  the  eyes  of  the  figure  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  but  said  he  could  feel  no  substance, 
though  he  covei'ed  the  eyes  with  the  tops  of  his 
fingers.  After  about  two  hours  from  the  time 
the  Byrnes  first  saw  the  apparition,  a  messenger 
came  to  them  stating  that  an  old  woman  named 
Campbell,  who  resided  near  the  church  was 
dying.  They  ran  off  to  see  her ;  when  they  re- 
turned to  the  church  the  whole  place  was  in 
darkness."  A  second  apparition  was  seen  on 
the  2d  of  January,  1880,  and  a  third  on  the  6th 
of  January  following,  the  Feast  of  the  Epiphany. 
A  large  number  of  persons  witnessed  these  later 
apparitions,  including  the  pastor,  Archdeacon 
Kavanagh  and  two  members  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Constabulary.  The  fame  of  Knock  soon  spread 
throughout  the  land,  and  numbers  of  persons 
afflicted  with  bodily  ailments  and  infirmities 
flocked  there.  In  many  cases  miraculous  cures 
took  place ;  and  almost  every  afflicted  person  who 
visited  the  shrine  of  Knock  obtained  instant 
relief.  The  number  of  pilgrims  steadily  in- 
creased, some  from  the  most  remote  places ;  and 
many  have  visited  it  from  England,  Scotland 
and  the  United  States.  The  authenticitj',  both 
of  the,  apparitions  and  of  the  cures  eflfected  at  the 
Shrine  of  Knock  has  been  established  beyond  all 
doubt;  and  it  is  asserted  that  a  visit  to  the 


OF  IRELAND.  26?" 

spot,  hallowed  as  the  scene  of  a  celestial  visita- 
tion, will  inspire  even  a  sceptic  with  feelings  of" 
awe  and  reverence. 

After  the  passage  of  the  Land  Act  of  1881,  the 
government  commenced  a  vigorous  persecution 
of  the  Land  League,  and  banned  it  as  an  illegal 
society,  giving  practical  effect  to  the  fierce 
crusade  preached  against  it  in  the  landlord 
organs  and  English  press.  The  argument 
thought  least  vulnerable,  in  voting  down  a  longer 
toleration  of  the  existence  of  the  Land  League, 
was,  that  its  mission — if  it  ever  had  one — waa 
now  fulfilled.  That  the  one  great  grievance  of 
Ireland  had  been  removed.  That,  in  the  Land 
Act,  an  inestimable  boon  had  been  conferred  on 
the  country ;  and  that  it  devolved  on  the  people- 
to  show  their  gratitude  to  that  ministry  which 
furnished  the  long-sought  panacea  for  their  ills,, 
and  watched  over  their  interests  with  paternal 
solicitude.  This  reasoning  was  wrong  in  the 
premises,  for  the  Land  Act,  as  we  have  pointed 
out,  though  superior  to  anything  that  had  pre- 
ceded it,  yet  was  a  very  imperfect  legislative 
measure ;  of  no  practical  benefit  to  the  majority 
of  small  tenants,  unless  they  had  funds  to  fight 
out  their  newly-acquired  rights  in  the  Land 
courts,  and  to  support  their  starving  families, 
while  their  suits  were  pending.  And  here  the 
Land  League  gave  ample  proof  that  its  occupa- 
tion was  not  gone,  nor  its  day  of  usefulness 
ended.  It  was  the  League  furnished  the  legal 
expenses  of  the  poorer  tenants  when  they 
brought  forward  their  claims  and  grievances  in 
the  Land  courts,  and  supplied  them  and  their 
families  with  the  necessaries  of  life  while  the 
struggle  lasted. 

The  government  ran  amuck  in  its  raid  on  the- 
Land  League,  and  grasped  the  latter  with  a 
hand  of  iron.  The  executive  of  the  Central 
Land  League  Ofiice,  in  Dublin,  were  nearly  all 
arrested;  but,  fortunatel.y,  the  treasurer,  Mr. 
Patrick  Egan,  transferred  the  funds  and  himself 
to  Paris  in  time  to  evade  seizure.  The  police- 
swooped  down  on  League  meetings  wherever 
held  and  dispersed  them,  sometimes  at  the  bayo- 
net point.  Editors  of  newspapers,  and  hundreds, 
of  officers  and  members  of  local  Land  League- 
clubs  throughout  the  country  were  hurried  off 
to  prison  without  warning  or  trial,  there  to  be 
detained  at  the  pleasure  of  the  lord  lieutenant^ 


THE  STORY 


OF  IRELAND, 


■during  part  or  the  whole  term  of  the  Coercion 
Act,  which  ■would  not  expiie  until  Septem- 
ber 30,  1882.  The  parliamentary  leaders  did 
not  escape  the  general  jiroscription.  Mr.  Par- 
nell,  John  Dillon,  Mr.  O 'Kelly  and  others  were 
relegated  to  the  retirement  of  Kilmainham ;  and 
the  father  of  the  Land  League,  as  he  may  well 
be  called — Michael  Davitt — on  the  flimsy  pretext 
of  having  broken  his  ticket-of-leave  parole,  was 
hurried  off  to  Portland. 

Time  was  when  the  brains  were  out  the  man 
would  die,  and,  on  the  strength  of  the  Shake- 
sperian  aphorism,  perhaps,  the  government  had 
calculated  that  when  the  head  was  cut  off  the 
Land  League  body  would  cease  to  exist.  But 
liere  it  miscalculated.  The  Land  League  doc- 
trine, preached  for  two  years  from  the  platform, 
and  disseminated  widely  by  the  press,  had  made 
too  deep  an  impression  on  the  popular  mind. 
Every  man  now  knew  his  duty,  and  the  work  of 
the  Land  League  went  on,  though  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  organization  was  carried  out.  For- 
tunately the  Land  League  had  been  recently 
supplemented  by  the  Ladies'  Land  League ;  and 
the  society  of  brave  women  deserve  immortal 
honor  for  the  sacrifices  of  time  and  liberty — 
some  of  them  also  being  imprisoned — they  offered 
in  the  cause ;  and  the  untiring  energy  they  dis- 
played in  distributing  relief,  and  discharging  all 
the  duties  of  the  male  Land  League  officials  who 
had  been  arrested.  To  their  exertions,  and  to 
the  fact  that  the  League  funds  were  safe  in  the 
keeping  of  the  treasurer  in  Paris,  is  due  that  the 
struggle  was  not  relinquished  until  one  other 
notable  concession  was  gained — namely,  the 
Arrears  Bill.  This  Act  met  with  a  stubborn  re- 
sistance in  the  House  of  Lords,  intensified  by 
some  occurrences  which  preceded  it,  to  which 
we  will  briefly  allude. 

The  immediate  effect  of  the  high-handed 
policy  the  government  had  entered  on  by  whole- 
sale an-ests  of  "suspects,"  and  especially  by  the 
imprisonment  of  Parnell  and  other  members  of 
parliament,  was  to  exasperate  the  public  mind 
to  retaliate  on  the  landlords  and  their  satraps. 
Consequently  for  a  period — happily  brief — it 
was  no  longer  the  shadow,  but  the  substance,  of 
agrarian  crime  that  stalked  abroad :  proving 
how  false  the  accusation  that  the  Land  League 
leaders  had  excited  the  people  to  deeds  of  vio- 


lence ;  while  they  were,  on  the  contrary,  the  pre- 
servers of  peace,  and  it  was  the  first  principle  of 
their  programme.  This  fact  Mr.  Parnell  and 
others  had  repeatedly  urged  on  the  government 
without  effect,  but  now  the  event  verified  his 
words,  for  a  state  of  things  resembling  the 
White-boy  period  began  to  prevail  in  the  rural 
districts.  As  a  retaliatory  measure,  and  proba- 
bly without  designing  to  sustain  so  advanced  a 
position,  Mr.  Parnell  at  this  time  issued  the 
famous  "No  Rent"  manifesto,  which  in  its  dis- 
syllabic form,  and  bearing  the  signature  of  all  the 
Land  League  leaders,  was  readily  interpreted  bj- 
the  people  as  an  injunction  to  pay  no  more  rent 
until  the  "suspects"  were  all  set  at  liberty. 
There  supervened  on  this  bold  stroke  of  Parnell 
a  regular  reign  of  terror.  Buckshot  Forster,  the 
modern  Cromwell,  revelling  in  the  delight  of 
exercising  to  the  utmost  the  autocratic  powers 
conferred  on  him  by  the  Coercion  Act,  poured 
his  bayonetted  police  and  military  on  every 
point  where  a  public  meeting  was  announced  to 
be  held  or  a  gathering  of  the  people  for  any  pur- 
pose was  expected,  and  filled  the  land  with 
spies  in  the  pay  of  the  castle.  In  this  Coercion 
campaign,  his  satellite,  Clifford  Lloyd,  whose 
jurisdiction  was  in  the  South,  seconded  him 
most  ably;  and  between  these  worthies,  the 
people^ — the  male  portion  of  them,  at  least — ■ 
lived  in  mortal  fear  of  being  hurried  off  to  prison 
at  any  hour  for  a  lightly  spoken  word  or  an  in- 
nocent act,  construed  by  some  cutthroat  spy 
into  a  breach  of  law.  There  is  a  class  of  men, 
however,  who  in  excited  pei'iods  like  this  cannot 
be  awed  into  submission  by  such  methods;  but 
who  are  goaded  into  madness  by  the  tyrant's 
lash,  and  fling  defiance  in  his  teeth.  To  this 
category,  doubtless,  belonged  the  desperate  band 
of  men  known  as  "Moonlighters, "  who  "made 
night  hideous"  in  the  rural  districts  of  Cork 
and  Kerry  at  this  period  by  midnight  raids  on 
the  houses  of  obnoxious  persons  and  deeds  of 
vindictive  cruelty.  The  English  premier  could 
no  longer  shut  his  eyes  to  the  serious  conse- 
quences of  imprisoning  the  leaders  of  the  people, 
or  of  keeping  in  custody  hundreds  of  men,  the 
hope  and  mainstay  of  many  a  home,  on  the 
shadow  of  a  suspicion,  or  on  strength  of  some 
paltry  accusation,  attested  by  a  perjured  police- 
man or  spy.    A  change  of  policy  was  decided  on. 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


269 


■  The  suspects  were  released,  and  the  nation  at 
large  was  also  released  from  the  iron  rule  of  that 
monster  Buckshot  Forster,  who  was  superseded 
in  office  by  Lord  Frederick  Cavendish  as  chief 
secretary.    These  auspicious  changes  seemed  to 
herald  a  reign  of  peace,  or,  at  least,  a  period  of 
more  harmonious  relations  between  the  people 
and  their  rulers ;  but  that  evil  genius  which,  in 
the  life  of  a  nation  as  in  that  of  an  individual, 
steps  in  to  mar  its  hope  and  dash  to  the  ground 
its  joyous  cup,  intruded   early  on  the  scene. 
The  Phoenix  Park  tragedy,  as  it  may  well  be 
called,  occurred  on  the  evening  of  Saturday, 
May  6,  1882.    Its  victims  were  Mr.  Thomas  H. 
Burke,  the  under-secretary,  and  Lord  Frederick 
Cavendish,    the   new    chief-secretary.  Under- 
secretary Burke,  on  that  evening,  was  walking 
from  the  Castle  to  his  lodge  or  official  residence 
in  the  Phoenix  Park,  when  he  accidentally  met 
-Lord  Cavendish,  who  accompanied  him  in  the 
direction  he  was  going.    When  near  the  Phoenix 
Monument,  they  were  surrounded  by  five  or  six 
men,  armed  with  knives,  who  attacked  them  in- 
stantly.   Surprised  and  unarmed  the  secretaries 
made  scarcely  any  resistance,  and  were  stabbed 
and  hurled  to  the  ground  where  they  expired  in 
a  few  minutes.    This  awful  affair,  as  might  well 
be  expected,  aroused  a  fierce  feeling  of  indigna- 
tion against  Ireland  in  the  sister  kingdom,  more 
especially  for  the  murder  of  Lord  Cavendish, 
who  was  commissioned  to  be  the  bearer  of  an 
olive-branch,  and  the  herald  of  an  era  of  tran- 
•  quillity  to  the  oppressed  country.    Lord  Caven^ 
dish's  murder,  however,  it  has  been  almost  con- 
■  clusively  shown,  was  not  planned  nor  intended. 
He  happened  to  be  in  bad  company  on  this  occa- 
sion, and  through  this  accident,  shared  the  fate 
of   his  companion— Burke— who,  it   has  been 
asserted,  busied  himself   unnecessarily  in  un- 
earthing Fenian  fugitives  at  the  time  of  the 
Rising,  and  indicating  to  the  lord-lieutenant  the 
"Suspects"  of  the  Land  League  period.  This 
circumstance  however,  was  overlooked  in  the 
storm  of  anger  and  indignation  'provoked  by  the 
perpetration  of  the  cold-blooded  deed;   and  a 
clamor  was  raised  in  the  press,  and  from  plat- 
form and  pulpit,  calling  on  the  government  to 
put  a  period  to  the  era  of  assassination  and 
^anarchy  in  Ireland.    The  English  government 
: responded  by  framing  a  measure — the  Crimes  Act 


—for  a  model  of  which  they  must  have  searched 
among  the  musty  records  of  the  Spanish  Inquisi- 
tion, or  sought  in  the  archives  of  the  czar.  It 
conferred  autocratic  powers  on  judges— trial  by 
jury  being  in  abeyance— suppressed  public  meet- 
ings and  gagged  the  press.  In  a  word,  it 
essayed  to  extinguish  the  already  faint,  flicker- 
ing light  of  liberty  in  the  land. 

The  enactment  of  this  measure,  however,  was 
not  accomplished  without  meeting  determined 
but,  of  course,  unavailing  opposition,  from  jVIi-. 
Parnell  and  his  colleagues.  The  powers  con- 
ferred on  the  magistrates,  the  police  and  the 
entire  Irish  executive,  were  such  as  afforded  the 
latter  facilities  for  searching  any  house  or 
premises,  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night;  and 
the  Phoenix  Park  murderers,  though  for  months 
they  eluded  search  and  inquiry,  were  at  length 
in  the  toils.  It  was  discovered  that  they  be- 
longed to  a  secret  society,  called  the  "Irish  In- 
vincibles,"  presided  over  by  a  man  styled  "Num- 
ber One"  and  their  mission  was  the  assassina- 
tion of  Castle  and  other  officials  of  the  Crown  in 
Ireland. 

Soon  after  the  enactment  of  the  Crimes  Act, 
the  Arrears  Act  was  introduced,  and  notwith- 
standing the  attempts  of  the  House  of  Lords  to 
neutralize    its    beneficial    features   by  sundry 
amendments,  it  finally  became  law  on  August 
11,   1882.     The  Arrears  Act  was  intended  to 
supplement  the  Land  Act,  by  remedying  a  radi- 
cal defect  in  the  latter.    The  small  tenants,  at 
the  time  the  Land  Act  was  passed,  were  most  of 
them  in  arrear  for  three  years'  rent.     The  Land 
Courts  could  not  hear  their  cases  as  they  were 
disqualified,  and  the  landlord  might  evict  them 
summarily.    The  Arrears  Act  was  designed  to 
remedy  this  distressing  state  of  things,  and  its 
provisions  were,  that  the  tenant  should  pay  one- 
third  the  amount  he  owed  the  landlord  ;  that  the 
government  should  also  out  of  the  public  treasury 
pay  one-third  to  the  landlords;   and  that  the 
landlords  should  forego  the  remaining  one-third. 

The  trials  of  the  Phoenix  Park  prisoners  took 
place  in  the  spring  of  1883,  and  lasted  nearly 
two  months.  In  their  midst  was  a  Judas  named 
James  Carey,  whose  treachery  was  of  so  black  a 
hue  that  when  the  sanctimonious  hypocrite — the 
regular  church-attendant  and  meek  Christian- 
presented  his  saturnine  visage  on  the  witness 


270 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


stand,  some  of  the  prisoners  started  back  with  a 
shudder,  incredulous  that  he  of  all  men,  who 
had  plotted  the  whole  infernal  business,  who 
had  been  their  guide  and  counselor  and  leader, 
was  there  to  sell  them  body  and  soul.  This  he 
did  to  save  his  own  dirty  skin,  and  he  accom- 
plished his  object,  so  far  for  awhile — for  awhile 
how  brief  the  sequel  will  serve  to  show.  On  the 
evidence  of  James  Carey  five  of  the  "Invincible" 
prisoners  were  convicted  and  received  the  capital 
sentence.  Their  names  were  Joseph  Brady, 
Daniel  Curley,  Michael  Fagan,  Thomas  Caffrey 
and  Timothy  Kelly.  Their  executions  took  place 
in  Dublin,  in  the  months  of  May  and  June,  1883. 
Several  others  received  sentence  of  penal  servi- 
tude for  being  implicated  in  the  assassination 
plot.  Such  a  blot  on  the  face  of  ci'eation  as 
James  Carey  must  needs  hide  from  the  light  of 
day  like  the  owl,  and  of  all  places  on  earth  the 
government  chose  for  him  a  most  congenial  re- 
treat—  Newgate  prison,  hoary  and  begrimed 
with  the  dust  and  sooty  London  smoke  of  cen- 
turies, its  atmosphere  laden  with  the  muttered 
curses  and  despairing  blasphemies  of  condemned 
criminals.  This  was  the  temporary  abode  of 
James  Carey;  better  for  him  had  it  been  his  per- 
manent residence;  and  more  appropriate  his 
passage  to  that  higher  or  lower  apotheosis  which 
awaited  him  by  way  of  the  hangman's  trap,  which 
on  occasion,  adorns  the  courtyard  of  that  gloomy 
hostlery.  But  the  government  must  needs  trans- 
plant, in  one  of  its  distant  colonies,  this  precious 
sprout,  with  a  view,  doubtless,  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  genus  informer,  and  so  they  shipped 
James  and  his  better-half  and  chicks  to  Port 
Elizabeth,  in  Cape  Colony,  South  Africa.  Cape 
Town  was  reached  in  safety,  and  here  James 
Carey  and  family  transshipped  on  board  the 
steamer  Melrose,  for  Port  Elizabeth.  Nemesis 
was  on  his  track  in  the  person  of  Patrick  O'Don- 
nell,  a  fellow-passenger  on  board  the  Melrose.  An 
acquaintance  sprang  up  between  the  two  men ; 
and  O'Donnell,  from  the  descriptions  he  had 
beard  of  Carey's  personal  appearance,  was  not 
slow  in  recognizing  in  his  compangon  de  voyage, 
the  notorious  informer;  and  his  sensibilities 
were  shocked  by  the  discovery  that  he  had  given 
the  hand  of  friendship  to  such  a  wretch.  An 
altercation  between  these  men  on  Sunday,  July 
29,  1883,   resulted   (according  to  O'Donnell's 


statement)  in  Carey  drawing  his  revolver  on. 
O'Donnell,  whereupon  O'Donnell — as  he  claims, 
in  self-defense — tired  his  own  revolver  twice  at 
Carey,  with  fatal  effect.  O'Donnell  was  imme- 
diately placed  under  arrest,  and  on  the  arrival  of 
the  Melrose  at  Port  Elizabeth,  was  taken  before 
a  magistrate,  who  recommitted  him  for  trial  in 
England,  as  the  shooting  had  taken  place  on  the 
high  seas.  The  doom  of  O'Donnell,  tried  be- 
fore an  English  judge  and  jury,  was  a  foregone, 
conclusion,  and  though  he  had  the  advantage  of 
the  most  able  counsel  that  money  could  procure, 
and  there  was  no  lack  of  funds  for  his  defense — 
the  Iriah  World  alone  having  raised  upward  of 
fifty-five  thousand  dollars  for  this  purpose — his 
conviction  was  secured.  One  of  the  most, 
eminent  lawyers  of  the  New  York  bar.  Gen. 
Roger  A.  Pryor,  was  specially  retained  and  sent, 
to  London  to  assist  his  English  coursel,  Mr. 
Charles  Russell,  Q.C.,  and  Mr.  A.  M.  Sullivan. 
The  line  of  defense  adopted  was  admittedly  skill- 
ful, and  the  pleading  most  able ;  but  reason  and 
rhetoric  were  alike  unavailing  to  make  the  least, 
impression  on  the  stolid  minds  of  an  English 
jury,  swayed  by  a  strong  bias  and  bound  to 
convict.  His  execution  took  place  on  the  morn- 
ing of  December  17,  1883,  at  Newgate  Prison, 
London.  At  Derrybeg,  in  the  county  Donegal, 
where  he  was  born,  a  requiem  mass  was  cele- 
brated for  the  repose  of  his  soul,  and  a  funeral 
procession  in  his  memory  took  place  on  the  24th 
of  January,  1884.  In  connection  with  this  latter- 
episode  of  Irish  history,  two  circumstances  are- 
particularly  noticeable,  namely,  that  the  "taking 
off"  of  James  Carey  evoked  not  one  solitary  sigh 
of  regret  (outside  of  his  familj'  circle)  through- 
out the  wide  domain  of  Christendom,  nor  has. 
the  act  of  Patrick  O'Donnell,  whether  criminal, 
or  as  he  claimed  in  self-defense,  brought  on  him 
public  censure,  living  or  dead.  And  the  reason 
is  not  far  to  seek.  The  lifeless  body  of  the 
Roman  usurper,  laid  at  the  foot  of  Pompey's. 
Pillar,  or  the  blood-dripping  head  of  Holofernes, 
are  not  historical  objects  of  pity,  and  never  till 
the  men  and  women  who  have  rid  the  world  of 
tyranny,  treachery,  corruption  are  held  up  to 
universal  execration,  shall  the  stigma  of  murder 
be  set  on  the  fame  of  Patrick  O'Donnell. 

The  revolutionary  "blowing  up"  idea,  which 
so  far  back  as  the  year  1867,  at  the  Clerkenwelli 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


271 


explosion  took  practical  shape,  has  been  revived 
again  in  the  present  year  and  following  on  many 
abortive  attempts,  such  as  those  on  the  Mansion 
House  and  elsewhere,  has,  at  length,  by  the  de- 
cided impression  created  on  the  new  government 
Home-Offices  in  Whitehall,  proved  to  the  world 
at  large  that  it  is  a  factor  in  Irish  politics  by 
no  means  to  be  ignored,  and  since  it  is  no 
longer  the  comparatively  easy-going  gunpowder 
of  our  ancestors,  but  the  newly-found  dynamite 
demon,  its  possibilities  of  development  and 
destructiveness  are  quite  incalculable.  O 'Dono- 
van Kossa,  the  implacable  enemy  of  England, 
who,  at  his  trial,  bearded  the  British  lion  in 
his  den,  is  said  (with  what  amount  of  truth  I 
am  unable  to  say)  to  be  the  guiding  spirit  of 
this  movement. 

The  year  1883  will  be  memorable  for  an  event 
which  brought  sorrow  to  many  an  Irish  heart  at 
home,  and  the  news  of  which  had  a  mournful  sig- 
nificance for  thousands  of  exiles  beyond  the  bil- 
lows of  the  Atlantic,  namely,  the  death  of  the 
illustrious  orator    and    divine.  Father  Burke. 
Father  Burke's  sermons  and  lectures  attracted 
thousands  of  auditors  on  almost  every  occasion 
of  their  delivery,  and  evoked  the  highest  en- 
comiums, even  from  the  Protestant  press  of  Eng- 
land.   They  are  marked  by  profound  learning 
and  incontrovertible  logic,  and  in  their  delivery 
he  possessed  a  facility  of  expression  and  an 
attractiveness   of    style    which   fascinated  his 
hearers.    His  visit  to  America  was  opportune,  as 
it  gave  to  the  Irish  race  in  the  United  States  a 
champion  of  their  character  and  nation  against 
the  libelous  slanders  of  the  mercenary  historian, 
James  Athony  Froude.    In  Father  Burke,  Froude 
encountered  a  foeman  worthy  of  his  steel.  The 
great  Dominican,  whose  ripe  scholarship  and 
unerring  reasoning  powers  fully  equipped  him 
for  such  a  controversy,  scattered  to  the  winds  the 
lies  attempted  to  be  foisted  on  American  audi- 
ences under  the  guise  of  history;  and  this  great 
public  service  alone  will  forever  endear  him  to 
the  grateful  remembrance  of  his  countrj^men, 
and  has  earned  for  him  the  admiration  of  all 
lovers  of  truth.    His  death  occurred  at  Tallaght, 
in  the  county  of  Dublin,  on  the  2d  of  July,  1883. 

One  other  most  important  political  event  of 
this  year  remains  to  be  noted,  namely,  the 
founding  of  the  National  League,  which  has 


merged  the  Land  Leagues  of  Ireland  and 
America  and  amalgamated  with  it  all  other  Irish 
organizations  in  the  United  States.  The  National 
Conference,  which  preceded  the  organization  of 
the  National  League,  was  held  at  the  Ancient 
Con  cert  Rooms,  Dublin,  on  the  7th  of  October 

1882.  It  showed  the  activity  of  [the  Irish  lead- 
ers, and  proved  that  those  at  the  helm  would  no 
longer  sit  idly  on  their  oars,  for,  as  the  Land 
League  could  be  no  longer  be  made  available  for 
further  usefulness,  an  organization  to  succeed  it, 
capable  of  wider  expansion  and  with  a  broader 
constitution,  was  then  and  there  discussed.  The 
programme  of  the  National  League  was  subse- 
quently drawn  up  at  a  convention  held  in  the 
Rotunda,  Dublin,  and  included  National  and 
Local  Self-government,  Land  Law  Reform,  ex- 
tension of  the  parliamentary  and  municipal 
franchises,  and  also  the  development  and  en- 
couragement of  the  industrial  and  labor  inter- 
ests of  the  country. 

The  Philadelphia  Convention,  held  in  June, 

1883,  attended  by  delegates  from  all  the  Irish- 
American  societies,  fully  indorsed  the  constitu- 
tion drawn  up  by  the  Dublin  Convention.  The 
Land  League  being  then  declared  dissolved,  the 
National  League  of  America  was  founded  amid 
the  greatest  enthusiasm. 

So  far  runs  the  record  of  seventeen  years — a 
brief  space  in  a  nation's  life — yet  fraught  with 
many  exciting  national  events  in  Ireland,  and 
fruitful  of  important  and  beneficial  changes  in 
her  welfare.  The  organization  of  the  National 
League  just  mentioned,  of  all  other  events,  war- 
rants the  hope  with  which  this  supplementary 
history  set  out,  namely,  that  the  day  of  Ireland's 
independence  is  not  far  distant.  A  United  Ire- 
land, the  dream  of  her  poets,  and  the  aim  of 
her  patriots  and  martyrs;  the  Celtic  race  at 
home  and  in  exile,  linked  in  one  great  fraternity ; 
this  have  we  seen  accomplished  in  our  day. 
Guided  by  judicious  leaders,  and  pursuing  its 
course  with  unflinching  fidelity  to  the  policy 
outlined  in  its  constitution,  its  power  and  im- 
portance must  be  immense;  and  may,  at  any 
critical  juncture,  prove  irresistible  to  its  ancient 
foe.  Much  has  been  accomplished  in  a  few 
years,  and  the  possibilities  of  the  future  are  in- 
calculable. Let  us  not  sit  idly  in  the  market 
place.    Let  each  man's  hand  be  on  the  pl  nv. 


272  THE  STORY 

and  his  pai't  in  tbis  great  struggle  be  bouestb' 
performed.  Commensurate  witb  the  fulfillment 
of  tbese  conditions  sball  be  tbe  success  of  tbis 
great  organization ;  and  in  tbe  bope  tbat  wisdom 
will  guide  its  councils,  and  persistency  mark  its 
progTess,  I  am  not  over-sanguine  in  predicting 
tbat  tbe  bope  of  tbis  generation  will  be  fulfilled 
in  tbe  next — a  National  Parliament  again  assem- 
bled in  College  Gi-een,  above  wbicb  sball  wave 
tbe  green  flag  of  Ireland,  and  proclaim  ber  a  free 
nation. 


CHAPTER  XCIII. 

"PARNELLISM  AND   CRIME"  THE  HOME   RULE  BILL. 

Ireland's  arcb  enemy,  tbe  London  Times,  did 
not  miss  tbe  opportunity  offered  by  tbe  Pboenix 
Park  tragedy  to  unmask  its  batteries  of  slander 
against  its  victim,  and  singled  out  tbe  great 
national  leader  for  special  attack  in  a  series  of 
articles  entitled  "Parnellism  and  Crime,"  tbe 
purport  of  wbicb  was  to  sbow  conclusively  tbat 
Mr.  Parnell,  Micbael  Davitt,  and  all  tbe  promi- 
nent Nationalists  were  secretly  in  league  witb 
tbe  "Invincibles, "  tbe  "Moouligbters, "  and  all 
tbe  malcontents  and  miscreants  of  tbe  period. 
Not  only  in  league  witb  tbe  latter,  but  bad  in- 
stigated and  abetted  tbeir  evil  deeds,  especially 
tbe  Pboenix  Park  murders.  Tbat  money  bad 
been  advanced  from  tbe  Land  League  fund  to 
James  Carey,  of  tbe  "Invincibles,"  and  ofcbers, 
to  forward  tbeir  nefarious  designs,  was  also 
averred.  No  qualifying  doubts  or  besitancy 
cbaracterized  tbe  language  in  wbicb  tbese  seri- 
ous cbarges  against  Parnell  and  bis  colleagues 
were  set  down ;  but,  on  tbe  contrary,  a  solemn, 
portentous  tone  pervaded  tbe  writer's  startling 
avowal.  Tbe  underlying  motive — to  ruin  tbe 
reputation  of  tbe  Irisb  leaders,  especially  in  tbe 
eyes  of  tbe  Englisb  electors — was  veiled  under  a 
well-assumed  sincerity  and  pretended  sense  of 
duty,  impelling  tbe  writer  to  forewarn  tbe  public 
wbat  manner  of  men  tbese  Nationalists  were. 
To  those  acquainted  with  Mr.  Parnell's  character 
and  methods,  those  who  bad  watched  his  public 
career  from  his  first  entry  into  tbe  arena  of  poli- 
tics, and  noted  the  constitutional  methods  he 
had  invariably  pursued,  tbese  disclosures  were 
simply  incredible.     Yet  the  persistency  with 


OF  IRELAND. 

I  which  tbe  charges  were  reiterated  was  well  cal- 
I  culated  to  raise  up  doubt  and  apprehension  in 
most  men's  minds.  For  three  months  or  more 
tbese  libels  were  on  the  intellectual  bill  of  fare 
furnished  forth  daily  to  John  Bull.  But  the 
end  was  not  yet.  While  tbe  Coercion  Bill  was 
under  debate  (Balfour's  first-born,  stamped  in- 
delibly witb  original  sin)  tbe  "Thunderer"  ful- 
minated a  new  kind  of  projectile,  calculated  to 
carry  conviction  to  doubting  minds  and  create 
consternation  in  tbe  Parnellite  constituencies — a 
forged  letter  authenticated  with  Parnell's  own 
signature,  and  then  another,  and  several  others 
in  succession.  It  will  not  be  out  of  place  to 
insert  here  a  few  of  tbese  interesting  epistles. 

"May  15,  1882. 
"Dear  Sir:  I  am  not  surprised  at  your  friend's 
anger,  but  be  and  you  should  know  tbat  to 
denounce  the  murders  was  tbe  only  course  open 
to  us.  To  do  tbat  promptly  was  ijlainb'  our  best 
policy.  But  you  can  tell  him  and  all  others 
concerned  tbat  though  I  regret  tbe  accident  of 
Lord  F.  Cavendish's  death,  I  cannot  refuse  to 
admit  tbat  Burke  got  no  more  than  his  deserts. 
You  are  at  liberty  to  sbow  him  tbis  and  others 
whom  you  can  trust  also,  but  let  not  my  address 
be  known.    He  can  write  to  House  of  Commons. 

"Yours  very  truly, 
"Chas.  S.  Parnell." 

Another  letter  was  as  follows : 

"January  9,  1882. 
"Dear  E.  :  What  are  tbese  fellows  waiting 
for?  This  inaction  is  inexcusable;  our  best 
men  are  in  prison  and  nothing  is  being  done. 
Let  there  be  an  end  of  tbis  besitancy.  Prompt 
action  is  called  for.  You  undertook  to  make  it 
hot  for  old  Forster,  etc.  Let  us  have  some  evi- 
dence of  your  power  to  do  so.  My  health  is 
good,  thanks. 

"Yours  very  truly, 
"Chas.  S.  Parnell." 

Tbe  following  letter  purporting  to  be  written 
by  Patrick  Egan,  treasurer  of  tbe  Land  League, 
also  appeared : 

"I  have  by  this  post  sent  M.  £200.  He  will 
give  you  wbat  you  want.  When  will  you  un- 
dertake to  get  to  work  and  give  us  value  for  onr 
money? 

"Faithfully  yours, 

"Patrick  Egan. 

"James  Carey,  Esq." 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


273 


Subsequent  disclosures  proved  conclusively 
that  the  Government  was  behind  the  Times  in 
the  conspiracy  to  ruin  Mr.  Parnell ;  and  the 
Tory  leader  of  the  House  of  Commons,  "VV.  H. 
Smith,  was  noticeably  active  in  circulating  these 
libels,  which  were  published  in  pamphlet  form 
and  for  sale  at  all  his  raih'oad  book-stalls.  Mr. 
Parnell  was  urged  to  take  action  against  the 
Times,  and  clear  himself  of  the  odium  heaped  on 
his  name ;  but  he  hesitated  for  long,  and  not 
without  good  and  sufficient  reasons.  At  length, 
however,  he  demanded  that  the  charges  be  tested 
before  a  tribunal  composed  of  members  of  the 
House.  Mr.  Smith  answered  that  the  Govern- 
ment would  consent  to  have  a  criminal  prosecu- 
tion entered  against  the  Times,  and  that  the 
attorney-general  be  instructed  to  act  as  counsel 
for  the  prosecution.  The  duplicity  shown  in 
this  evasive  answer,  the  mockery  of  making  a 
show  of  fighting  Parnell 's  battle  while  they  were 
playing  into  the  hands  of  the  Times,  could  not 
fail  of  being  detected  even  by  men  less  wary 
than  the  Nationalist  members.  The  offer  was 
declined,  and  the  Times  immediately  renewed 
the  charges  in  more  aggravated  terms,  and 
challenged  Mr.  Parnell  to  go  before  a  London 
jury ;  but  the  wise  leader  hesitated  to  take  what 
under  ordinary  circumstances  would  have  been 
the  proper  course.  The  cockney  juryman  is  not 
remarkable  for  capacity  of  intellect,  and  could 
hardly  be  expected  to  form  a  just  estimate  of  an 
Irish  political  organization,  or  determine 
whether  its  leaders  led,  as  was  charged,  double 
lives  in  a  political  sense,  pursuing  their  objects 
by  open  and  constitutional  methods  in  daytime, 
but  under  cover  of  darkness  sending  out  mur- 
derous emissaries  armed  with  knives  and  six- 
shooters.  A  London  jury  would,  in  all  proba- 
bility, be  swayed  by  their  prejudices,,  as  in  the 
case  of  O'Donnell,  who  was  hurried  to  his  doom 
even  though  a  grave  doubt  existed  that  the 
charge  of  murder  could  be  sustained,  his  plea 
being  that  Carey  was  the  aggressor,  and  that  he 
(O'Donnell)  had  fired  on  the  informer  in  self- 
defence.  An  unlooked-for  incident  or  precedent 
occurred  at  this  juncture  which  precipitated  the 
famous  Times  prosecution  case.  Frank  Hugh 
O'Donnell,  a  writer  on  the  Morning  Post,  con- 
sidering that  he  also  had  been  libelled,  began 
suit  against  the  Times.    In  this  action  the  plain- 


tiff was  not  successful,  but  the  case  directed 
renewed  attention  to  the  forged  letters,  and  fur- 
ther pressure  being  brought  to  bear  on  the 
Government,  a  royal  commission,  presided  over 
by  three  judges,  was  appointed  to  hear  what 
proved  to  be  perhaps  the  most  remarkable  libel 
suit  of  this  century  Sir  Charles  Russell's  speech 
for  the  plaintiff — a  masterly  effort  which  took 
several  days  in  delivery — was  in  reality  a  histori- 
cal review  of  the  causes  proximate  or  remote  of 
crime  in  Ireland,  and  was  in  itself  not  only  an 
indictment  of  the  Times,  but  also  of  the  Govern- 
ment back  of  it.  One  extract  from  this  remark- 
able address  will  reveal  piecemeal  one  phase  of 
Ireland's  wrongs.  Quoting  Lord  Dufferin  (late 
Governor-General  of  Canada)  in  his  work,  "Irish 
Emigration  and  the  Tenure  of  Land  in  Ireland," 
Sir  Charles  read  this  remarkable  passage  to  the 
court:  "Frpm  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign  until 
within  a  few  years  all  the  known  and  authorized 
commercial  confraternities  of  Great  Britain  never 
for  a  moment  relaxed  their  relentless  grasp  on 
the  trades  of  Ireland.  One  by  one  each  of  our 
nascent  industries  was  either  sti-augled  in  its 
birth  or  handed  over  gagged  and  bound  to  the 
jealous  custody  of  the  rival  interest  in  England, 
until  at  last  every  fountain  of  wealth  was  her- 
metically sealed,  and  even  the  traditions  of  com- 
mercial enterprise  have  perished  through  desue- 
tude." Another  passage  apropos  of  the  Land 
question  was  as  follows:  "The  owners  of 
England's  pastures  opened  the  campaign.  As 
early  as  the  commencement  of  the  IGth  century 
the  beeves  "  of  Roscommon,  Tipperary  and 
Queen's  County  undersold  the  produce  of  the 
English  grass  counties  in  their  own  market.  By 
an  Act  of  the  20th  of  Elizabeth,  Irish  cattle  were 
declared  a  "nuisance"  and  their  importation  was 
prohibited.  Forbidden  to  send  our  beasts  alive 
across  the  Channel,  we  killed  them  at  home  and 
began  to  supply  the  sister  country  with  cured 
provisions.  A  second  act  of  Parliament  imposed 
prohibitory  duties  on  salted  meats.  The  hides 
of  the  animals  still  remained,  but  the  same  influ- 
ence soon  put  a  stop  to  the  importation  of 
leather.  Our  cattle  trade  abolished,  we  tried 
sheep  farming.  The  sheep  breeders  of  England 
immediately  took  alarm,  and  Irish  wool  was 
declared  contraband  by  a  parliament  of  Charles 
II.    Headed  in  this  direction  we  tried  to  work 


2?4 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


up  the  raw  material  at  home,  but  this  created 
the  greatest  outcrj-  of  all.  Every  maker  of  fus- 
tian, flannel  and  broadcloth  in  the  countrj'  rose  up 
iu  aims,  and  by  an  Act  of  William  III.  the  woollen 
trade  of  Ii-eland  was  extinguished,  and  twenty 
thousand  manufacturers  left  the  island.  The  easi- 
ness of  the  Irish  labor  market  and  the  cheapness 
of  provisions  still  giving  us  an  advantage,  even 
though  we  had  to  import  our  materials,  we  next 
made  a  dash  at  the  silk  business;  but  the  silk 
manufacturer  proved  as  pitiless  as  the  wool 
staplers.  The  cotton  manufacturer,  the  sugar 
refiner,  the  soap  and  candle  maker,  and  any 
other  trade  or  interest  that  thought  it  worth 
while  to  petition  was  received  by  Parliament 
with  the  same  partial  cordiality,  until  the  most 
searching  scrutiny  failed  to  detect  a  single  vent 
through  which  it  was  possible  for  the  hated  in- 
dixstry  of  Ireland  to  respire.  But,  although  ex- 
cluded from  the  markets  of  Britain,  a  hundred 
hai-bors  gave  her  access  to  the  universal  sea. 
Alas!  a  rival  commerce  on  her  own  element  was 
still  less  welcome  to  England,  and  as  early  as  the 
reign  of  Charles  II. ,  the  Levant,  the  ports  of 
Europe,  and  the  oceans  bej^ond  the  Cape  were 
forbidden  to  the  flag  of  Ireland.  The  colonial 
trade  alone  wag  in  any  manner  open — if  that 
could  be  called  an  open  which  for  a  long  time 
precluded  all  exports  whatever,  and  excluded 
from  direct  importation  to  Ireland  such  impor- 
tant articles  as  sugar,  cotton,  and  tobacco. 
What  has  been  the  consequence  of  such  a  system 
pursued  with  relentless  pertinacity  for  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ?  This  :  that,  debarred  from 
every  other  trade  and  industry,  the  entire  nation 
flung  itself  back  upon  the  land  with  as  fatal  an 
impulse  as  when  a  river  whose  current  is  sud- 
denly impeded  rolls  back  and  drowns  the  valley 
it  once  fertilized." 

In  the  unraveling  of  the  case  was  disclosed  a 
vile  conspiracy  having  for  its  principal  agent  a 
man  named  Houston,  the  Secretary  of  the  Loyal 
and  Patriotic  Union  (a  landlord  brotherhood), 
and  Richard  Pigott,  at  one  time  owner  of  a  well- 
known  Dublin  paper,  The  Irishman.  Pigott 's 
baseness  was  of  earlier  date.  He  had  offered  his 
■wares — forged  letters  and  information  relating  to 
the  Nationalists — to  the  late  Chief-Secretary 
Eorster — "Buckshot"  Forster  as  he  is  best 
known.    Forster  declined  to  purchase  the  let- 


ters, though  he  helped  out  Pigott  with  loans  of 
money  until  the  latter  became  too  importunate 
in  his  demands.  The  end  of  this  remarkable  case 
— the  confession  of  Richard  Pigott  to  IVIr. 
Labouchere  in  presence  of  George  Augustus  Sala 
that  all  the  libelous  letters  published  in  the 
Times  were  forged  by  his  own  hand — was  fol- 
lowed by  the  wretched  man's  flight  and  suicide 
at  a  hotel  in  Madrid.  This  unlooked-for  denoue- 
ment was  a  signal  triumph  for  Mr.  Parnell  and 
his  colleagues,  and  the  scene  in  the  House  of 
Commons  on  March  1st  when  Mr.  Parnell  rose  to 
speak  was  altogether  unprecedented.  Every 
Liberal — Gladstone,  Morley,  Harcourt,  included 
— arose  and  cheered  him  wildly  for  several 
minutes. 

On  June  8th,  1885,  an  amendment  to  the 
second  reading  of  Mr.  Gladstone's  Budget,  pro- 
posed by  Sir  Michael  Hicks  Beach,  led  to  a  divi- 
sion that  unseated  the  ministry,  and  the  chief 
factor  in  its  downfall  was  the  Irish  vote,  which 
then  numbered  only  thirty -nine,  and  was  thrown 
into  the  opposition  scale.  The  exultation  of  the 
party  over  the  downfall  of  "Buckshot"  Forster 
and  his  tyrannical  regime  was  well  merited,  and 
Mr.  Parnell  was  heard  to  remark:  "A  united 
Irish  party  can  hold  in  its  hand  the  destinies  of 
England's  governments. "  A  bill  enlarging  the 
franchise  in  Ireland  so  as  to  equalize  it  with  the 
franchise  in  England  and  Scotland  had  been 
passed  while  the  Gladstone  Ministry  was  in 
power.  In  the  general  election  that  ensued  the 
effect  was  seen  in  an  overwhelming  majority  for 
the  Parnellites.  Mr.  Gladstone  was  again 
returned  to  power  under  a  pledge  to  bring  in  a 
Home  Rule  bill.  Several  members  of  his 
cabinet  were  opposed  to  the  measure  and  re- 
signed— the  Marquis  of  Hartington,  Sir  George 
Trevelyan,  and  Joseph  Chambers.  Notwith- 
standing this  desertion  by  his  lieutenants,  Mr. 
Gladstone  redeemed  his  promise  on  April 
8,  188G,  by  introducing  his  Home  Rule  bill 
in  a  speech  which  by  many  is  ranked  as  the  mas- 
terpiece of  all  his  orations.  The  main  features 
of  the  bill  may  be  summed  up  briefly  as  follows. 
It  ])rovides  for  the  constitution  of  an  Irish  Par- 
liament sitting  in  Dublin  with  the  queen  at  its 
head.  The  Parliament,  which  is  to  be  quinquen- 
nial, is  to  consist  of  three  hundred  and  nine 
members  divided  into  two  "orders;"  one  hun- 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


275 


•dred  and  three  members  in  the  first  and  two 
hundred  and  six  in  the  second  order.  The  first 
order  to  consist  of  the  twenty -eight  Irish  repre- 
sentative peers  and  its  remaining  members  to  be 
elective.  At  the  end  of  thirty  years  the  rights  of 
peerage  members  will  lapse  and  the  whole  of  the 
first  order  will  be  elective.  The  elective  mem- 
bers will  sit  for  ten  years  and  will  be  elected  by 
■constituencies  subsequently  to  be  formed.  The 
■elective  member  must  possess  a  property  quali- 
fication or  income  of  two  hundred  pounds  a  year. 
The  franchise  is  i-estricted :  the  elector  having  to 
possess  or  occupy  land  of  the  annual  value  of 
"twenty-five  pounds.  The  second  "order"  is  to 
"be  elected  on  the  existing  franchise — the  repre- 
isentation  of  each  constituency  being  doubled. 
For  the  first  Parliament  the  Irish  members  now 
sitting  in  the  House  of  Commons  will  constitute 
one-half  the  members  of  the  second  order.  The 
lord  lieutenant  has  power  given  him  to  arrange 
for  the  procedure  at  the  first  sitting,  the  election 
of  Speaker  and  other  details.  If  a  bill  is  lost  by 
the  disagreement  of  the  two  orders  voting  sepa- 
rately, the  matter  in  dispute  shall  be  considered 
as  vetoed,  or  lost,  for  three  years.  After  that 
time,  if  the  question  shall  be  again  raised,  it 
shall  be  submitted  to  the  legislative  body  as  a 
whole,  both  shall  vote  together  and  the  majority 
decide.  The  responsible  executive  will  be  con- 
stituted the  same  as  in  England.  The  leader  of 
the  majority  will  be  called  upon  by  the  lord 
lieutenant  to  form  a  government  responsible  to 
the  Irish  Parliament.  The  queen  retains  the 
right — to  be  exercised  through  the  lord  lieu- 
tenant— of  giving  or  withholding  her  assent  to 
bills  and  can  dissolve  or  summon  Parliament 
when  she  pleases.  All  constitutional  questions 
that  may  arise  as  to  whether  the  Ii'ish  Parliament 
has  exceeded  its  powers  will  be  decided  by  the 
judicial  committee  of  the  privy  council.  The 
prerogatives  of  the  crown  are  untouched.  Im- 
perial questions — the  making  of  peace  or  war,  all 
foreign  relations,  questions  of  international  law 
■or  treaties,  matters  relating  to  naturalization,  to 
irade,  navigation  and  quarantine ;  coinage, 
weights  and  measures;  copyrights  and  patents; 
all  these  and  others  to  be  controlled  by  the  Im- 
perial Parliament.  For  a  time,  the  customs  and 
excise  duties  are  to  be  levied  by  officers  ap- 
pointed, as  now,  by  the  British  treasury.  All 


other  taxes  will  be  imposed  and  collected  under 
the  authority  of  the  Irish  Parliament.  We  have 
given  merely  a  few  leading  features  of  the  bill 
which  on  all  hands  was  admitted  to  be  very  defec- 
tive— in  fact,  a  lame  and  halting  measure  and 
regarded  by  Mr.  Parnell  as  by  no  means  a  final 
settlement  of  the  Irish  question ;  but  rather  as  a 
first  instalment  of  justice,  he  and  his  followers 
supported  it.  The  bill  was  defeated,  however  by 
a  majority  of  thirty  on  June  7th,  and  then  came 
another  general  election. 


CHAPTER  XCIV. 

COERCION  THE  PLAN  OF  CAMPAIGN  DEATH  OF  MR.  PaB- 

NELL  THE  HOME  RULE  BILL  PASSED  RETIREMENT 

OF  MR.  GLADSTONE. 

Mr.  Parnell  early  in  the  last  session  of  Parlia- 
ment had  introduced  a  bill  for  the  amelioration 
of  small  tenants  precluded  from  the  benefits  of 
the  Land  Act,  and  in  distress  through  arrears. 
The  bill  was  defeated,  and  the  prospect  before 
the  poorer  class  of  farmers  whom  it  might  have 
saved  was  wholesale  eviction.  To  combat  the 
horrors  implied  in  that  term  a  distinguished 
member  of  the  Nationalist  party  (it  is  said  John 
Dillon)  formulated  the  famous  plan  of  campaign. 
In  October,  1886,  United  Ireland  published  the 
programme  which  was  laid  down  for  the  op- 
pressed tenantry,  and  it  is  but  just  to  say  they 
proved  loyal  to  it;  and  so  were,  in  most  cases, 
saved  from  being  utterly  crushed  under  the 
tyrannical  regime  that  ensued  when  the  new 
coalition  ministry  came  into  office.  The  latter, 
with  Lord  Salisbury  for  premier,  was  composed 
of  true-blue  Tories  and  weak-kneed  Liberals  who 
styled  themselves  "Liberal-Unionists."  When 
Sir  Michael  Hicks  Beach,  who  was  then  chief 
secretary  for  Ireland,  resigned,  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  prime  minister's  nephew,  Mr.  Arthur 
Balfour.  If  history  should  not  give  this  gentle- 
man's name  prominence  and  rank  him  with  Lord 
Arthur  Grey  and  other  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  gen- 
tle lieutenants,  such  as  Carew  and  Inchiquin, 
then  it  is  not  because  the  aspiring  young  states- 
man has  not  earned  that  distinction.  First  by 
framing  a  coercion  bill  which  invested  every 
policeman  with  judicial  powers  so  that  he  might 
arrest  whom  he  pleased  as  a  "suspect."  The 
"suspect"  could  be  held  for  an  indefinite  period 


276 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


and  Tvas  denied  the  opportunity  of  proving  his 
innocence,  for  by  another  provision  of  the  bill, 
trial  by  jm-y  was  in  abeyance  and  Justice  with 
her  scales  was  ruled  out  of  court.  Crime,  or 
rather  the  shadow  or  "suspicion"  of  crime, 
against  which  the  measure  was  to  operate  con- 
sisted chiefly  in  unlawful  assemblies,  and  by  its 
ingenious  framers  any  gathering  of  people  in  the 
open  air  or  behind  closed  doors  could  be  classed 
unlawful  and  dispersed  and  its  leaders  locked 
up.  Like  Caligula,  the  new  secretary  evinced  a 
desire — such  w^as  the  spirit  in  which  the  dia- 
bolical bill  was  drawn — that  the  nation  collec- 
tively had  but  one  neck  so  as  he  might  clutch  it 
b^'  the  throat.  As  it  was,  nearly  all  the  promi- 
nent members  of  Parliament  were  caught  in  the 
toils  beside  the  Lord  Mayor  of  Dublin  and  many 
other  notable  persons;  and  while  all  these  inno- 
cent men  languished  in  jail  a  reign  of  terror  was 
inaugurated  outside.  One  of  the  saddest  occur- 
rences of  this  period  happened  at  Mitchelstown, 
in  county  Cork.  A  meeting  was  being  held 
there  on  behalf  of  the  tenantry  of  a  local  estate 
at  which  Mr.  William  O'Brien,. Mr.  Dillon  and 
several  English  gentlemen  symiiathizers  were 
present.  Without  warning  of  any  kind  the 
police  burst  in  upon  the  crowd  and  batoned  every 
one  in  the  vicinity  of  the  platform  or  on  the 
street,  and  when  in  retaliation  for  this  gross 
outrage  and  supererogation  on  the  part  of  the 
"guardians  of  the  peace"  a  few  stones  were 
flung  at  these  brutal  hirelings,  they  withdrew  to 
the  shelter  of  their  barracks  and  opened  fire  on 
the  unarmed  people — deadly  fire,  for,  sad  to 
relate,  three  men  and  a  boy  paid  the  forfeit  of 
their  lives  to  that  inhuman  savagery.  Mr.  Bal- 
four endeavored  to  shift  responsibility  from  the 
police  and  rid  himself  of  the  odium  this  cowai'dly 
massacre  entailed  on  the  government  by  lying 
and  ijrevaricatioji,  and  utterly  ignored  the  result 
of  the  coroner's  inquest,  which  was  a  verdict  of 
murder  against  the  police.  The  treatment  of 
Mr.  William  O'Brien,  of  poor  Mandeville  and 
others  while  in  prison — brutal  and  ferocious — 
brought  Balfour's  regime  under  universal  con- 
demnation; but  yet  bad  little  effect  in  staying 
the  tj'rant's  iron  hand.  The  plan  of  campaign 
proved  perhaps  the  most  effectual  safeguard 
against  the  cold-blooded  crusade  set  on  foot  by 
this  latter-day  Cromwell.    Notwithstanding  the 


fact  that  the  rack-renting  landlords  were^ 
openlj'  backed  up  by  government,  since  at  every 
eviction  large  contingents  of  police  and  often 
military  were  present  to  aid  the  sheriffs  and  his . 
bailiffs;  yet  the  campaigners  won  many  a  vic- 
tory even  from  stern,  unyielding  lords  of  the  soil. 
The  fight  was  long  and  bitter  and  attracted 
world-wide  attention. 

The  split  which  at  a  most  inopportune  moment 
divided  the  Nationalist  party  into  two  hostile 
camps,  cast  a  gloomy  cloud  on  the  horizon  of 
Ireland's  rising  hopes;  and  left  in  doubt  for 
many  a  day  the  issue  of  this  unlooked-for  and 
most  unnatural  antagonism.  In  reverence  to  the 
memory  of  the  great  departed  leader — de  moiiuis 
nil  nisi  bonum — we  will  do  no  more  than  allude 
to  the  divorce  trial  in  which  his  name  figured 
and  which  caused  Mr.  Gladstone  to  disavow  all 
future  alliance  with  Mr.  Parnell  as  leader  of  the 
Irish  Home  Rule  party.  The  secession  of  many 
of  Mr.  Parnell 's  own  followers,  his  denounce- 
ment by  the  Irish  bishops — the  contested  elec- 
tions, and  all  the  bitterness  and  recrimiuaton 
and  bad  blood  evoked  through  this  unseemly 
contention,  can  only  be  mentioned  with  deep  re- 
gret and  humiliation  that  ever  such  an  exhibition 
was  made  before  the  nations  by  former  friends 
and  allies,  and  comrades  in  the  fight.  But  a 
greater  affliction  was  soon  to  plunge  the  nation 
in  grief  and  cast  a  dark  pall  over  the  land,  and 
wring  the  bitter  pang  of  regret  even  from  those 
who  had  lately  taunted  and  vilified  him.  Par- 
nell, the  high-souled  patriot  the  far-seeing 
statesman — the  fearless,  unflinching  champion  of 
Erin's  rights,  Avho  had  struggled  and  battled  and 
led  the  people  to  within  sight  of  the  promised 
land  of  freedom  —  Parnell  was  no  more !  His  . 
death  occurred  at  Brighton,  England,  on 
October  G,  1891.  The  immense  funeral  cortege 
that  escorted  his  remains  to  Glasnevin  Cemetery 
— the  entire  city  of  Dublin  draped  in  mourning, 
but  more  than  that,  the  sobbing  and  weeping 
above  his  bier  and  along  the  route  of  the  funeral 
procession — attested  the  universal  grief  of  the 
people  for  the  loss  of  Ireland's  greatest  son. 

The  long-wished-for  exit  of  Lord  Salisbury's 
Tory  cabinet  came  at  the  expiration  of  their  full 
term  in  office,  and  again  Mr.  Gladstone  and  the 
Liberals  returned  to  power. 

The  Liberal  premier  who  had  pledged  himself 


THE  STORY  OF  IRELAND. 


to  Home  Rule  as  the  first  measure  on  the  party 
programme   proceeded   to  redeem  his  promise 
soon  after  the  opening  of  Parliament,  which 
latter  took  place  on   the  January  13,  1893. 
The  speech  in  which  the  new  bill  was  intro- 
duced was  lucid  and  comprehensive — going  into 
every  detail  and  providing  for  every  exigency 
that  might  confront  the  embryo  Irish  legisla- 
ture.   In  his  introductory  remarks  Mr.  Glad- 
stone laid  it  down  as  a  well-proved  axiom  that 
Ireland  could  only  be  governed  in  one  of  two 
ways — coercion  or  autonomy ;  but  coercion  was 
a  flagrant  breach  of  the  promise  on  the  face  of 
which  the  Act  of  Union  was  obtained.    The  pro- 
visions of  the  bill  showed  that  many  defects  in 
the  bill  of  188G  had  been  remedied — notably  those 
in  regard  to  the  continuity  of  Irish  representa- 
tion in  the  English  House  of  Commons ;  the  con- 
stitution of  a  legislative  council ;  the  equitable 
adjustment  of  Ireland's  contribution  to  the  im- 
perial exchequer  and  the  fiscal  arrangements  in 
general ;  the  gradual  retirement  of  the  existing 
police  force;  and  other  various  details  relating 
to  the  Irish  legislature  and  executive.    On  the 
whole,  the  bill  was  a  long  step  in  advance  of  its 
predecessor,  and  though  not  a  full  realization  of 
the  hopes  of  the  Irish  Home  Rulers,  yet  it  re- 
ceived their  cordial   support.    The   bill  after 
being  debated  in  the  House  and  in  committee 
passed  its  third  reading  and  was  sent  to  the 
House  of  Lords,  where  it  was  rejected  by  an 
overwhelming  majority,  and  amid  contemptu- 
ous  laughter,  on   September   8,   1893.  This 
only  showed  the  Peers  true  to  their  traditional 
instincts,  and  caused  little  surprise;  and  Mr. 
Gladstone  was  fully  prepared  for  such  a  contin- 
gency.   He  did  not  dissolve  Parliament,  but 
would  continue  to  hold  the  reins  of  power  until 
every  measure  of  reform  on  the  Liberal  pro- 
gramme had   been   passed  by  the  Commons. 
Then  he  would  appeal  to  the  country  with  every 
prospect  of  receiving  a  full  indorsement  of  his 
policy,  and  send  back  to  the  Lords  the  Home 
Eule  bill  and  several  English  Reform  bills.  If 
the  Lords  persisted  in  their  antagonism  to  the 
popular  will,  then  there  remained  for  the  Liberal 
leader  that  dernier  reasort  for  which  a  precedent 
is  found  so  far  back  as  two  hundred  and  forty 
years  ago — namely,  to  propose  the  abolition  of 
the  Upper  Chamber.    Common  sense  is  in  accord 


with  the  opinions  of  shrewd  politicians  who  pre- 
dict that  the  Lords  will  not  long  pursue  a  sui- 
cidal policy;  and  hence  it  is  not  deluding  one'a 
self  to  take  an  optimistic  view  of  the  situation. 

The  enforced  retirement  of  Mr.  Gladstone 
from  public  life  some  six  months  ago  on  account 
of  the  impairment  of  his  eyesight  caused  a  feel- 
ing of  genuine  and  widespread  regret  that  the 
House  should  know  no  more,  perhaps,  the 
Nestor  of  debate  and  that  the  Home  Rule  move- 
ment had  lost  its  brilliant  standard-bearer.  The 
latest  account  of  the  great  statesman's  condition 
affords  a  hope  that  he  may  re-enter  public  life ; 
but  whether  it  be  so  or  not,  the  Home  Rulers 
and  the  Liberal  party  in  general  can  congratu- 
late themselves  that  the  mantle  of  the  Grand  Old 
Man  has  fallen  on  a  nobleman  who,  so  far,  has 
proved  himself  loyal  to  the  principles  that  in 
later  years  have  guided  Mr.  Gladstone's  policy; 
and  men  in  the  position  to  know  him,  ground 
their  faith  in  Lord  Roseberry  on  the  sincerity 
of  purpose  shown  in  his  public  career.  The 
Home  Rule  question,  however,  is  no  longer  de- 
pendent on  the  fealty  or  caprice  of  any  leader : 
the  great  Liberal  party  of  England  as  a  unit  has 
placed  it  first  and  foremost  of  every  other  re- 
form ;  and  no  obstruction  by  an  imbecile  House 
of  Peers  can  stay  the  wheels  of  progress, or  nullify 
the  will  of  the  people  and  its  representatives. 

VALEDICTORY.' 

Dear  Young  Fellow-Countrymen  :  The  story 
of  our  country,  which  I  have  endeavored  to 
narrate  for  your  instruction  and  entertainment, 
terminates  here — for  the  present.  Time  as  it 
rolls  onward  will  always  be  adding  to  its  chapters. 
Let  us  hope  it  may  be  adding  to  its  glories. 

The  lesson  which  "The  Story  of  Ireland" 
teaches  is,  Hope,  Faith,  Confidence  in  God. 
Tracing  the  struggles  of  the  Irish  people,  one 
finds  himself  overpowered  by  the  conviction  that 
an  all-wise  Providence  has  sustained  and  pre- 
served them  as  a  nation  for  a  great  purpose,  for 
a  glorious  destiny. 

My  task  is  done ;  and  now  I  bid  farewell  to- 
my  young  friends  who  have  followed  my  story- 
telling so  far.  I  trust  I  have  not  failed  in  th& 
purpose,  and  shall  not  be  disappointed  in  the 
hopes  which  impelled  me  to  this  labor  of  love. 
God  Save  Ireland! 


ROBERT  EMMET. 


Dying  Speech  of  the  Great  Patriot  of  '98 — Words  that  will  Ever  Thrill  the  Hearts  of  Freemen. 


"Not  in  Power,  Not  in  Profit,  but  in  tlie  Glory  of  tlie  Achievement,"  his  Only  Ambition. 


What  have  I  to  say  why  sentence  of  death  should 
not  be  pronounced  on  me,  according  to  law? 
I  have  nothing  to  say  which  can  alter  your  prede- 
termination, nor  that  it  becomes  me  to  say  with 
any  view  to  the  mitigation  of  that  sentence  which 
yon  are  here  to  pronounce,  and  by  which  I  must 
abide.  But  I  have  that  to  say  which  interests 
me  more  than  life,  and  which  you  have  labored, 
as  was  necessarily  your  office  in  the  present  cir- 
cumstances of  this  oppressed  country,  to  destroy. 
I  have  much  to  say  why  my  reputation  should 
be  rescued  from  the  load  of  false  accusation  and 
calumny  which  has  been  heaped  upon  it.  I  do 
not  imagine  that,  seated  where  you  are,  your 
minds  can  be  so  free  from  impurity  as  to  receive 
the  least  impression  from  what  I  am  about  to 
uttei'.  I  have  no  hope  that  I  can  anchor  my 
character  in  the  breast  of  a  court  constituted  and 
trammeled  as  this  is.  I  onlj'  wish,  and  it  is  the 
utmost  I  expect,  that  your  lordships  may  suffer  it 
to  float  down  your  memories  untainted  by  the 
foul  breath  of  prejudice,  until  it  finds  soms  more 
hospitable  harbor  to  shelter  it  from  the  rude 
storm  by  which  it  is  at  present  buffeted.  Were 
I  only  to  suffer  death,  after  being  adjudged 
guilty  by  your  tribunal,  I  should  bow  in  silence, 
and  meet  the  fate  that  awaits  me  without  a  mur- 
mur; but  the  sentence  of  the  law  which  delivers 
my  body  to  the  executioner  will,  through  the 
ministry  of  the  law,  labor  in  its  own  vindication 
to  consign  my  character  to  obloquy,  for  there 
must  be  guilt  somewhere' — whether  in  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court,  or  in  the  catastrophe,  poster- 
ity must  determine.  A  man  in  my  situation,  my 
lords,  has  not  only  to  encounter  the  difficulties 
of  fortune  and  the  force  of  power  over  minds 
which  it  has  corrupted  or  subjugated,  but  the 
difficulties  of  established  prejudice.  The  man 
dies,  but  his  memory  lives.  That  mine  may  not 
perish,  that  it  may  live  in  the  respect  of  my 


countrymen,  I  seize  upon  this  opportunity  to 
vindicate  myself  from  some  of  the  charges 
alleged  against  me.  When  my  spirit  shall  be 
wafted  to  a  more  friendly  port — when  my  shade 
shall  have  joined  the  bands  of  those  martyred 
heroes  who  have  shed  their  blood  on  the  scaffold 
and  in  the  fields  in  defense  of  their  country  and 
of  virtue,  this  is  my  hope — I  wish  that  my  mem- 
ory and  name  may  animate  those  who  survive  me 
while  I  look  down  with  complacency  on  the 
destruction  of  that  perfidious  government  which 
upholds  its  domination  by  blasphemy  of  the 
Most  High  ;  which  displays  its  power  over  man,  as 
over  the  beasts  of  the  forest;  which  sets  man  upon 
his  brother,  and  lifts  his  hand,  in  the  name  of 
God,  against  the  throat  of  his  fellow  who  be- 
lieves or  doubts  a  little  more  or  a  little  less  than 
the  government  standard — a  government  which 
is  steeled  to  barbarity  by  the  cries  of  the  orphans 
and  the  tears  of  the  widows  which  it  has  made. 

Lord  Norbury :  "The  weak  and  Avicked  enthu- 
siasts who  feel  as  j'ou  feel  are  unequal  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  their  wild  designs." 

I  appeal  to  the  immaculate  God — I  swear  by 
the  Throne  of  Heaven  before  which  I  must 
shortly  appear — by  the  blood  of  the  murdered 
patriots  who  have  gone  before  me — that  my  con- 
duct has  been,  through  all  this  peril,  and  through 
all  my  purposes,  governed  only  by  the  convic- 
tions which  I  have  uttered,  and  b}'  no  other  view 
than  that  of  the  emancipation  of  my  country 
from  the  superinhuman  opi)ression  under  which 
she  has  so  long  and  too  patiently  travailed ;  and 
I  confidently  and  assuredly  hope  that,  wild  and 
chimerical  as  it  may  appear,  there  is  still  union 
and  strength  in  Ireland  to  accomplish  this 
noblest  enterprise.  Of  this  I  speak  with  the 
confidence  of  intimate  knowledge  and  with  the 
consolation  that  appertains  to  that  confidence. 


ROBERT  EMMETT. 


ROBERT  EMMET. 


279 


Think  not,  my  lords,  that  I  say  this  for  the  petty 
gratification  of  giving  you  a  transitory  uneasi- 
ness. A  man  who  never  yet  raised  his  voice  to 
utter  a  lie  will  not  hazard  his  character  vpith 
posterity  by  asserting  a  falsehood  on  a  subject  so 
important  to  his  country  and  on  an  occasion  like 
this.  Yes,  my  lords,  a  man  who  does  not  wish 
to  have  his  epitaph  written  until  his  country  is 
liberated  will  not  leave  a  weapon  in  the  power  of 
«nvy  nor  a  pretense  to  impeach  the  probity  which 
he  means  to  preserve,  even  in  the  grave  to  which 
tyranny  consigns  him. 

LordNorbury:  "You  proceed  to  unwarrant- 
able lengths  in  order  to  exasperate  or  delude  the 
unwary,  and  circulate  opinions  of  the  most  dan- 
gerous tendency  for  purposes  of  mischief." 

Again  I  say  that  what  I  have  spoken  was  not 
intended  for  your  lordship,  whose  situation  I 
commiserate  rather  than  envy ;  my  expressions 
were  for  my  countrymen.  If  there  is  a  true 
Irishman  present,  let  my  last  words  cheer  him  in 
the  hour  of  his  affliction — ■ 

Lord  Norbury:  "What  you  have  hitherto  said 
confirms  and  justifies  the  verdict  of  the  jury." 

I  have  always  understood  it  to  be  the  duty  of 
a  judge,  when  a  prisoner  has  been  convicted,  to 
pronounce  the  sentence  of  the  law.  I  have  un- 
derstood that  judges  sometimes  think  it  their 
duty  to  hear  with  patience,  and  to  speak  with 
humanity ;  to  exhort  the  victim  of  the  laws,  and 
to  offer,  with  tender  benignity,  their  opinions  of 
the  motives  by  which  he  was  actuated  in  the 
•crime  of  which  he  was  adjudged  guilty.  That  a 
judge  has  thought  it  his  duty  so  to  have  done,  I 
have  no  doubt;  but  where  is  that  boasted  free- 
dom of  your  institutions — where  is  the  vaunted 
impartiality,  clemency,  and  mildness  of  your 
courts  of  justice,  if  an  unfortunate  prisoner,  whom 
your  policy,  and  not  justice,  is  about  to  deliver 
into  the  hands  of  the  executioner,  is  not  suffered 
to  explain  his  motives  sincerely  and  truly,  and 
to  vindicate  the  principles  by  which  he  was 
actuated?  My  lords,  it  may  be  a  part  of  the 
system  of  angry  justice  to  bow  a  man's  mind  by 
humiliation  to  the  purposed  ignominy  of  the 
scaffold ;  but  worse  to  me  than  the  purposed 
shame  of  the  scaffold's  terror  would  be  the  shame 
of  such  foul  and  unfounded  imputations  as  have 


been  laid  against  me  in  this  court.  You,  my 
lord,  are  a  judge;  I  am  the  supposed  culprit.  I 
am  a  man ;  you  are  a  man  also.  By  a  revolution 
of  power  we  might  change  places,  though  we 
never  could  change  characters.  If  I  stand  at  the 
bar  of  this  court  and  dare  not  vindicate  my  char- 
acter, what  a  farce  is  your  justice?  If  I  stand  at 
this  bar  and  dare  not  vindicate  my  character,  how 
dare  you  calumniate  it?  Does  the  sentence  of 
death,  which  your  unhallowed  policy  inflicts 
upon  my  body,  also  condemn  my  tongue  to 
silence  and  my  reputation  to  reproach?  Your 
executioner  may  abridge  the  period  of  my  exist- 
ence, but  while  I  exist  I  shall  not  forbear  to  vin- 
dicate my  character  and  motives  from  your  asper- 
sions; as  a  man  to  whom  fame  is  dearer  than  life 
I  will  make  the  last  use  of  that  life  in  doing  jus- 
tice to  that  reputation  which  is  to  live  after  me, 
and  which  is  the  only  legacy  I  can  leave  to  those 
I  honor  and  love,  and  for  whom  I  am  proud  to 
perish.  As  men,  my  lord,  we  must  appear  on 
the  great  day  at  one  common  tribunal,  and  it  will 
then  remain  for  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts  to 
show  a  collective  universe  who  was  engaged  in 
the  most  virtuous  actions  or  actuated  by  the 
purest  motives — my  country's  oppressor,  or — 

Lord  Norbury :  "Stop,  sir!  Listen  to  the  sen- 
tence of  the  law." 

My  lord,  shall  a  dying  man  be  denied  the 
legal  privilege  of  exculpating  himself  in  the  eyes 
of  the  community  from  an  undeserved  reproach 
thrown  upon  him  during  his  trial,  by  charging 
him  with  ambition,  and  attempting  to  cast  away, 
for  a  paltry  consideration,  the  liberties  of  his 
country?  Why  did  your  lordship  insult  me? 
Or  rather,  why  insult  justice  in  demanding  of  me 
why  sentence  of  death  should  not  be  pronounced? 
I  know,  my  lord,  that  form  prescribes  that  you 
should  ask  the  question.  The  form  also  presumes 
the  right  of  answering.  This,  no  doubt,  may  be 
dispensed  with,  and  so  might  the  whole  cere- 
mony of  the  trial,  since  the  sentence  was  already 
pronounced  at  the  Castle  before  your  jury  were 
impaneled.  Your  lordships  are  but  the  priests 
of  the  oracle.  I  submit  to  the  sacrifice,  but  I 
insist  on  the  whole  of  the  forms. 

Lord  Norbury:  "You  may  proceed,  sir." 

I  am  charged  with  being  an  emissary  of  France. 


HBO  ROBERT 

An  emissary  of  France!  And  for  what  end? 
It  is  alleged  that  I  wished  to  sell  the  independ- 
ence of  my  countrymen;  and  for  what  end? 
"Was  this  the  object  of  my  ambition?  And  is  this 
the  mode  by  which  a  tribunal  of  justice  reconciles 
contradictions?  No;  I  am  no  emissary.  My 
ambition  was  to  hold  a  place  among  the  deliver- 
ers of  my  country — not  in  power,  not  in  profit, 
but  in  the  glorj-  of  the  achievement.  Sell  my 
country's  independence  to  France!  And  for 
what?  A  change  of  masters?  No;  but  for  my 
ambition.  Oh,  my  country!  was  it  personal 
ambition  that  influenced  me,  had  it  been  the  soul 
of  my  actions,  could  it  not,  by  my  education  and 
fortune,  by  the  rank  of  my  familj-,  have  placed 
myself  among  the  proudest  of  j'our  oppressors? 
My  country  was  my  idol.  To  it  I  sacrificed 
everj'  selfish,  every  endearing  sentiment;  and 
for  it  I  now  offer  myself,  O  God!  No,  my  lords; 
I  acted  as  an  Irishman,  determined  on  delivering 
my  country  from  the  yoke  of  a  foreign  and  unre- 
lenting tyrann3',  and  from  the  more  galling  yoke 
of  a  domestic  faction,  its  joint  partner  and  per- 
petrator in  the  patricide,  whose  reward  is  the 
ignominy  existing  with  an  exterior  of  splendor 
and  a  consciousness  of  depravity.  It  was  the 
wish  of  my  heart  to  extricate  my  country  from 
this  doubly-riveted  despotism — I  wished  to  place 
her  independence  beyond  the  reach  of  any  power 
on  earth.  I  wished  to  exalt  her  to  that  proud 
station  in  the  world  which  Providence  had  des- 
tined her  to  fill.  Connection  with  France  was, 
indeed,  intended,  but  only  so  far  as  mutual  in- 
terest would  sanction  or  require.  Were  the 
French  to  assume  any  authority  inconsistent 
with  the  purest  independence  it  would  be  the 
signal  for  their  destruction.  We  sought  their 
aid — and  we  sought  it  as  we  had  assurance  we 
could  obtain  it — as  auxiliaries  in  war  and  allies 
in  peace.  Were  the  French  to  come  as  invaders 
or  enemies,  uninvited  hy  the  wishes  of  the 
people,  I  should  oppose  them  to  the  utmost  of 
my  strength.  "Yes!  my  countrymen,  I  should 
advise  you  to  meet  them  on  the  beach  with  a 
Bword  in  one  hand  and  a  torch  in  the  other.  I 
would  meet  them  with  all  the  destructive  fury  of 
war,  and  I  would  animate  my  countrymen  to 
immolate  them  in  their  boats  before  they  had 
contaminated  the  soil  of  my  country.  If  they 
succeeded  in  landing,  and  if  forced  to  retire 


EMMET. 

before  superior  discipline,  I  would  dispute  every 
inch  of  ground,  raze  every  house,  burn  every 
blade  of  grass;  the  last  spot  on  which  the  hope 
of  freedom  should  desert  me,  there  would  I  hold, 
and  the  last  intrenchment  of  liberty  should  be 
my  grave.  What  I  could  not  do  myself  in  my 
fall,  I  should  leave  as  a  last  charge  to  my  coun- 
trj'men  to  accomplish ;  because  I  should  feel  con- 
scious that  life,  any  more  than  death,  is  dishon- 
orable  when  a  foreign  nation  holds  my  country 
in  subjection.  But  it  was  not  as  an  enemy  that 
the  succors  of  France  were  to  land.  I  looked, 
indeed,  for  the  assistance  of  France ;  I  wished  to- 
prove  to  France  and  to  the  woi'ld  that  Irishmen 
deserve  to  be  assisted — that  they  were  indignant 
at  slavery,  and  ready  to  assert  the  independence 
and  liberty  of  their  country ;  I  wished  to  procure 
for  my  country  the  guarantee  which  Washington 
procured  for  America — to  procure  aid  which,  bv 
its  example,  would  be  as  important  as  its  valor; 
disciplined,  gallant,  pregnant  with  science  and 
experience;  that  of  allies  who  would  perceive  the 
good  and  polish  the  rough  points  of  our  char- 
acter. They  would  come  to  us  as  strangers,  and 
leave  us  as  friends,  after  sharing  in  our  trials 
and  elevating  our  destiny.  These  were  my  ob- 
jects; not  to  receive  new  taskmasters,  but  to  ex- 
pel old  tj-rants.  And  it  was  for  these  ends  I 
sought  aid  from  France;  because  France,  even  as 
an  enemy,  could  not  be  more  implacable  than  the 
enemy  already  in  the  bosom  of  my  country. 

Lord  Norbury:  "I  exhort  you  not  to  depart 
this  life  with  such  sentiments  of  rooted  hostility 
to  your  country  as  those  which  you  have 
expressed. " 

Let  no  man  dare,  Mhen  I  am  dead,  to  charge 
me  with  dishonor ;  let  no  man  attaint  my  memory 
by  believing  that  I  could  have  engaged  in  any 
cause  but  that  of  my  country's  liberty  and  inde- 
pendence; or  that  I  could  have  become  the  pliant 
minion  of  power  in  the  oppression  and  miserj-  of 
my  countrymen.  The  proclamation  of  the  Pro- 
visional Government  speaks  my  views,  no  infer- 
ence can  be  tortured  from  it  to  countenance  bar- 
barity or  debasement  at  home,  or  objection, 
humiliation  or  treachery  from  abroad.  I  would 
not  have  submitted  to  a  foreign  oppressor  for  the 
same  reason  that  I  would  resist  the  domestic 
tyrant.    In  the  dignity  of  freedom  I  would  have 


ROBEET  EMMET.  28J 


bought  upon  the  threshold  of  my  country,  and 
its  enemy  should  only  enter  by  passing  over  my 
lifeless  corpse.  And  am  I,  who  lived  but  for  my 
country,  who  have  subjected  myself  to  the  dan- 
gers of  the  jealous  and  watchful  oppressor,  and 
now  the  bondage  of  the  grave,  only  to  give  my 
countrymen  their  rights  and  my  country  her 
independence — am  I  to  be  loaded  with  calumny 
and  not  suffered  to  resent  it?    No;  God  forbid! 

Here  Lord  Norbury  told  Mr.  Emmet  that  his 
sentiments  and  language  disgraced  his  family 
and  his  education,  but  more  particularly  his 
father.  Dr.  Emmet,  who  was  a  man,  if  alive,  that 
■would  not  countenance  such  opinions.  To  which 
Mr.  Emmet  replied : 

If  the  spirits  of  the  illustrious  dead  participate 
in  the  concerns  and  cares  of  those  who  were 
dear  to  them  in  this  transitory  life,  O !  ever  dear 
and  venerated  shade  of  my  departed  father,  look 
down  with  scrutiny  upon  the  conduct  of  your 
suffering  son,  and  see  if  I  have,  even  for  a 
moment,  deviated  from  those  principles  of  moral- 
ity and  patriotism  which  it  was  your  care  to 
instil  into  my  youthful  mind,  and  for  which  I  am 


now  about  to  offer  up  my  life.  My  lords,  you 
seem  impatient  for  the  sacrifice.  The  blood  for 
which  you  thirst  is  not  congealed  by  the  arti- 
ficial terrors  which  surround  your  victim  (the 
soldiery  filled  and  surrounded  the  Sessions 
House) — it  circulates  warmly  and  unruffled 
through  the  channels  which  God  created  for 
noble  piirposes,  but  which  you  are  now  bent  to 
destroj',  for  purposes  so  grievous  that  they  cry 
to  heaven.  Be  yet  patient!  I  have  but  a  few 
more  words  to  say.  I  am  going  to  my  cold  and 
silent  grave;  my  lamp  of  life  is  nearly  extin- 
guished ;  my  race  is  run ;  the  grave  is  open  to 
receive  me,  and  I  sink  into  its  bosom.  I  have 
but  one  request  to  ask  at  my  departure  from  this 
world  ;  it  is — the  charity  of  its  silence.  Let  no 
man  write  my  epitaph ;  for  as  no  man  who  knows 
my  motives  dare  now  vindicate  them,  let  them 
and  me  rest  in  obscurity  and  peace,  and  my 
name  remain  uuinscribed  until  other  times  and 
other  men  can  do  justice  to  my  character.  When 
my  country  takes  her  place  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  then,  and  not  till  then,  let  my  epitaph 
be  written.    I  have  done. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE 


ill 

III 

9( 

Yc 

1  031 

65117 

DATE  DUE 


UNIVERSITY  PRODUCTS,  INC.  #859-5503 


